cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Evolution of Enzyme Catalytic Efficiency and Adaptive Inference from Steady-State Kinetic Data

In the last two decades the study of adaptation at the molecular level has become a rapidly growing part of evolutionary biology. Some of the impetus for this interest has come from the largely unconvincing attempts to explain the existence and patterns of structural diversity of homologous proteins, especially enzymes, within and among plant and animal species (Lewontin, 1974; Nei, 1975; Wilson et al., 1977; Ayala et al., 1976). Additional motivation has come from comparative physiology and the need to understand the molecular basis of physiological adaptation to different environments. These two interests have merged in the study of the function and evolution of both interspecific and intraspecific enzyme variants and the possible roles the observed structural and functional variation might play in adaptation.
Setting up a Stereoscopic Camera System

Near stereoscopic viewing has been the focus of this book. However, the math has been generated so that both near and far stereoscopic viewing can be analyzed with equal facility. For high-resolution, near stereoscopic viewing, stereoscopic depth distortions become significant. Many of the depth distortions discussed in this book may be removed or at least reduced as the convergence distance of the cameras increases. The methods for controlling the depth distortions require accurate adjustments of interviewpoint distance, convergence distance, and other system parameters. Thus the capabilities of the equipment and of the operators and the tasks they are required to perform determine the design of the stereoscopic rig.
Pulmonary Langerhans’ Cell Histiocytosis – Advances in the Understanding of a True Dendritic Cell Lung Disease

Pulmonary Langerhans’ cell histiocytosis (PLCH) is a rare lung disease that generally, but not invariably, occurs in cigarette smokers. The pathologic hallmark of PLCH is expansion of Langerhans and other inflammatory cells in a bronchiolocentric fashion. The precise mechanisms by which smoking induces PLCH in susceptible individuals are not known, but likely involve a combination of molecular events resulting in enhanced recruitment and retention of Langerhans cells in small airways. PLCH is primarily a disease of small airways, with variable extension into the lung interstitial and vascular compartments. While cellular inflammation is evident early in the disease course, the more advanced stages are characterized by cystic lung destruction, cicatricial scarring of airways, pulmonary vascular remodeling, and emphysematous change. High resolution chest CT scanning is very useful in the diagnostic evaluation and may show nodular and cystic changes that are virtually pathognomonic. In several instances, lung biopsy (bronchoscopic or surgical) is necessary to establish a definitive diagnosis. All smokers with PLCH must be counseled on smoking cessation, while for selected patients, pharmacotherapy with corticosteroids or other agents may be indicated to prevent disease progression and preserve lung function. All symptomatic patients should be screened for the presence of pulmonary hypertension, which may respond to vasodilator therapy. The prognosis for a significant proportion of patients is relatively good, particularly if smoking cessation is achieved, and if longitudinal lung function testing shows stability. Pneumothoraces, secondary pulmonary hypertension, and the development of premature emphysema are important complications that shorten life expectancy. Lung transplantation may be indicated for patients with relentless progressive disease.
Therapy of experimental herpes simplex keratitis

Topical therapy with trypsin, chymotrypsin, and monoxychloroserene, and corneal scrub with iodine, ether, and silver nitrate did not demonstrably reduce the incidence of a positive virus culture from rabbit corneas infected with herpes simplex. It is suggested that the virucidal properties of such substances as measured by their effect on cell-free virus suspensions is not pertinent to the abolition of infection from primary experimental dendritic keratitis, and may not be an important consideration in the therapy of this condition.
The molecular language of membraneless organelles

Eukaryotic cells organize their intracellular components into organelles that can be membrane-bound or membraneless. A large number of membraneless organelles, including nucleoli, Cajal bodies, P-bodies, and stress granules, exist as liquid droplets within the cell and arise from the condensation of cellular material in a process termed liquid–liquid phase separation (LLPS). Beyond a mere organizational tool, concentrating cellular components into membraneless organelles tunes biochemical reactions and improves cellular fitness during stress. In this review, we provide an overview of the molecular underpinnings of the formation and regulation of these membraneless organelles. This molecular understanding explains emergent properties of these membraneless organelles and shines new light on neurodegenerative diseases, which may originate from disturbances in LLPS and membraneless organelles.
Defense of Others and Defenseless

Recent efforts at fetal protection transgress the nation's most fundamental political commitments. These efforts notably include the enactment of the Unborn Victims of Violence Act (UVVA) in 2004 and, in 2002, a doctrinal development that presaged the potentially illiberal effects of the UVVA when a Michigan court recognized a woman's right to use deadly force to protect her fetus even as it denied her right to self-defense. This Article adopts a theory of political liberalism that can be traced from the Founders to contemporary political theorists, and argues that the UVVA, as well as the extension of defense of others to the fetus, violate that theory's commitments to neutrality and equality and, in so doing, privilege fetuses over their mothers, pregnant women over non-pregnant women, and batterers over their victims. The Article advocates strategies for protecting pregnant and non-pregnant women alike that remain neutral with respect to the status of the fetus, honor the loss that a woman may experience in the wake of her fetus's death, and empower women to vindicate the worth of their lives.
Come learn how to deploy open liberty applications using Docker, Kubernetes, Helm and MicroProfile!

Application modernization is in everyone's mind - but what environment do you migrate your legacy application into? Can that environment also host your new cloud-native applications?
Adrenal cavernous hemangioma: A rare tumor that mimics adrenal cortical carcinoma

Abstract Background Adrenal cavernous hemangioma is a rare tumor with only 60 cases previously reported. The aim of this study was to determine the frequency and clinical significance of adrenal cavernous hemangioma at our institution. Methods A retrospective review of consecutive patients undergoing adrenalectomy from 1994 to 2018 was completed to determine the frequency of cavernous hemangioma, characterize the clinical presentation, imaging and pathologic features and review the operative management and outcome. Results Of 144 consecutive patients who underwent adrenalectomy by a single surgeon, 5 (3.5%) had an adrenal cavernous hemangioma. All were incidentally discovered, nonfunctional adrenal masses varying in size from 7 to 12 cm with imaging features that were indeterminate in differentiating a benign adenoma from an adrenal cortical carcinoma. Attenuation values for the adrenal masses on noncontrast computed tomography varied from 28 to 34 Hounsfield units. All adrenal cavernous hemangiomas were large, heterogeneous, complex masses with a variable presence of calcification, hemorrhage, and necrosis. These features, along with tumor enlargement were concerning for adrenal cortical carcinoma. During the operation, there was no local invasion and all adrenal tumors were successfully removed laparoscopically without tumor rupture or bleeding. All patients had an uneventful postoperative course without complications. Conclusion Adrenal cavernous hemangioma is a rare tumor that can grow to a very large size without causing symptoms, making it difficult to differentiate from adrenal cortical carcinoma clinically or radiographically. Despite its large size, adrenal cavernous hemangioma can be safely resected laparoscopically.
Rings of Power: Enzymatic Routes to β-Lactones

Abstract β-Lactones are four-membered heterocycles with high ring-strain, electrophilicity and reactivity. The majority of β-lactone natural products have been isolated from Actinobacteria and fungi, although they are found in all domains of life including higher plants and animals. Over 30 core scaffolds of β-lactone natural products have been described to date, many of which possess potent medicinal properties. The weight loss agent, orlistat, is currently the only approved β-lactone drug on the market, but other candidates, including salinosporamide A, have entered clinical trials. Since 2017, major breakthroughs have been made in understanding the biosynthesis of β-lactone compounds including obafluorin and the cystargolides. In this article we will cover recent developments in β-lactone ring formation in the context of natural products. Additionally, we will compare and contrast enzymatic routes to β-lactones with β-lactams and other four-membered rings.
Risk Controlled Beacon Transmission in V2V Communications

Spectrum regulators and stakeholders from the wireless industry and Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) communities are exploring the use of the 5.9 GHz band for the dissemination of basic safety messages. Dedicated Short Range Communications (DSRC) sends out these messages at a constant rate of 10 Hz and packet collisions occur in dense vehicular environments. In this paper, we propose a priority-based dynamic beaconing scheme. The scheme determines a higher beacon transmission rate for vehicles that are at a higher risk of collision. Two risk based beacon rate protocols are evaluated in our ns-3 simulator, one that adapts the beacon rate between 1 and 10 Hz, and another between 1 and 20 Hz. This improves the packet delivery ratio (PDR) performance by up to 45% in congested environments using the 1-10 Hz adaptive beacon rate protocol and by 38% using the 1-20 Hz adaptive scheme. The simulation results also show that the likelihood of a vehicle collision due to missed packets decreases by up to 77% in a three lane dense highway scenario with 160 vehicles operating at different speeds.
The Community Orthopaedic Surgeon Taking Trauma Call: Pediatric Midshaft Clavicle Fracture Pearls and Pitfalls

Pediatric diaphyseal clavicle fractures are a common injury, particularly in the adolescent athlete. There are no consensus guidelines for operative versus nonoperative management of these injuries; however, there has been a dramatic increase in operative treatment over the past 15 years, primarily guided by literature pertaining to the adult population. Despite this trend, current literature suggests that the majority of these injuries can be treated nonoperatively with good functional outcomes, high rates of return to sport, and low incidence of complications such as nonunion, symptomatic malunion, and refracture. For the rare patient treated nonoperatively who develops a symptomatic nonunion or malunion, delayed corrective surgery remains a viable treatment option. When surgical fixation is pursued, good outcomes have been universally reported, but the optimal indication for surgery remains elusive in this adolescent population.
Tri-trophic interactions mediate the spread of a vector-borne plant pathogen

Many insect herbivores are vectors that transmit plant pathogens as they forage. Within food webs, vectors interact with a range of host plants, other herbivores, and predators. Yet, few studies have examined how tri-trophic interactions involving vectors affect the spread of pathogens. Here we assessed effects of food web structure on aphid vectors and the prevalence of an aphid-borne persistent pathogen (Pea enation mosaic virus, PEMV) in pea plants. We experimentally manipulated ladybird predators, alternative host plants, and non-vector herbivores and assessed responses of pea aphids and PEMV using structural equation models. We show that variation in bottom-up, top-down, and horizontal interactions mediated PEMV prevalence. Predators reduced PEMV prevalence by consuming aphids, but an alternative host plant (vetch) had the opposite effect by promoting aphid movement and abundance. Non-vector herbivores (pea leaf weevil) increased PEMV susceptibility in peas. In turn, weevils offset the positive effects of predators on PEMV, but increased the negative effects of vetch. Our results show that tri-trophic interactions within insect and plant food webs can mediate vector biology with synergistic and opposing effects on pathogens. Continuing to assess how community-wide interactions affect vectors will aid in our understanding of vector-borne pathosystems.
Systematic Review Training Model for Education Librarians: A Case Study

Education librarians are receiving an increasing number of requests to help researchers with systematic reviews. Systematic reviews are evidence syntheses that require comprehensive, reproducible s...
Rural hospital administrators and strategic management activities.

This study examines the association of characteristics of rural hospital administrators and the adoption of seven strategic activities in a national sample of 797 U.S. rural hospitals during the period 1983-1988. Based on the premise that managerial activities can affect organizational change, we test five hypotheses relating head administrator characteristics to strategic adaptation, controlling for environment-market and hospital-related variables. Bivariate analysis of the strategic adoption showed a positive association with administrative turnover and a negative association with head administrator age. Multivariate logistic regression showed that only high levels of turnover were associated with strategic activities, net of control variables. The implications of these findings and the lack of predictive power of other rural hospital administrator characteristics--especially affiliation with the American College of Healthcare Executives--are discussed within the context of a "strategic management policy" for rural hospitals.
Learning to Emphasize: Dataset and Shared Task Models for Selecting Emphasis in Presentation Slides.

Presentation slides have become a common addition to the teaching material. Emphasizing strong leading words in presentation slides can allow the audience to direct the eye to certain focal points instead of reading the entire slide, retaining the attention to the speaker during the presentation. Despite a large volume of studies on automatic slide generation, few studies have addressed the automation of design assistance during the creation process. Motivated by this demand, we study the problem of Emphasis Selection (ES) in presentation slides, i.e., choosing candidates for emphasis, by introducing a new dataset containing presentation slides with a wide variety of topics, each is annotated with emphasis words in a crowdsourced setting. We evaluate a range of state-of-the-art models on this novel dataset by organizing a shared task and inviting multiple researchers to model emphasis in this new domain. We present the main findings and compare the results of these models, and by examining the challenges of the dataset, we provide different analysis components.
Scaling of Patenting with Urban Population Size: Evidence from Global Metropolitan Areas

Larger agglomerations of individuals create a social environment can sustain a larger repertoire of intellectual capabilities, thereby facilitating the creation and recombination of ideas, and increasing the likelihood that interactions among individuals will occur through which new ideas are generated and shared. Relatedly, cities have long been the privileged setting for invention and innovation. These two phenomena are brought together in the superlinear scaling relationship whereby urban inventive output (measured through patenting) increases more than proportionally with increasing population size. We revisit the relationship between urban population size and patenting using data for a global set of metropolitan areas in the OECD and show, for the first time, that the superlinear scaling between patenting and population size observed for U.S. metropolitan areas holds for urban areas across a variety of urban and economic systems. In fact the scaling relationships established for the U.S. metropolitan system and for the global metropolitan system are remarkably similar.
Teaching with a Social, Emotional, and Cultural Lens

During my quarter century as an educator, I have taught at both an inner-city middle school and a comprehensive high school in Seattle, WA. Based on that range of experience, I can attest that stud...
Almost-Surgical Eigenstructure Assignment for Linear Time Invariant Systems Using State Feedback

Surgical eigenstructure assignment has been considered where all the eigenvalues and a subset of eigenvectors are placed in the closed loop system using state feedback. It is demonstrated that upon certain conditions almost-surgical eigenstructure assignment is always possible to achieve where a subset of eigenvectors and their associated eigenvalues are exactly assigned in the closed-loop system and the remaining eigenvalues are placed arbitrarily close to their desired locations. Numerical example is presented showing the usefulness of presented results in controller design. The results are also extended for uncontrollable system.
Evolving evolutionary psychology.

Which evolutionary theory can best benefit psychological theory, research, and application? The most well-known school of evolutionary psychology has a narrow conceptual perspective (a.k.a., "Narrow Evolutionary Psychology" or NEP). Proponents of NEP have long argued that their brand of evolutionary psychology represents a full-fledged scientific revolution, with Buss (2020) recently likening NEP's scientific impact to that of a Copernican or Darwinian paradigm shift. However, NEP stands on two traditions that are now the subjects of serious debate and revision: the neo-Darwinian adaptationist framework within evolutionary biology, and the computationalist "mind-as-computer" framework within cognitive science. Although NEP calls itself revolutionary, the significant revolutions taking place today in both evolutionary biology and cognitive science reveal NEP to be rooted in the orthodoxies of the past. We propose a more inclusive, developmental evolutionary psychology theory (DEPTH) better suited for our field in multiple ways, from acknowledging epigenesis to incorporating developmental science. To discern appropriate baselines for human nature and for human becoming, one must integrate developmental neuroscience, anthropology, and cognitive archeology. To be of value in addressing and remedying the challenges facing humanity, psychological theories must recognize the central importance of our plasticity, evolved developmental niche, and deep history. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).
Comparison of Knowledge Retention between Case Studies Utilizing a Simulated EHR with Various Degrees of Simulated Experiences.

Objective. Interprofessional team-based care has become the standard for practicing clinical pharmacists. However, it is difficult to simulate every aspect of this environment in the didactic curriculum. The purpose of this study was to determine if the addition of standardized patients (SP) or interprofessional student teams with SPs, to the use of a simulated electronic health record (EHR) improved student knowledge retention and perceptions.Methods. This was a prospective cohort study assessing three cohorts of first-year student pharmacists in pharmacy skills laboratory activities that occurred in 2018, 2019, and 2021. The primary objective of the study was to compare knowledge retention at 1-month related to the case material between groups. Each year an element of simulated experience was added onto the previous year's case. In 2018, students completed the case using the EHR web application only. In 2019, an objective structured clinical examination (OSCE) with SPs was combined with the previous year's experience. In 2021, student physician assistants were added to the 2019 experience. Case scores and student perceptions were also compared between groups.Results. Of the 260 potential participants, 238 students were included in the primary analysis. Significant improvement was demonstrated in one-month knowledge retention assessments with the addition of interprofessional team-based care and SPs. Mean knowledge retention assessment scores were 63.8%, 71.7%, and 76.1% respectively. There was also significant improvement in student perceptions.Conclusion. The addition of SPs and interprofessional team-based care to a pharmacy skills laboratory that utilizes a simulated EHR significantly improved student knowledge retention and perceptions.
Inclusion of costs in conservation planning depends on limited datasets and hopeful assumptions

Many conservation organizations use spatial prioritization to help identify locations in which to work. Increasingly, prioritizations seek to account for spatial heterogeneity in the costs of conservation, motivated in part by claims of large efficiency savings when these costs are included. I critically review the cost estimates on which such claims are based, focusing on acquisition and management costs associated with terrestrial protected areas. If researchers are to evaluate how including costs affects conservation planning outcomes, estimation methods need to preserve the covariation between and relative variation within costs and benefits of conservation activities. However, widely used methods for estimating costs and incorporating them into prioritizations may not meet these standards. For example, among relevant studies, there is surprisingly little attention given to the costs that conservation organizations actually face. Instead, there is a heavy reliance on untested proxies for conservation costs. Analytical shortcuts are also common. Now that debate is moving beyond whether to account for costs in conservation planning, it is time to evaluate just how we can include them to greatest effect.
Immunized neurocontrol-concepts and initial results

The role of artificial neural networks in control of complex systems is seeing a rapid growth due to the potential of these networks to emulate complex, non-linear systems and thus help in the automated control of such systems. The paper addresses an important area in automatic control, namely, adaptive control. Strong connections between concepts from immunology, genetic algorithms, and adaptive neurocontrol are drawn. Immunology is the science of in-built defense mechanism that is present in all living beings to protect them against external attacks. The science of immunology has many parallels to the robust adaptive control problem. Some of these parallels are presented and based on these parallels, a procedure to realize an immunized neurocontrol structure is developed. Initial results of the implementation of this procedure in adaptive control of an uncertain UH-1 longitudinal helicopter model are included. >
Effect of oral infection of La Crosse virus on survival and fecundity of native Ochlerotatus triseriatus and invasive Stegomyia albopicta

Arboviruses can have benign, deleterious, or beneficial effects on the vector. We tested the hypothesis that oral infection with La Crosse virus (LACV) will have little to no effect on mosquito longevity and fecundity, a prediction of low virulence selected in a system with frequent vertical transmission. We tested the effects of infection in native Ochlerotatus triseriatus Say and invasive Stegomyia albopicta Skuse (Diptera: Culicidae). We artificially fed adult female mosquitoes of each species with either LACV-infected or uninfected bovine blood and determined adult longevity and fecundity. For females fed LACV-infected blood, bodies and legs, respectively, were separately homogenized and assayed by quantitative reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) to determine the LACV infection and dissemination rates. Ochlerotatus triseriatus had a higher infection and dissemination rate than St. albopicta. For both species, female size had no effect on infection status. Infection status also had no effect on longevity or fecundity for both species. We suggest that the high frequency of vertical transmission may have selected for strains of the virus with low virulence in two vectors, in spite of their different evolutionary histories with the virus.
Effect of iron-fortified candies on the iron status of children aged 4–6 y in East Jakarta, Indonesia

Background: Iron deficiency anemia is the most prevalent nutrition problem in young children. One possible strategy to prevent iron deficiency anemia in this population group is the fortification of affordable food. Objective: This study was designed to assess whether iron-fortified candies can improve iron status and are acceptable to children aged 4-6 y. Design: A double-blind, placebo-controlled intervention study was conducted in Jakarta, Indonesia. The children were randomly assigned to 1 of 2 treatment groups: a fortified group (n = 57) and a placebo group (n = 60). Every week for 12 wk, 30 g (10 pieces) candy was given to the children. The candy given to the fortified group contained 1 mg elemental Fe/g and very small amounts of other vitamins and minerals. Results: The hemoglobin concentration of the fortified group increased by 10.2 g/L (95% CI: 8.3, 12 g/L) whereas that of the placebo group increased by 4.0 g/L (2.0, 6.0 g/L; P < 0.001). Anemia prevalence decreased from 50.9% at the start of the intervention to 8.8% after 12 wk of intervention in the fortified group (P < 0.001) and from 43.3% to 26.7% in the placebo group (P < 0.05). After 12 wk of intervention, the serum ferritin concentration was 71% higher than at baseline in the fortified group and 28% higher in the placebo group (P < 0.001). Acceptability of the iron-fortified candies was good. The per capita cost of the supplement was approximately US$0.96-1.20 for the 12 wk of intervention. Conclusion: Iron-fortified candies were effective for improving the iron status of young children and might be an affordable way to combat iron deficiency in children of low-to-middle income groups.
Multiple-cohort Approach for Simulating Development of Insect Populations under Variable Temperatures

This paper presents a rate-summation approach for modeling the development times of individuals in an insect population held under variable temperatures. The approach integrates a mechanistic poikilotherm rate function and a Weibull distribution function into a simulation model. The rate function determines the median rate of insect development per day at a given temperature, while the distribution function determines the fraction of cohort development at a given accumulated rate. When combined, the rates are accumulated under variable (field) temperatures, and become the independent variable of the distribution function for predicting the cumulative proportion of cohort development through time. The modeling approach uses a frequency distribution of field oviposition times (if available) to identify the starting times of the simulation. In this way, multiplecohort development is modeled. If desired, predictions can be compared with field development (emergence) to validate the model. This approach is presented in simplified technical language and through a computer program assembled from the Statistical Analysis System (SAS) library. Although the computer code relies on specific mathematical equations for describing development rates and the distribution of development times, the same modeling concepts are applicable using other appropriate equations.
Delineation of slope profiles from Digital Elevation Models for landslide hazard analysis

Landslides can be one of the most damaging geohazards related to earthquakes. Production of a landslide susceptibility map for a regional hazard analysis requires selection of appropriate slope mapping units. Traditionally, a one dimensional grid based approach has been used in conjunction with the infinite slope model and Newmark's method to assess the regional slope performance under earthquake loading. However, with the advent of soft computing and metamodeling techniques, relatively accurate predictions of two dimensional slope responses can be calculated for a vast number of different slope profiles with different material properties and earthquake motions. Therefore, there is a need for a customized GIS application for delineation of slope profiles from a Digital Elevation Model (DEM) to be used in landslide hazard mapping. In this paper, a hydrologic model tool that uses the principles of delineating watersheds from DEM is adopted to allow for the extraction of slope profiles. Two alternative implementation approaches are presented.
Health-related factors associated with the healthcare costs of office workers.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to assess the relative importance of factors associated with total health care costs (THC) among office workers. Methods: Biometric and anthropometric values, health-related survey responses, and THC for 214 employees were analyzed. Factors that had a statistically significant (P < 0.05) bivariate correlation with logarithmically transformed THC data were entered into multiple regression analysis. Results: Age, gender, and SF-36 physical component summary score were identified as THC predictors (F 3210 ) = 20.78, P< 0.001, R 2 adj = 0.218). With physical component summary score excluded, age, gender, and exercise level collectively accounted for an almost identical amount of variance (F 3210 = 19.64, P < 0.001, R 2 adj = 0.212). Factorial ANOVA identified a significant interaction between age category and exercise level (F 3198 = 3.04, P = 0.030). Conclusions: Inactivity was the only modifiable factor found to be predictive of THC, which appears to have an increasing effect with advancing age.
Enhancement of naturally occurring cell death in the sympathetic and parasympathetic ganglia of the chicken embryo following blockade of ganglionic transmission

Both presynaptic and postsynaptic blockade of ganglionic transmission during the period of naturally occurring ganglion cell death reduced the number of surviving neurons in the sympathetic ganglia (SG) and ciliary ganglion (CG). The CG was chosen for analysis because there was a temporal separation between cell proliferation and death in the CG but not in the SG. Ganglion cell proliferation and migration were unaffected by ganglionic blockade. The increased ganglion cell loss that followed ganglionic blockade was accompanied by an increased number of degenerating cells. These results indicate that the decreased number of healthy ganglion cells that followed ganglionic blockade was the result of enhanced naturally occurring cell death.
Inhibition of Intestinal Lipid Peroxidation Does Not Minimize Morphologic Damage

Free radical-initiated lipid peroxidation (LP) following intestinal ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) may disrupt mucosal integrity. It is unknown if inhibition of LP prevents this injury. We analyzed rat ileum, subjected to I/R, for evidence of LP inhibition and structural damage following treatment with the 21-aminosteroid, U74389F, a potent LP inhibitor. Four groups of Lewis rats were studied after superior mesenteric artery occlusion with ligation of collateral arcades: (i) no ischemia, (ii) 10 min ischemia, (iii) 10 min ischemia + 1 hr reperfusion, (iv) 10 min ischemia + 1 hr reperfusion + U74389F (6 mg/kg iv prior to clamp removal and reperfusion). Ileal mucosa was analyzed for: 9i0 superoxide dismutase (SOD; U/mg protein), a key antioxidant enzyme, (ii) myeloperoxidase (MPO; U/mg protein), an index of PMN stimulation, (iii) malondialdehyde (MDA; pmole/mg), an end product of LP, and (iv) routine histology. MDA rose from 2.09 ± 0.44 (mean ± SE) in Group 1 to 15.10 ± 2.22 in Group 3 following I/R (P < 0.01). In Group 2 and Group 4, MDA remained unchanged at 3.25 ± 1.38 and 1.73 ± 0.15, respectively. MPO, likewise, rose during I/R from 0.59 ± 0.17 in Group 1 to 1.10 ± 0.13 in Group 3 (P = 0.08) and 1.49 ± 0.24 in Group 4 (P < 0.05). SOD did not vary significantly in the four groups studied. Despite PMN stimulation indicated by increased MPO with reperfusion, no PMN infiltration was seen histologically. U74389F normalized MDA, indicating effective inhibition of LP; however, similar epithelial sloughing and edema and hemorrhage in the lamina propria were seen in treated and untreated rats. These data implicate MDA-independent or possibly LP-independent pathways in intestinal morphologic damage occurring with I/R.
Vascular progenitors from cord blood-derived induced pluripotent stem cells possess augmented capacity for regenerating ischemic retinal vasculature

Background—The generation of vascular progenitors (VPs) from human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) has great potential for treating vascular disorders such as ischemic retinopathies. However, long-term in vivo engraftment of hiPSC-derived VPs into the retina has not yet been reported. This goal may be limited by the low differentiation yield, greater senescence, and poor proliferation of hiPSC-derived vascular cells. To evaluate the potential of hiPSCs for treating ischemic retinopathies, we generated VPs from a repertoire of viral-integrated and nonintegrated fibroblast and cord blood (CB)–derived hiPSC lines and tested their capacity for homing and engrafting into murine retina in an ischemia-reperfusion model. Methods and Results—VPs from human embryonic stem cells and hiPSCs were generated with an optimized vascular differentiation system. Fluorescence-activated cell sorting purification of human embryoid body cells differentially expressing endothelial/pericytic markers identified a CD31+CD14...
Organization of developing precruciate corticostriate projections in kittens.

Abstract We used silver impregnation and autoradiographic tracing methods to map the topographical distribution of precruciate corticostriate projections in kittens. These studies provided neuroatomical support for earlier physiological studies which showed that these pathways are well developed at early postnatal ages.
Thermoelectric spin transfer in textured magnets

We study charge and energy transport in a quasi-one-dimensional magnetic wire in the presence of magnetic textures. The energy flows can be expressed in a fashion similar to charge currents, leading to energy-current-induced spin torques. In analogy to charge currents, we can identify two reciprocal effects: spin torque on the magnetic order parameter induced by energy current and the Berry-phase gauge-field-induced energy flow. In addition, we phenomenologically introduce $\ensuremath{\beta}$-like viscous coupling between magnetic dynamics and energy current into the Landau-Lifshitz-Gilbert equation, which originates from spin mistracking of the magnetic order. We conclude that the introduced term is important for the thermally induced domain-wall motion. We study the interplay between charge and energy currents and find that many of the effects of texture motion on the charge currents can be replicated with respect to energy currents. For example, the moving texture can lead to energy flows which is an analog of the electromotive force in case of charge currents. We suggest a realization of cooling effect by magnetic texture dynamics.
Classes and collections: Internal organization and resulting holistic properties

Abstract This work presents an analysis of a type of concept, the collection, not readily characterized by class inclusion models. Collections, the referents of collective nouns (e.g., pile, family, bunch), are argued to differ from classes in (a) how membership can be determined, (b) part-whole relationships, (c) internal structure, and (d) the nature of the higher order units they form. From this analysis, it is hypothesized that the psychological integrity of collections is greater than that of classes. Collections and objects, in contrast to classes, both require specified relationships among the parts and both result in a coherent psychological unit. It was suggested that objects form a relatively more stable unit than collections. Corresponding to this analysis the degree of psychological integrity is hypothesized to lead to different degrees of difficulty in making part-whole comparisons for objects, collections, and classes in modified Piagetian class-inclusion paradigms. The hypothesized difference in performance was found for collections and classes and an alternative linguistic explanation for the greater success with collections was eliminated. However, children performed equally well on tasks involving collections and objects, raising the possibility that when elements are organized into collections, they form psychological units which are as coherent as objects.
Sorption of diisobutylphenoxyethoxyethyl dimethyl benzyl ammonium chloride by cotton

Abstract The sorption of diisobutylphenoxyethoxyethyl dimethyl benzyl ammonium chloride (DDBAC) by cotton was investigated: kinetically; as a function of pH; for reversibility; and in terms of effects of simple salts and nonionic surface active agents. Initial rapid take-up indicates that adsorption occurs preliminary to take-up into the interior of the cellulose. Absorption is about 40% that for simple salts in cellulose under similar pH conditions. It is strongly dependent on H + and OH − , dropping to a minimum at pH = 3 and increasing some 40 times this minimum at pH = 12.9. The system shows irreversibility, desorption being less than absorption. Irreversibility is further apparent according to the sequence of application of acidity conditions. Ion exchange was observed. H + and OH − , which sorb irreversibly in cellulose, evidently take part in the mechanism of DDBAC sorption. Observations are explainable on the basis of an electrokinetic field, in line with previous work, as are the effects of simple salts and nonionic agents.
Empirical derivation and classification of subgroups of children with learning disorders at separate age levels

Abstract This study classified subgroups of learning disabled (LD) children while considering the effects of age. Specifically, scores on the Halstead-Reitan Neuropsychological Battery (HRNB) for older children, the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Revised (WISC-R), and Wide Range Achievement Test (WRAT) were clustered for a large sample of public school LD children at the age levels 9–10, 11–12, and 13–14 years old. Like clusters were then identified and collapsed across age groups. Discriminant analyses were performed at each age level, and for like clusters across ages as a measure of predictive validity. Results of this study suggested two distinct clusters at each age level; one showing diffuse deficits which varied little with age, and the other evidencing specific neuropsychological problems which may vary with age.
The Solubility of Tetrafluoroethylene/Hexafluoropropylene Copolymers

Abstract The copolymers of TFE (tetrafluoroethylene) and HFP (hexafluoropropylene) form stable solutions in perfluorocarbons at much lower temperatures than TFE homopolymer (PTFE). Most of the work has emphasized the use of fused, 6-membered ring, aliphatic perfluorocarbons as solvents. Polymer concentrations as high as 10% were obtained; much higher concentrations are possible. Widely different solubility characteristics were found for several perfluorocarbon solvents suggesting the feasibility of fractionation via extraction to determine comonomer and end group distribution.
Late Cretaceous age of fractures in the Sierra Nevada batholith, California

Regional sets of steeply dipping joints and faults are common throughout the Sierra Nevada batholith, yet relatively little is known about how or when they formed. Within some east-northeast-striking, left-lateral fault zones in the Mount Abbot quadrangle of the central Sierra Nevada, the host granodiorite is hydrothermally altered to a lower greenschist assemblage that contains muscovite. The muscovite yields a mean K-Ar and {sup 40}Ar/{sup 39}Ar age of 79 Ma, which provides a minimum age for the faulting. Field relations show that these faults developed from earlier formed, mineralized joints, so these ages also provide a minimum age for the jointing. Published ages of biotite, hornblende, and zircon from the host granodiorite of Lake Edison are 80 Ma (K-Ar), 85 Ma (K-Ar), and 90 Ma (U-Pb), respectively. The geochronology, field relations, and hydrothermal mineral assemblages together suggest that the mineralized joints and faults all formed between 85 and 79 Ma, soon after the host pluton was emplaced.
Field performance of antagonistic bacteria identified in a novel laboratory assay for biological control of fire blight of pear.

Abstract A laboratory assay to identify antagonists of Erwinia amylovora on flowers was tested for its accuracy in predicting the performance of antagonists in controlling fire blight disease of pear trees. Bacterial strains isolated from pear flowers were evaluated in the laboratory for their ability to suppress growth of E. amylovora on flowers on cut branches. The growth of E. amylovora was assessed with a flower-freezing assay using a recombinant strain of the pathogen exhibiting an ice-nucleating phenotype. A number of antagonistic and nonantagonistic bacterial strains selected by this method were tested for their control of flower infection by E. amylovora on trees in the greenhouse and the field. There was a significant ( P ≤ 0.01) relationship between the ability of antagonists to suppress growth of E. amylovora in the flower-freezing assay and their ability to control fire blight on trees. Some of the strains identified conferred similar or better disease control than the biocontrol agent Pseudomonas fluorescens A506. None of the strains produced antibiotics inhibitory to E. amylovora on the culture media tested. All antagonistic and nonantagonistic strains survived well on pear flowers on trees and reached population sizes of approximately 10 5 to 10 6 cells/flower 3 days after their application. The use of this flower-freezing assay has promise in the rapid identification of biocontrol agents of fire blight.
Computational methods for inverse finite elastostatics

Abstract In the inverse motion problem in finite hyper-elasticity, the classical formulation relies on conservation laws based on Eshelby's energy-momentum tensor. This formulation is shown to be lacking in several regards for a particular class of inverse motion problems where the deformed configuration and Cauchy traction are given and the undeformed configuration must be calculated. It is shown that for finite element calculations a simple re-examination of the equilibrium equations provides a more suitable finite element formulation. This formulation is also shown to involve only minor changes to existing elements designed for forward motion calculations. Examples illustrating the method in simple and complex situations involving a Neo-Hookean material are presented.
Polycarbon linked metal cluster compounds

The reactions between metal cluster anions and metal cluster cations containing carbide ligands were explored. In one case, a salt formed which consisted of a cluster cation along with a cluster anion. By contrast, the interaction of [Rh2Cl2(CO)4] with [Fe3(CO)9C2Fe(CO)4]2− produced a new monocarbide metal cluster, [Fe3Rh3(CO)5C]−.
A novel swarm intelligence algorithm for finding DNA motifs

Discovering DNA motifs from co-expressed or co-regulated genes is an important step towards deciphering complex gene regulatory networks and understanding gene functions. Despite significant improvement in the last decade, it still remains one of the most challenging problems in computational molecular biology. In this work, we propose a novel motif finding algorithm that finds consensus patterns using a population-based stochastic optimisation technique called Particle Swarm Optimisation (PSO), which has been shown to be effective in optimising difficult multidimensional problems in continuous domains. We propose to use a word dissimilarity graph to remap the neighborhood structure of the solution space of DNA motifs, and propose a modification of the naive PSO algorithm to accommodate discrete variables. In order to improve efficiency, we also propose several strategies for escaping from local optima and for automatically determining the termination criteria. Experimental results on simulated challenge problems show that our method is both more efficient and more accurate than several existing algorithms. Applications to several sets of real promoter sequences also show that our approach is able to detect known transcription factor binding sites, and outperforms two of the most popular existing algorithms.
Roux limb obstruction secondary to constriction at transverse mesocolon rent after laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass.

Abstract Background Partial small bowel obstruction can occur as a result of circumferential extrinsic compression of the Roux limb as it traverses the transverse mesocolic rent from thickened cicatrix formation in this area. The aim of this study is to examine the incidence of Roux limb compression with particular attention to the timing of presentation and associated weight loss in the setting of a university hospital in the United States. Methods A retrospective chart review was performed of all patients undergoing laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass who developed symptomatic small bowel obstruction requiring operative intervention from January 1, 2000 and September 15, 2006. Results Of 2215 patients, 20 (.9%) developed symptomatic Roux limb compression. The mean time to presentation was 48 days after LRYGB. By this stage, the mean percentage of excess body weight loss was 29%. Of the 20 patients, 19 underwent an upper gastrointestinal contrast study, the results of which confirmed the diagnosis. In all cases, laparoscopic intervention was successful in freeing the constricted Roux limb by dividing the cicatrix formation between the Roux limb and mesocolic window. Switching from continuous to interrupted closure of the space between Roux limb and mesocolic window appeared to reduce the incidence of this complication ( P Conclusion Narrowing at the transverse mesocolon rent is an uncommon cause of small bowel obstruction after retrocolic laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass. Unlike internal hernias, which tend to occur later in the clinical course and are associated with significant weight loss, Roux limb obstruction occurs earlier after gastric bypass and is not associated with significant weight loss. Interrupted closure of the mesocolic window might reduce the risk of Roux compression.
Kinetically controlled synthesis of triangular and hexagonal nanoplates of palladium and their SPR/SERS properties

The rapid reduction of Na2PdCl4 by ethylene glycol in the presence of poly(vinyl pyrrolidone) (PVP) has recently been demonstrated as a convenient method of generating Pd cubooctahedra and twinned nanoparticles. Here we describe a new procedure where Pd triangular or hexagonal nanoplates could be selectively synthesized by manipulating the reduction kinetics of the polyol process. More specifically, the reduction rate was substantially reduced through the introduction of Fe(III) species and the O2/Cl- pair, two wet etchants for Pd(0). The etching power of the O2/Cl- pair could be further enhanced by adding an acid to lower the pH of the reaction solution. Unlike the previously reported synthesis of Ag and Au nanoplates, light was found to have no indispensable role in the formation of Pd nanoplates. Both triangular and hexagonal nanoplates of Pd exhibited surface plasmon resonance (SPR) peaks in the visible region, and their positions matched with the results of discrete dipole approximation (DDA) calcula...