cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Fenugreek Counters the Effects of High Fat Diet on Gut Microbiota in Mice: Links to Metabolic Benefit

Fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum) is an annual herbaceous plant and a staple of traditional health remedies for metabolic conditions including high cholesterol and diabetes. While the mechanisms of the beneficial actions of fenugreek remain unknown, a role for intestinal microbiota in metabolic homeostasis is likely. To determine if fenugreek utilizes intestinal bacteria to offset the adverse effects of high fat diets, C57BL/6J mice were fed control/low fat (CD) or high fat (HFD) diets each supplemented with or without 2% (w/w) fenugreek for 16 weeks. The effects of fenugreek and HFD on gut microbiota were comprehensively mapped and then statistically assessed in relation to effects on metrics of body weight, hyperlipidemia, and glucose tolerance. 16S metagenomic analyses revealed robust and significant effects of fenugreek on gut microbiota, with alterations in both alpha and beta diversity as well as taxonomic redistribution under both CD and HFD conditions. As previously reported, fenugreek attenuated HFD-induced hyperlipidemia and stabilized glucose tolerance without affecting body weight. Finally, fenugreek specifically reversed the dysbiotic effects of HFD on numerous taxa in a manner tightly correlated with overall metabolic function. Collectively, these data reinforce the essential link between gut microbiota and metabolic syndrome and suggest that the preservation of healthy populations of gut microbiota participates in the beneficial properties of fenugreek in the context of modern Western-style diets.
The Washington Consensus

The ideas behind the “Washington Consensus” originated in the late 1970s at about the time that many developing countries began to ask policymakers in Washington for help in dealing with the effects of prolonged import substitution strategies: decreasing exports, crippling debt, runaway inflation, and bloated public sectors. By the mid-1980s, the policy prescriptions jelled, and in 1990 John Williamson identified a set of ten policies that “Washington” regarded as desirable. He coined the term “Washington Consensus” in a paper featured in a book of collected works on the economic situation of Latin America called Latin American Adjustment. By “Washington,” Williamson was referring to “the political Washington of Congress and senior members of the administration and the technocratic Washington of the international financial institutions, the economic agencies of the US government, the Federal Reserve Board, and the think tanks.” Thus, for Williamson, the term Washington Consensus was first and foremost a descriptive term. Like it or not, there was an implicit consensus in official Washington, and he had identified it and given it a name.
Taming Systemic Corruption: The American Experience and Its Implications for Contemporary Debates

Endemic corruption in developing countries often seems intractable. Yet most countries that currently have relatively high public integrity were, at an earlier point in their history, afflicted with similarly pervasive corruption. Studying the history of these countries may therefore make a valuable contribution to modern debates about anti-corruption reform. This paper considers the experience of the United States, focusing principally on the period between 1865 and 1941. We find that the U.S. experience calls into question a number of commonly-held views about the struggle against corruption in modern developing countries. First, although some argue that entrenched cultures of corruption are virtually impossible to dislodge, the U.S. experience demonstrates that it is possible to make a transition from a systemically corrupt political system to a system in which public corruption is aberrational. Second, although some have argued that tackling systemic corruption requires a “big bang” approach, the U.S. transition away from endemic corruption would be better characterized as incremental, uneven, and slow. Third, although some have argued that fighting corruption requires shrinking the state, in the U.S. reductions in systemic corruption coincided with a substantial expansion of government size and power. Fourth, some commentators have argued that “direct” anti-corruption measures that emphasize monitoring and punishment do not do much good in societies where corruption is pervasive. On this point, the lessons from U.S. history are more nuanced. Institutional reforms played a key role in the U.S. fight against corruption, but investigations and prosecutions of corrupt actors were also crucial, not only because of deterrence effects, but because these enforcement efforts signaled a broader shift in political norms. The U.S. anti-corruption experience involved a combination of “direct strategies,” such as aggressive law enforcement, and “indirect strategies,” such as civil service reform and other institutional changes.
Incidence and Variables Predictive of Pressure Injuries in Patients Undergoing Ventricular Assist Device and Total Artificial Heart Surgeries: An 8-Year Retrospective Cohort Study.

Objective To investigate the incidence and risk factors of pressure injury (PI) development after ventricular assist device (VAD) or total artificial heart (TAH) surgery. Methods The investigator reviewed all VAD-TAH surgeries performed between 2010 and 2018 in a large academic health system. The PIs were reported by case incidence, patient incidence, and incidence density for each of the respective 1,000 patient days during the study period. Statistics on four different VAD-TAH devices were assessed; variables significant in bivariate analysis were entered into a stepwise logistic regression model to identify significant predictors of PI. Results The sample included 292 independent VAD-TAH surgeries among 265 patients. Thirty-two patients developed 45 PIs. The PI incidence was 11% (32/292), with a PI incidence per patient of 12% (32/265). Incidence density was 10 per 1,000 patient days (1%) for 2010-2012, 12 per 1,000 patient days (1.2%) for 2013-2015, and 10 per 920 patient days (1.1%) for 2016-2018. Logistic regression revealed that significant predictor variables for PI were age, mechanical ventilation time, and preoperative Braden Scale score. The mean time to PI was 23 days after admission and over 14 days after surgery, indicating a low rate of intraoperative and ICU-associated PI. Conclusions The incidence of PI was lower than anticipated given historic rates. Potential mechanisms by which these patients were protected from PI are discussed. Prospective studies to further investigate significant risk factors and effective prevention measures are warranted.
Addressing Social Needs in Health Care Settings: Evidence, Challenges, and Opportunities for Public Health

There has been an explosion of interest in addressing social needs in health care settings. Some efforts, such as screening patients for social needs and connecting them to needed social services, are already in widespread practice. These and other major investments from the health care sector hint at the potential for new multisector collaborations to address social determinants of health and individual social needs. This article discusses the rapidly growing body of research describing the links between social needs and health and the impact of social needs interventions on health improvement, utilization, and costs. We also identify gaps in the knowledge base and implementation challenges to be overcome. We conclude that complementary partnerships among the health care, public health, and social services sectors can build on current momentum to strengthen social safety net policies, modernize social services, and reshape resource allocation to address social determinants of health.
“It’s Do or Die”: Cultural Labor, Competitive Reality TV, and the Reproduction of Neoliberal Capitalism

This article argues that creative competition reality television, a distinct genre within the reality TV format, reproduces capitalist hegemony by naturalizing neoliberal values, the myth of meritocracy, and the precarity of cultural labor. Drawing from a case study of Amazon Studios’ 2020 fashion design competition Making the Cut , I examine the pedagogical role of creative competition shows as they shape the labor conditions of the cultural workforce.
Chemical Signals in the Beaver

We examined the information coded in the chemical signaling system in the beaver (Castor canadensis), which has two pheromonal sources, castoreum and the anal gland secretion. It seems that castoreum is used to advertise territoriality and maybe also mediates in the recognition of family members, neighbors and non-neighbors. The anal gland secretion contains multiple types of information including individuality, kinship, family membership and sex. The gas chromatographic profile of the anal gland secretion is individually specific, but profiles are more similar between genetically related individuals than between non-related individuals. Thus, information about kinship can be coded by using the codes for individuality. Family membership can be similarly coded by using the codes for kinship information. This is because beavers live in closed family units, resulting in a higher within-family relatedness than between-families relatedness. Coding for sex information using compounds from the anal gland secretion is both digital (present/absent) and analog (present, but consistently different in the amount between the two sexes). The interrelationship between sex information and other types of information is not yet clear. Although castoreum does not contain sex information while the anal gland secretion does, beavers do not show differences in their behavioral response to either castoreum or the anal gland secretion from males or females.
TU‐CD‐213‐01: Communication, Negotiation, and Persuasion: Approaches for Better Results

As part of the AAPM’s Scope of Practice, medical physicists are expected to collaborate effectively with practioners and allied health care providers. Interpersonal skills such as communication, negotiation and persuasion are vital for successful collaboration to achieve shared goals. This session will provide some theoretical background of these interpersonal skills as well as specific techniques and practical tools to influence others. Applications of these interpersonal skills for administrative and human resource management purposes vital to medical physicists will be shared. Session attendees will gain knowledge and tools to help them effectively collaborate with administrative and physician leaders in areas such as capital and human resource selection, prioritization, and implementation. Participants will hear methods of how to articulate their goals and to understand the goals of administration, helping ensure alignment of purpose. Session speakers will present one of the topics: equipment selection, budget creation, contracts, and program-related policy development. Specifics may include designing a business case in language that administrators understand, calculating the prioritization of budget requests, and influencing policies for safe and effective care. Human resource topics may include staffing justification, recruitment for fit, employment contracts, and benefits. Speakers will provide examples in both radiation therapy and diagnostic imaging departments and will share experiences and outcomes of their approaches for better results. Learning Objectives: After this course attendees will be better able to 1. Understand the shared goal between administrative and physicist leadership. 2. Articulate the “why” of the technical or human resource need. 3. Utilize communication, negotiation and persuasion tools to improve collaboration.
Abstract 15998: Rho Kinase Inhibition Prevents the Pressor and Sympatho-Excitatory Effects of Central Angiotensin-II Infusion in Conscious Rabbits

Introduction: Elevated sympathetic tone and activation of the renin-angiotensin system are pathophysiologic hallmarks of diseases like chronic heart failure, hypertension, chronic kidney disease, and obstructive sleep apnea, all of which have compelling burdens and therapeutic needs. The RhoA/Rho kinase pathway is an important mediator of the effects of Angiotensin-II (AngII) in the periphery, but the functional role of this pathway in the brain in AngII-induced sympatho-excitation is not well-characterized. Hypothesis: We hypothesized that central inhibition of the RhoA/Rho kinase pathway prevents AngII-mediated autonomic dysfunction in rabbits. Methods: Each rabbit received all four of the following intracerebroventricular infusion treatments for two weeks in random order: AngII, the Rho kinase inhibitor Fasudil (Fas), AngII and Fas, and vehicle infusion via osmotic minipump. After two weeks, the treatment was washed out with vehicle infusion for 7-14 days. Baseline recordings of mean arterial pressure (MAP) and heart rate (HR) were acquired throughout treatment. After ten days of infusion, cardiac sympathetic tone and sympathetic vasomotor tone were assessed by the change in HR after metoprolol and change in MAP after hexamethonium, respectively. Results: AngII treatment resulted in a pressor effect that was blocked with Fas co-infusion (A). Both cardiac sympathetic tone (B) and sympathetic vasomotor tone (C) were increased with AngII infusion; this sympatho-excitation was abrogated by co-infusion of Fas. Each of these measures showed a significant interaction between AngII and Fas, indicating that the pressor and sympatho-excitatory responses of central AngII are mediated by the RhoA/Rho kinase pathway. Conclusions: These data indicate that inhibition of the Rho kinase pathway centrally could act as a therapeutic brake on the positive feedback between central renin-angiotensin system activation and sympathetic outflow in many diseases.
Aortic valve sclerosis and aortic atherosclerosis: different manifestations of the same disease?: Insights from a population-based study

OBJECTIVES The aim of this study was to examine the association between atherosclerosis risk factors, aortic atherosclerosis and aortic valve abnormalities in the general population. BACKGROUND Clinical and experimental studies suggest that aortic valve sclerosis (AVS) is a manifestation of the atherosclerotic process. METHODS Three hundred eighty-one subjects, a sample of the Olmsted County (Minnesota) population, were examined by transthoracic and transesophageal echocardiography. The presence of AVS (thickened valve leaflets), elevated transaortic flow velocities and aortic regurgitation (AR) was determined. The associations between atherosclerosis risk factors, aortic atherosclerosis (imaged by transesophageal echocardiography) and aortic valve abnormalities were examined. RESULTS Age, male gender, body mass index (odds ratio [OR]: 1.07 per kg/m2; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.02 to 1.12), antihypertensive treatment (OR: 1.93; CI: 1.12 to 3.32) and plasma homocysteine levels (OR: 1.89 per twofold increase; CI: 0.99 to 3.61) were independently associated with an increased risk of AVS. Age, body mass index and pulse pressure (OR: 1.21 per 10 mm Hg; CI: 1.00 to 1.46) were associated with elevated (upper quintile) transaortic velocities, whereas only age was independently associated with AR. Sinotubular junction sclerosis (p = 0.001) and atherosclerosis of the ascending aorta (p = 0.03) were independently associated with AVS and elevated transaortic velocities, respectively. CONCLUSIONS Atherosclerosis risk factors and proximal aortic atherosclerosis are independently associated with aortic valve abnormalities in the general population. These observations suggest that AVS is an atherosclerosis-like process involving the aortic valve.
The race to save the planet

Abstract Environmentalists in the west have launched the green consumer movement in the expectation that redirecting consumption will result in more environmentally sensitive technology and products. Green consumerism is, thus far, a shallow, apolitical strategy that holds great consequence for women. A “consumer environmentalism” mentality is framing the debate on population and environment. The result is a strategy of population control, based primarily on the pill and chemical injectables, that jeopardizes women's reproductive self-determination.
EXCEPTIONS TO RAPE SHIELD LAWS

Almost all states and the federal government have statutes designed to protect sexual assault victims from harassing and intimidating questions regarding their past sexual experiences and reputations for chastity. During the Kobe Bryant's sexual assault preliminary hearing, Bryant's attorney was accused of violating Colorado's rape shield statute when she asked whether the alleged victim's reported injuries could have been caused by having sex with three men in a short period of time. Bryant's attorney was immediately -attacked for attempting to smear the victim and violating Colorado's rape shield statute. Unknown to many persons, all rape shield statutes have exceptions; and some exceptions are constitutionally required. A complete ban on questions regarding victims' past sexual experiences would violate defendants' Sixth Amendment right to confront the evidence against them and the Fourteenth Amendment right to due process of Jaw of the U. S. Constitution. The authors discuss the right to confrontation, including a table that shows the exceptions for all states and the federal government.
Calculator Programs: Calculation of bond angles, lengths, and dihedral on a pocket calculator

Abstract The method and software for calculating bond angles, bond lengths, and dihedral angles with an indications of (+) or (tϵ rotation is presented for th
Development of a quantitative immunological assay for the study of spore coat synthesis and morphogenesis.

Abstract A quantitative assay employing 125I-labeled antibody has been developed for Bacillus cereus T spore coat protein. Populations of antibody molecules with various affinities for inner or outer coat can be prepared by selective adsorption to and elution from different coat preparations. Adsorption to and elution from intact spores results in an antibody preparation at least 15 times more reactive to outer coat. This antibody is useful for measuring the time and extent of spore coat maturation, i.e., outer spore coat formation. Rifampin inhibits the increase in content of this coat antigen.
An Application Program Interface for a Complex Object Database

Abstract New advanced applications in the areas of science, engineering and office automation lead to new requirements which are not satisfied by existing conventional database systems. One answer to these new requirements is the generalization of the classical relational systems to Non First Normal Form (NF2) database systems. NF2 database systems are capable to process complex objects consisting of hierarchies of conventional relational first normal form objects. To cover a maximal variety of applications these NF2 database systems have to offer - like conventional database systems - two main classes of interfaces, namely the interactive interface for processing ad hoc database language statements and the Application Program Interface (API) combining the database and the application program environment. After an introduction into an extended NF2 data model and the corresponding database language this paper describes the design of an Application Program Interface (API) with the capability of processing complex objects. Several scenarios for such a design are discussed. The main part of the paper is devoted to the introduction of the concept of a cursor hierarchy. Cursor hierarchies support the navigation through complex objects and the transfer of complex objects and subobjects into an application program as well as the propagation of changes back into the underlying database.
Seasonal patterns of alkenone production in the subtropical oligotrophic North Pacific

[1] Seasonal alkenone concentrations, production rates, and unsaturation patterns (U37K′) were measured at station ALOHA in the oligotrophic subtropical North Pacific. Highest alkenone concentration and production rates were found in (winter and fall) or just below (summer) the surface mixed layer. Lowest alkenone concentration and production rates were found within the deep chlorophyll maximum layer (DCML). In the DCML, which occurs at 80–120 m throughout the year, U37K′ temperatures overestimated water temperatures by ∼2°–4°C. This result probably reflected the effect of light limitation on the physiology of alkenone-producing algae. At the depth of maximum alkenone production, U37K′ temperatures underestimated water temperature by ∼2°–4°C in summer and fall but overestimated in situ temperatures by ∼1°–2°C in winter. The underestimate of measured water temperature in summer and fall most likely reflected a physiological response to limited nutrient availability. The U37K′ temperature overestimate in winter was best explained by a change in the ecology of alkenone-producing algae.
Multiple pathways in regulation of dopamine beta-hydroxylase.

Publisher Summary DBH is localized in membrane-bound (77-kDa) and soluble (73-kDa) forms in neurosecretory vesicles of the noradrenergic neurons of the central and peripheral nervous systems and in the chromaffin granules of the adrenal medullary cells. Experiments from several groups reveal that both forms of DBH arise from a single translational product. Dopamine β -hydroxylase (DBH) catalyzes the hydroxylation of dopamine to form norepinephrine. The expression of DBH is elevated in vivo in response to a variety of transsynaptic signals, hormones, growth factors, and stress. There is now a large body of experiments demonstrating that with prolonged conditions that stimulate catecholamine biosynthesis, the expression of DBH also is markedly elevated. In vivo , DBH gene expression has been shown to be elevated by several important physiological and pharmacological stimuli. These include treatment of rats with reserpine, or nicotine or electrical preganglionic stimulation. Exposure to stress markedly activates DBH gene expression. Using electrophoretic mobility shift assays, it has been shown that the transcription factors are not identical to those reported to interact with its human analogue. For example, the human DBH promoter oligonucleotide analogous to DBH-1 has been shown to bind YY1.
Latina Realities: Essays On Healing, Migration, And Sexuality

* Foreword Lillian Comas-Daz. Experience As A Source Of Theory And Method * Giving Voice to Silence: The Psychologist as Witness * Roots Uprooted: Autobiographical Reflections on the Psychological Experience of Migration Feminist Psychology And Psychotherapy * Womens Diversity: Ethnicity, Race, Class, and Gender in Theories of Feminist Psychology with Mary Ann Gawelek. * Feminist Approaches to Therapy with Women of Color * On Knowing You Are the Unknown: Women of Color Constructing Psychology Sexuality * Cultural and Historical Influences on Sexuality in Hispanic/Latin Women: Implications for Psychotherapy * Issues of Identity in the Psychology of Latina Lesbians Immigrant Women And Adolescents * Psychological Impact of Migration on Latinas: Implications for Psychotherapeutic Practice * Letters from V.: Adolescent Personality Development in Sociohistorical Context with Abigail J. Stewart and Cynthia Gmez. * Traumatic Historical Events and Adolescent Psychosocial Development: Letters from V. * Spiritual Power and the Mundane World: Hispanic Female Healers in Urban U.S. Communities The Interplay Of Migration And Sexuality In Womens Lives * Race, Racism, and Sexuality in the Life Narratives of Immigrant Women * Leaving the Nation and Joining the Tribe: Lesbian Immigrants Crossing Geographical and Identity Borders
Development of an aqueous-space mixing assay for fusion of granules and plasma membranes from human neutrophils

Several models have been developed to study neutrophil degranulation. At the most basic level, phospholipid vesicles have been used to investigate the lipid interactions occurring during membrane fusion. The two major forms of assays used to measure phospholipid vesicle fusion are based either on the dilution of tagged phospholipids within the membrane of the two fusing partners or the mixing of the aqueous contents of the vesicles. Although problems exist with both methods, the latter is considered to be more accurate and representative of true fusion. Using 8-aminonaphthalene-1,3,6-trisulphonic acid (ANTS) as a fluorescent marker, we have taken advantage of the quenching properties of p-xylenebispyridinium bromide ('DPX') to develop a simple aqueous-space mixing assay that can be used with any sealed vesicle. We compared our new assay with more conventional assays using liposomes composed of phosphatidic acid (PA) and phosphatidylethanolamine (PE), obtaining comparable results with respect to Ca2+-dependent fusion. We extended our studies to measure the fusion of neutrophil plasma-membrane vesicles as well as azurophil and specific granules with PA/PE (1:3) liposomes. Both specific granules and plasma-membrane vesicles fused with PA/PE liposomes at [Ca2+] as low as 500 microM, while azurophil granules showed no fusion at [Ca2+] as high as 12 mM. These differences in the ability of Ca2+ to induce fusion may be related to differences observed in whole cells with respect to secretion.
220 MHz Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectra of Oxidized and Reduced Pyridine Dinucleotides

Abstract 1. The two C4 protons of the dihydropyridine ring of reduced coenzymes appear as an AB spectrum in the 220 MHz nuclear magnetic resonance system. This indicates that they are chemically and magnetically nonequivalent. 2. When the oxidized coenzyme is converted to the reduced coenzyme, the coupling constant of C'1H of ribose adjacent to the pyridine increased by about 3.5 Hz, whereas the same of the ribose adjacent to the adenine remained constant. This indicates that, when the oxidized pyridine dinucleotide is reduced, the ribose attached to the pyridine ring undergoes a conformational change, the conformation of the ribose attached to the adenine remaining the same in both oxidized and reduced coenzymes. 3. The C'1H of the ribose adjacent to pyridine of reduced coenzymes is substantially broadened, and this broadening increased at elevated temperatures. This is due to onset of unresolved nitrogen spin-spin coupling as a result of the alteration of the relaxation time of nitrogen dominated by quadrupole coupling. This observation provides the most unequivocal method for assigning the chemical shift of the C'1H of ribose attached to the pyridine of reduced coenzyme. 4. Startling changes take place in the shape and position of the ribose protons as a result of the reduction of the oxidized coenzyme. It is thought to result from an alteration in the geometric posture of the diphosphate backbone as a result of the reduction.
Semantically consistent schedules for efficient and concurrent B-tree restructuring

A concurrent B-tree algorithm can achieve more parallelism than a standard concurrency control method. The author presents a semantically based method for B-tree restructuring which allows efficient and concurrent traversals and fetches. The concurrent operations compare favorably with earlier solutions because they avoid wasted input/output (I/O). In addition, the concurrent B-tree algorithms considerably reduce the need to repeatedly traverse the tree in order to recover from the effect of in-progress restructuring. The method increases the performance of a high-volume database management system. >
Interactive effects of exercise, alcohol, and vegetarian diet on coronary artery disease risk factors in 9242 runners: the National Runners' Health Study

In a national survey, 199 male and 152 female vegetarian runners and 7054 male and 1837 female omnivorous runners provided data on weekly intakes of alcohol, red meat, fish, and fruit, and weekly distance run. This information was compared with physician-supplied medical data to test whether 1) running benefits vegetarians, 2) alcohol and running distance contribute independently to concentrations of high-density-lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, and 3) running mitigates the hypertensive effects of alcohol. Greater reported weekly distance run by vegetarians was associated with greater HDL-cholesterol concentrations [slopes +/- SEs for men and women, respectively: 0.003 +/- 0.001 and 0.005 +/- 0.002 (mmol/L)/km] and lower waist (-0.06 +/- 0.02 and-0.08 +/- 0.02 cm/km), hip (-0.05 +/- 0.03 and -0.07 +/- 0.02 cm/km), and chest (-0.05 +/- 0.02 cm/km for both) circumferences. In men and women, alcohol and running distance contributed independently to higher HDL-cholesterol concentrations. Men who ran > 72 km and drank > 177 mL (6 oz) alcohol/wk were five times more likely to have clinically defined high HDL cholesterol (> or = 1.55 mmol/L, or > or = 60 mg/dL) than were nondrinkers running < 24 km/wk. Regardless of running level, men's blood pressure increased in association with alcohol intake. These data suggest that 1) running distance in vegetarians and vegans has the same relation to HDL cholesterol (increasing) and adiposity (decreasing) as reported previously for omnivores, 2) alcohol and running distance contribute independently to higher HDL cholesterol, and 3) running does not abate the hypertensive effects of alcohol in men. Also, vigorous exercise provides important health benefits beyond those obtained by diet.
New Prospects in Fixed Target Searches for Dark Forces with the SeaQuest Experiment at Fermilab

An intense 120 GeV proton beam incident on an extremely long iron target generates enormous numbers of light-mass particles that also decay within that target. If one of these particles decays to a final state with a hidden gauge boson, or if such a particle is produced as a result of the initial collision, then that weakly interacting hidden-sector particle may traverse the remainder of the target and be detected downstream through its possible decay to an ${e}^{+}{e}^{\ensuremath{-}}$, ${\ensuremath{\mu}}^{+}{\ensuremath{\mu}}^{\ensuremath{-}}$, or ${\ensuremath{\pi}}^{+}{\ensuremath{\pi}}^{\ensuremath{-}}$ final state. These conditions can be realized through an extension of the SeaQuest experiment at Fermilab, and in this initial investigation we consider how it can serve as an ultrasensitive probe of hidden vector gauge forces, both Abelian and non-Abelian. A light, weakly coupled hidden sector may well explain the dark matter established through astrophysical observations, and the proposed search can provide tangible evidence for its existence---or, alternatively, constrain a ``sea'' of possibilities.
Argon-lead isotopic correlation in samples from lunar maria: Records from the ancient lunar regolith

Abstract 207Pb/206Pb of “low temperature sited” (LTS) lead as reported by Silver (1975) increases with40Ar/36Ar of trapped argon in thirteen samples from lunar maria. This strongly supports an earlier conclusion by (1972) that large (40Ar/36Ar)T ratios represent ancient regolith records, and provides a rough (40Ar/36Ar)T timescale. The erasure of (40Ar/36Ar)T records in surface soils by the excavation of deep-seated, “fresh” bedrock and by erosion of particle surfaces via ion sputtering must have been counteracted by conserving processes in the regolith. Two such processes are relatively well understood: agglutinate formation and the excavation and comminution of soil breccias which have preserved an ancient (40Ar/36Ar)T record. The frequency distribution of (40Ar/36Ar)T in 82 “soils” from all Apollo missions suggests a third process, which requires that sizeable “pockets” of ancient regolith materials including soils have survived deep turnover for billions of years. Large-scale mobility of LTS lead throughout all of the regolith does not appear to occur. Inert gas ions with sufficient energy for trapping may have reached the lunar surface more than 3 b.y. ago. The Apollo 11 microbreccias appear to have been formed more than 3 b.y. ago from regoliththen extant on the surface.
Single-lead portable ECG devices: Perceptions and clinical accuracy compared to conventional cardiac monitoring.

Abstract Introduction Portable ECG devices are widely available yet there are limited data on their accuracy, physician and patient perceptions, and ease of use. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the accuracy of 4 single-lead portable ECG devices compared to a conventional 3-lead hospital cardiac monitor and to assess physician and patient perceptions of portable ECG devices. Methods Twenty consecutive hospitalized patients were provided 4 portable ECG devices for 30 second cardiac rhythm recording. ECG rhythm strips from the portable ECG devices were interpreted by a group of 5 physician reviewers. The reviewers then compared the portable ECG device rhythm strips to simultaneously recorded hospital cardiac monitor rhythm strips to determine physician preference. A cardiac electrophysiologist interpreted ECG rhythm strips from the hospital cardiac monitor as the “gold standard.” Rhythm interpretations of the portable ECG devices and the hospital cardiac monitor were analyzed to evaluate clinical accuracy. Patient perceptions were evaluated by a 20-item questionnaire. Results There was less than 50% concordance of portable ECG device rhythm strips with the hospital cardiac monitor (when uninterpretable rhythm strips were included). Physicians usually preferred interpreting ECGs from hospital cardiac monitors compared to portable ECG devices. Manufacturer instructions were insufficient to allow patients to operate portable ECG devices in a limited time. Most patients felt comfortable using a portable ECG device if prescribed by a physician. Conclusion Portable ECG devices may be a reasonable option for long-term rhythm surveillance in select patients. Widespread use of these devices cannot be endorsed unless improvements in their accuracy are properly addressed.
GENDER COMPARISON OF BREATH-ALCOHOL CONCENTRATIONS FOLLOWING BOLUS AND HOURLY ALCOHOL DOSING PROCEDURES USING MULTIPLE ALCOHOL DOSES

Many studies using alcohol administration assess breath alcohol concentrations (BrACs) in both men and women. To account for physiological differences and equate BrACs between men and women, alcohol doses are often reduced by 8% for women. Despite the use of this dose adjustment, a comprehensive comparison of the time course of men's and women's BrAC measurements following multiple alcohol doses has not been conducted. Using both bolus and hourly dosing procedures, we examined whether an 8% dose reduction for women results in BrACs similar to men regardless of dose size, measurement time, or method of administration. Two groups of moderate drinkers from 21 through 45 years old were recruited for this study. In a repeated-measures design, one group of 90 men and women (n = 45 each) each consumed bolus doses of 0.2, 0.4, 0.6, and 0.8 g/kg 95% alcohol at 9:00 AM on separate days. Expired-air samples were collected at 9:30, 10:15, and 11:15 AM. In the second group, 26 men and women (n = 13 each) consumed 0.35 g/kg 95% alcohol in three hourly doses at 9:15, 10:15, and 11:15 AM. Expired-air samples were collected at 9:30, 10:30, and 11:30 AM and 12:30 and 1:30 PM. Results: Both bolus and hourly dosing procedures resulted in comparable BrAC measurements for men and women following all alcohol doses across all measurement time points. Following bolus dosing, peak BrACs reached .007%, .032%, .059%, and .087% for women, and .010%, .034%, .060%, and .086% for men (doses 0.2, .04, .06, 0.8 g/kg, respectively). Following hourly dosing (0.35 g/kg x 3), peak BrACs were .108% for women and .112% for men. This comprehensive comparison of a wide range of alcohol doses and measurement times using two administration procedures strongly supports the use of an 8% reduction of alcohol dose for women to equate BrAC with men.
Growth of single crystal hexagonal selenium from supercritical ammonia

Abstract Single crystals of hexagonal selenium have been grown from supercritical ammonia in a teflon-lined hydrothermal bomb at one kilobar pressure in the temperature range of 160° to 196°C. The crystals are prismatic in habit and up to 8 mm. in length. Well-formed faces and sharp Weissenberg photographs indicate a high degree of order.
A national approach for integrating wildfire simulation modeling into Wildland Urban Interface risk assessments within the United States

Ongoing human development into fire-prone areas contributes to increasing wildfire risk to human life. It is critically important, therefore, to have the ability to characterize wildfire risk to populated places, and to identify geographic areas with relatively high risk. A fundamental component of wildfire risk analysis is establishing the likelihood of wildfire occurrence and interaction with social and ecological values. A variety of fire modeling systems exist that can provide spatially resolved estimates of wildfire likelihood, which when coupled with maps of values-at-risk enable probabilistic exposure analysis. With this study we demonstrate the feasibility and utility of pairing burn probabilities with geospatially identified populated places in order to inform the development of next-generation, risk-based Wildland-Urban Interface (WUI) maps. Specifically, we integrate a newly developed Residentially Developed Populated Areas dataset with a stochastic, spatially-explicit wildfire spread simulation model. We classify residential population densities and burn probabilities into three categories (low, medium, high) to create a risk matrix and summarize wildfire risk to populated places at the county-level throughout the continental United States. Our methods provide a new framework for producing consistent national maps which spatially identifies the magnitude and the driving factors behind the wildland fire risk to populated places. This framework advances probabilistic exposure analysis.for decision support in emergency management, rural and urban community planning efforts, and more broadly wildfire management and policy-making.
Hypoxia-Ischemia and Therapeutic Hypothermia in the Neonatal Mouse Brain – A Longitudinal Study

Therapeutic hypothermia is standard of care for infants with hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy. Murine models of hypoxic-ischemic injury exist; however, a well-established mouse model of therapeutic hypothermia following hypoxic-ischemic injury is lacking. The goal of this study was to develop a full-term-equivalent murine model of therapeutic hypothermia after hypoxia-ischemia and examine magnetic resonance imaging, behavior, and histology in a region and sex specific manner. Hypoxic-ischemic injury was induced at postnatal day 10 in C57BL6 mice using a modified Vannucci model. Mice were randomized to control, hypothermia (31˚C for 4h), or normothermia (36˚C) following hypoxic-ischemic injury and stratified by sex. T2-weighted magnetic resonance imaging was obtained at postnatal day 18 and 30 and regional and total cerebral and cerebellar volumes measured. Behavioral assessments were performed on postnatal day 14, 21, and 28. On postnatal day 18, normothermic mice had smaller cerebral volumes (p < 0.001 vs. controls and p = 0.009 vs. hypothermia), while at postnatal day 30 both injured groups had smaller volumes than controls. When stratified by sex, only normothermia treated male mice had smaller cerebral volumes (p = 0.001 vs. control; p = 0.008 vs. hypothermia) at postnatal day 18, which persisted at postnatal day 30 (p = 0.001 vs. control). Female mice had similar cerebral volumes between groups at both day 18 and 30. Cerebellar volumes of hypothermia treated male mice differed from control at day 18, but not at 30. Four hours of therapeutic hypothermia in this murine hypoxic-ischemic injury model provides sustained neuroprotection in the cerebrum of male mice. Due to variable degree of injury in female mice, response to therapeutic hypothermia is difficult to discern. Deficits in female behavior tests are not fully explained by imaging measures and likely represent injury not detectable by volume measurements alone.
Anatomical and electrophysiological assessment of the canine periprostatic neurovascular anatomy: perspectives as a nerve sparing radical prostatectomy model.

Purpose: Although the dog is often used as a radical prostatectomy model, precise descriptions of canine prostate and neurovascular bundle anatomy are lacking. We describe canine prostate and neurovascular bundle anatomical and electrophysiological characteristics.Materials and Methods: The canine prostate and pelvic neurovascular structures were dissected in 6 canine cadavers and 12 anesthetized dogs. Pelvic plexus branches were stimulated using a CaverMap® probe and peak intracavernous pressure responses were recorded as a percent of mean arterial pressure.Results: The canine pelvic plexus lies 5 to 10 mm lateral to the prostate. It is supplied by the hypogastric nerve cranially and the pelvic nerve laterally. The neurovascular bundles course distal from the pelvic plexus along the posterolateral aspect of the prostate, including a dominant cavernous nerve along its lateral aspect. CaverMap stimulation of the efferent branches of the pelvic plexus confirmed their roles in tumescence. Histology revealed ...
Electroshock-Induced Injury in Juvenile White Sturgeon

Abstract Most sturgeon (Acipenseridae) populations are threatened or depleted. Assessment operations that could harm individuals in these populations, such as electrofishing, must be evaluated. The risk of electrofishing-induced injury in juvenile white sturgeon Acipenser transmontanus associated with electrical waveform (60-Hz pulsed DC (PDC) versus DC) and fish size (small (24–33 cm), age 1 versus large (37–54 cm) age 2) was evaluated in a tank experiment. Exposure to a homogeneous electric field of 1.2 V/cm immobilized all white sturgeons exposed to electrical treatments. No injury was found in the control groups. The risk for hemorrhage was significantly greater among white sturgeons exposed to PDC than among those exposed to DC (relative risk = 6.7; 95% CI = 3–29). Both size-groups were at significantly more risk for hemorrhage when exposed to PDC than to DC. All white sturgeons exposed to DC recovered (upright orientation and normal swimming) in less than 30 s; 95% recovered immediately. Most large ...
Atmospheric Aerosol over a Southeastern Region of Texas: Chemical Composition and Possible Sources

Speciated samples of PM2.5 were collected at a site in Jefferson County, Texas by US EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) from July of 2003 to August of 2005. A total of 269 samples with 52 species were measured; however, 22 species were excluded in this study because of too many below-detection-limit data. The data set was analyzed by positive matrix factorization (PMF) to infer the sources of PM observed at the site. The analysis identified ten sources: sulfate-rich secondary aerosol I (35.9%), sulfate-rich secondary aerosol II (21.0%), cement/carbon-rich (11.7%), wood smoke (8.8%), metal processing (6.3%), motor vehicle/road dust (5.7%), nitrate-rich secondary aerosol (3.3%), soil (3.2%), sea salt (2.6%), and chloride depleted marine aerosol (1.6%). Sulfate and nitrate mainly exist as salts. The two sulfate-rich secondary aerosols account for almost 57% of the PM2.5 mass concentration. The factor containing highest concentrations of Cl and Na was attributed to sea salt due to the proximity of the monitoring site to the Gulf of Mexico. The chloride depleted marine aerosol was related to the sea salt aerosol. Cement/carbon-rich, wood smoke, metal processing, and motor vehicle/road dust factor were likely to be the local sources.
The Many Colors and Shapes of Cloud

While many enterprises and business entities are deploying and exploiting Cloud Computing, the academic institutes and researchers are also busy trying to wrestle this beast and put a leash on this possible paradigm changing computing model. Many have argued that Cloud Computing is nothing more than a name change of Utility Computing. Others have argued that Cloud Computing is a revolutionary change of the computing architecture. So it has been difficult to put a boundary of what is in Cloud Computing, and what is not. I assert that it is equally difficult to find a group of people who would agree on even the definition of Cloud Computing. In actuality, may be all that arguments are not necessary, as Clouds have many shapes and colors. In this presentation, the speaker will attempt to illustrate that the shape and the color of the cloud depend very much on the business goals one intends to achieve. It will be a very rich territory for both the businesses to take the advantage of the benefits of Cloud Computing and the academia to integrate the technology research and business research.
The transport equation in optically thick media

The photon transport equation is transformed into a new form by considering the deviation of the specific intensity from the local equilibrium field. We call the new form of the equations the difference formulation. It is rigorously equivalent to the original transport equation. The difference formulation is particularly suited for thick media, where the radiation field approaches local equilibrium and the deviations from the Planck distribution are small. The difference formulation for photon transport also clarifies the diffusion limit. Preliminary results confirm our expectations of a substantial advantage for accurate numerical calculations in optically thick media.
Should niacin be the preferred drug to add to a statin

Clinical Trial Acronyms ACCORD Action to Control Cardiovascular Risk in Diabetes AIM-HIGH Atherothrombosis Intervention in Metabolic Syndrome with Low HDL/High Triglycerides and Impact on Global Health Outcomes ARBITER 2 Arterial Biology for the Investigation of the Treatment Effects of Reducing Cholesterol 2-HDL and LDL Treatment Strategies in Atherosclerosis ARBITER 6 Arterial Biology for the Investigation of the Treatment Effects of Reducing Cholesterol 6-HDL and LDL Treatment Strategies in Atherosclerosis FIELD Fenofibrate Intervention and Event Lowering in Diabetes HPS2-THRIVE Treatment of High-Density Lipoprotein to Reduce the Incidence of Vascular Events
Engineering plant metabolism into microbes: from systems biology to synthetic biology

Plant metabolism represents an enormous repository of compounds that are of pharmaceutical and biotechnological importance. Engineering plant metabolism into microbes will provide sustainable solutions to produce pharmaceutical and fuel molecules that could one day replace substantial portions of the current fossil-fuel based economy. Metabolic engineering entails targeted manipulation of biosynthetic pathways to maximize yields of desired products. Recent advances in Systems Biology and the emergence of Synthetic Biology have accelerated our ability to design, construct and optimize cell factories for metabolic engineering applications. Progress in predicting and modeling genome-scale metabolic networks, versatile gene assembly platforms and delicate synthetic pathway optimization strategies has provided us exciting opportunities to exploit the full potential of cell metabolism. In this review, we will discuss how systems and synthetic biology tools can be integrated to create tailor-made cell factories for efficient production of natural products and fuel molecules in microorganisms.
Sensitivity of illumination scale for determining exact amount and placement of correction for astigmatism

This paper, based on work done in the Department of Psychology of Bryn Mawr College, reports the comparative results of the illumination scale and the usual clinic methods in testing astigmatism without and with a cycloplegic, and irregular astigmatism. It was read before the American Ophthalmological Society, June, 1919.