cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Multiple (disseminated) follicular cysts in five dogs and one cat

Cutaneous cysts are common non-neoplastic, non-inflammatory tumor-like lesions defined as epithelial-lined sac-like structures filled with keratin, hair and sebum (Scott and others 2001). Follicular cysts are classified as infundibular, isthmus-catagen, matrical and hybrid, based on the type of lining epithelium indicative of the origin of the cyst (Scott and others 2001, Gross and others 2006). In particular, infundibular cysts are characterised by squamous epithelium with an evident granular layer, and arise from the infundibulum of the hair follicle (Gross and others 2006). Very few reports of multiple/disseminated follicular cysts have been described in species including dogs, alpacas, sheep, pet birds, horses and human beings (Scott and others 2001, Ginel and others 2007, Ginn and others 2007, Newkirk and Frank 2011). This case series describes the development of disseminated infundibular cysts in five dogs and one cat. The term ‘disseminated’ is preferred over ‘multiple’ to better describe the presence of multifocal lesions involving the entire body. The cases enrolled in this series are characterised by a history of progressive development of multiple cutaneous cysts over the entire body. Cases 1–4 were presented to the Veterinary Teaching Hospital (VTH), while cases 5 and 6 were submitted to the diagnostic laboratory for histopathological evaluation only. See Table 1 for the signalment for each case. View this table: TABLE 1: ​Case signalment table Historical information revealed that the first lesions were noticed as single to …
Modulation of trophoblast function by tumor necrosis factor-α: A role in pregnancy establishment and maintenance?

Abstract Objective: Trophoblast differentiation is a critical process for successful implantation and establishment of the human placenta. The aim of this study was to characterize the effect of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) on the expression of markers of trophoblast function and differentiation. STUDY DESIGN: Human cytotrophoblasts were stimulated with 1 and 10 ng/mL recombinant TNF-α or IL-6. Cell viability was determined and conditioned culture media was analyzed by gelatin zymography to assess protease secretion and by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays to measure production of β-human chorionic gonadotropin and oncofetal fibronectin. RESULTS: TNF-α increased secretion of urokinase-type plasminogen activator up to 3-fold of basal unstimulated production. Stimulation of cytotrophoblasts with this cytokine also inhibited β-human chorionic gonadotropin secretion up to 75%. TNF-α did not modify the secretion of matrix metalloproteinase-9 and oncofetal fibronectin. IL-6 had no effect on these trophoblast differentiation markers. CONCLUSION: These results show that TNF-α stimulated cytotrophoblasts modulate the expression of differentiation markers, down-regulating the autocrine signals that promote syncytialization, and increasing their invasive capacity through up-regulation of proteases. We suggest that this regulatory mechanism of trophoblast function could play an important role during trophoblast implantation, in pregnancy failure and in the normal and pathologic rupture of fetal membranes. (Am J Obstet Gynecol 2002;187:1574-80.)
Design issues for a mission to exploit the gravitational lensing effect at 550 AU

Abstract Reported herein are the first results of a NASA-sponsored study at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), California Institute of Technology, exploring the scientific promise and technological viability of a mission to exploit the gravitational lensing effect of the Sun to obtain huge antenna gains for electromagnetic waves grazing the Sun's disk. With regard to scientific promise, these results, reported at about the halfway point of the study, substantiate the huge antenna gains offered by, as it will be called here, a Solar Gravitational Telescope (SGT) and point to the instrument's potential promise as a “discovery machine” but suggest considerable limitations to the telescope's usefulness as a general purpose astrophysical research tool. These limitations are seen to arise, primarily, from the geometry and scale of the “virtual” telescope which must be achieved and maintained to utilize the lensing effect and the turbulence effects of the Sun's plasma on the observed target's signal. With regard to technological viability, the preliminary results suggest a very aggressive use of unproven, as-yet-unflown new technology will be required to enable the desired science observations and mission durations approaching the short (3–10 year) NASA-targeted mission duration goal. Key needed new technologies are advanced propulsion, lightweight telescopes, membrane mirrors, inflatable/rigidizeable structures, and novel coronagraphic techniques.
The Informed Consent Process in Older Patients Who Developed Delirium: A Clinical Epidemiologic Study☆

Abstract PURPOSE: Delirium, defined as an acute, fluctuating disorder of attention and cognition, is a serious and increasingly common problem for hospitalized older persons. Delirium poses unique ethical challenges for the informed consent process, notably the preservation of patient autonomy in the face of potentially fluctuating decision-making capacity. To clarify these issues, we examined the informed consent process in a group of hospitalized older patients who developed delirium. PATIENTS: Eighty-four hospitalized patients aged >70 years who developed delirium during hospitalization at a large urban teaching hospital. METHODS: We conducted a clinical epidemiologic investigation of informed consent in 173 medical and surgical procedures performed in 84 patients. Clinical researchers carried out detailed cognitive evaluation of patients on or near the consent date. A separate blinded researcher extracted medical record information on the procedures and informed consent process variables. RESULTS: Of 173 procedures, 33 (19%) had no documentation of any consent, and 34 (20%) used surrogate consent. There were no documented assessments of competency/decisional capacity; cognitive assessments were done in 7 (4%) cases, and legal consults in 2 (1%) cases. Discussion of potential risks of the procedure with patient or surrogate were documented in 61 (35%) cases. In multivariable analysis, independent predictors for failure to obtain consent were presence of delirium (adjusted odds ratio [OR] = 2.7, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.3, 5.3) and less invasive procedure (OR = 5.0, CI 2.0, 12.8). Although cognitive impairment predicted surrogate use, we found that 47% of cases with substantial impairment did not involve use of a surrogate, whereas surrogates signed for 4% of cases with normal mental status near the time of consent. CONCLUSIONS: Our results highlight the ethical challenges that delirium poses for the informed consent process, including the high rate of no consent, lack of cognitive and decisional capacity assessment, and inconsistent surrogate use.
A pseudospectral method for the solution of the two-dimensional Navier-Stokes equations in the primitive variable formulation

Abstract A pseudospectral method was developed for the solution of the Navier-Stokes equations for incompressible flows in the primitive-variable formulation. The method employs Chebyshev expansion methods in order to generate approximations to the momentum and pressure equtions and utilizes a well-known fractional time-step procedure in obtaining a solution to these equations. Results for the buoyancy-driven flow in a square enclosure with nonisothermal vertical and insulated horizontal walls, at Rayleigh numbers in the range 1.4 × 10 4 –1.4 × 10 6 , are represented. The proposed method is easy to implement and can accurately reproduce the physics of the flow under consideration from transient to steady state.
Effect of relative humidity on the oxidative and physical stability of encapsulated milk fat

Milk fat was used in this work as a model to study the effects of humidity and physical properties on lipid oxidation. Although milk fat is considered a relatively stable fat because of its low content of unsaturated FA, it can oxidize significantly under certain conditions, as observed, for example, in the case, of dairy-based powders. Humidity and physical properties have a profound influence on the oxidative stability of powders, containing fat, and these factors affect the surface and encapsulated fractions of the fat differently. To examine these effects, encapsulated milk fat powders were stored under conditions of controlled relative humidity. Oxidation of the encapsulated fat as assessed by measurements of PV, losses of FA, and hexanal production increased, with increasing relative humidity (RH). At higher RH, moisture penetrates into the hydrophilic wall, interacting with and plasticizing the components, thereby making them less effective as moisture and oxygen barriers. Total oxidation of the powders was strongly influenced by the extent of oxidation in the encapsulated fraction (>98% of total lipids) although the surface fat fraction was oxidized more rapidly. Better protection against oxidation was obtained when fats were encapsulated and stored at 14 and 44% RH than at 52% RH.
A Portable Atmospheric Air Plasma Device for Biomedical Treatment Applications

A portable atmospheric pressure resistive barrier plasma (RBP) device is designed, constructed, and characterized for plasma surface treatment procedures applied in biomedical applications. The design and construction aspects of the RBP plasma device are presented including the electrode configuration, electrical, cooling, and gas flow rates. The RBP device can operate in both dc (battery) as well as in standard 60/50 Hz low frequency ac power input. The RBP device can function effectively in both direct and indirect plasma exposure configurations depending on the type of treatment targets. The portable RBP device is characterized for plasma jet exit velocity, plasma temperatures, and reactive nitrogen species (RNS) using laser shadowgraphy, emission spectroscopy, and gas analyzer diagnostics. We have measured the average velocity of the plasma jet to be 150–200 m/s at 1 cm from the probe end. The gas temperature which is equivalent to the rotational (Trot) temperatures of the plasma is measured by simulation fitting the experimental emission spectra. A high-temperature ceramic fiber-insulated-wire thermocouple probe is used to measure the temperatures of the downstream jet after 2 cm where the plasma emission drops. Addition of external cooling unit brought the temperatures of reactive species and other gases close to room temperature. The spatial concentrations of the reactive oxygen species from the plasma jet tip are measured at 5 cm distance from the electrode. The nitric oxide level is measured to be in the range of 500–660 ppm and it drops to ∼100 ppm at 60 cm. The ppm values of nitric oxides after the cooling unit are observed to be at the same order of magnitude as the plasma jet. The preliminary results on the effectiveness of the portable RBP device for bacterial inactivation as well as the effects of indirect exposure of the portable RBP device on monocytic leukemia cancer cells (THP-1) are briefly presented.
Cu2[o-Br-C6H3(CO2)2]2(H2O)2·(DMF)8(H2O)2: A Framework Deliberately Designed To Have the NbO Structure Type

The synthesis of an NbO-type metal−organic framework was achieved by design: o-Br-BDC (BDC = benzenedicarboxylate) was used to direct the formation of Cu2(CO2)4 paddle wheel units at 90° to each other and thus yield the target network. The compound was formulated as Cu2[o-Br-BDC]2(H2O)2·(DMF)8(H2O)2 (MOF-101) and characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction [cubic, space group Im3m (No. 229) with a = 21.607(3) A, V = 10088(2) A3, Z = 6], which fully confirmed the presence of the expected structure. Despite having very large apertures and voids, MOF-101 has a noninterpenetrated structure, an intriguing observation that is discussed in the context of dual structures.
Synthesis and Characterization of Poly(Diallyldimethylammonium Chloride-g-Acrylamide)

Abstract Graft copolymers of poly(diallyldimethylammonium chloride), (poly-DADMAC), with acrylamide were synthesized using a ceric salt/nitric acid initiation system. The effects of concentration of initiator, monomer, and substrates were studied. Copolymers were characterized by viscometry and size-exclusion chromatography. The highest molecular weight ( M w ) of graft copolymer obtained was 1.70 × 106. The compositions of copolymers are dependent upon the ratios of the concentration of monomer to the concentration of substrate. The highest content of DADMAC monomer unit in the copolymer was 33 wt%.
Mesh Ensemble Motion Graphs: Data-driven mesh animation with constraints

We explore the use of space-time cuts to smoothly transition between stochastic mesh animation clips involving numerous deformable mesh groups while subject to physical constraints. These transitions are used to construct Mesh Ensemble Motion Graphs for interactive data-driven animation of high-dimensional mesh animation datasets, such as those arising from expensive physical simulations of deformable objects blowing in the wind. We formulate the transition computation as an integer programming problem, and introduce a novel randomized algorithm to compute transitions subject to geometric nonpenetration constraints. We present examples for several physically based motion datasets, with real-time display and optional interactive control over wind intensity via transitions between wind levels. We discuss challenges and opportunities for future work and practical application.
Processing in a letter-deletion condition

The availability of context was varied in a letter-deletion manipulation in subjects’ reading of a brief passage. The task of supplying missing letters in words presented in the absence of context was more difficult than supplying missing letters for words in context, as determined by study time and number of correct responses. Levels of recall in the noncontext condition, however, were significantly lower than in the context condition, suggesting that the task of supplying missing letters for words in passages requires processing beyond individual lexical items. It seems that the processing required for such tasks is similar to that required by readers when they encounter unfamiliar vocabulary.
The segmentation of sub-lexical morphemes in english-learning 15-month-olds.

In most human languages, important components of linguistic structure are carried by affixes, also called bound morphemes. The affixes in a language comprise a relatively small but frequently occurring set of forms that surface as parts of words, but never occur without a stem. They combine productively with word stems and other grammatical entities in systematic and predictable ways. For example, the English suffix –ing occurs on verb stems, and in combination with a form of the auxiliary verb be, marks the verb with progressive aspect (e.g., was walking). In acquiring a language, learners must acquire rules of combination for affixes. However, prior to learning these combinatorial rules, learners are faced with discovering what the sub-lexical forms are over which the rules operate. That is, they have to discover the bound morphemes themselves. It is not known when English-learners begin to analyze words into morphological units. Previous research with learners of English found evidence that 18-month-olds have started to learn the combinatorial rules involving bound morphemes, and that 15-month-olds have not. However, it is not known whether 15-month-olds nevertheless represent the morphemes as distinct entities. This present study demonstrates that when 15-month-olds process words that end in ¬–ing, they segment ¬the suffix from the word, but they do not do so with endings that are not morphemes. Eight-month olds do not show this capacity. Thus, 15-month-olds have already started to identify bound morphemes and actively use them in processing speech.
Microbial ooids and cortoids from the Lower Triassic (Spathian) Virgin Limestone, Nevada, USA: Evidence for an Early Triassic microbial bloom in shallow depositional environments

Abstract Lower Triassic sedimentary rocks contain a variety of unusual facies and fabrics, with microbialites being a distinctive component of many carbonates deposited following the Permian–Triassic mass extinction. Coated grains are common in shallow water facies from the upper Lower Triassic (Spathian) Virgin Limestone (Moenkopi Formation) in southern Nevada, and were investigated in order to determine their origin. Petrographic analysis reveals that the majority of the coated grains found within the Virgin Limestone are micritic ooids with a concentric fabric, or with a homogenous fabric composed of dense, often cloudy micrite. In addition, asymmetric ooids, aggregate grains, and distorted ooids are also locally common in some oolitic units; low-Mg calcite ooids and bimineralic ooids composed of low-Mg calcite and dense, cloudy micrite are less commonly found, but are also documented from the Virgin Limestone. Cortoids (i.e., grains that are coated with constructive micrite envelopes) are a minor component of oolitic grainstones and packstones (typically 10–15% of the grains), although they may also comprise entire beds. The cortoids are coated with micrite similar to that which comprises the ooid cortices, and may be finely laminated or dense and cloudy in nature. The micrite ooids and constructive micrite envelopes are interpreted as microbial in origin based on the finely laminated or cloudy, dense nature of the micrite, as well as coatings that are uneven, or often of greater thickness on one side of elongate nuclei, such as bivalve shells or phylliod algae blades. The origin of the low-Mg calcite ooids and layers is less certain, but may also be microbial. The results of this study suggest that a microbial bloom occurred in shallow water environments, which was the result of 3 factors: (1) the unusual chemistry of Early Triassic oceans; (2) runoff of nutrient-rich waters, which enhanced microbialite growth; and, (3) wave agitation and warm waters that led to CO 2 degassing and further supersaturation of shallow waters with respect to calcium carbonate.
Invariants Based Failure Diagnosis in Distributed Computing Systems

This paper presents an instance based approach to diagnosing failures in computing systems. Owing to the fact that a large portion of occurred failures are repeated ones, our method takes advantage of past experiences by storing historical failures in a database and retrieving similar instances in the occurrence of failure. We extract the system ‘invariants’ by modeling consistent dependencies between system attributes during the operation, and construct a network graph based on the learned invariants. When a failure happens, the status of invariants network, i.e., whether each invariant link is broken or not, provides a view of failure characteristics. We use a high dimensional binary vector to store those failure evidences, and develop a novel algorithm to efficiently retrieve failure signatures from the database. Experimental results in a web based system have demonstrated the effectiveness of our method in diagnosing the injected failures.
Thermodynamic Properties of Nonstoichiometric Yttria‐Stabilized Zirconia at Low Oxygen Pressures

Thermodynamic properties of 8-mol%-yttria-stabilized zirconia have been determined in the 810° to 1040°C temperature range at low Po2. A high-temperature solid-state coulometric titration method was used. The mass action constant, Kma, can be represented at low Po2 as Kma=0.677 exp [(–3.98 ±0.03 eV)/kT].
Detection of Two Anaerobic Periodontopathogens in Children by Means of the BANA and ELISA Assays

The mouths of young children become colonized by a variety of bacteria, but there have been only a few studies that have sought the presence of periodontopathic species in this population. Almost all of these studies used culturing techniques rather than the newer detection methodologies for various periodontopathogens. Studies in adults have shown that Treponema denticola and Porphyromonas (Bacteroides) gingivalis can be detected in dental plaque by use of the BANA and ELISA diagnostic tests. In the present study, plaque samples from four subgingival sites in each of 157 children (aged from two to 18 years) were tested for BANA hydrolysis with a BANA reagent card, and for T. denticola and P. gingivalis with an ELISA assay. Anaerobic periodontopathogens hydrolyzing the BANA substrate were found to be present in at least one of four plaque samples in 88 children (56%). T. denticola and/or P. gingivalis were detected by ELISA in at least one plaque sample in each of 135 children (86%). This study shows that children are widely colonized by these micro-organisms. A higher proportion of Black children than Caucasian children was colonized by these BANA-positive organisms. Also, children having a parent with a documented history of periodontal disease were more likely to be BANA-positive than were children of parents with unknown periodontal status.
Continuous monitoring of brain dynamics with functional near infrared spectroscopy as a tool for neuroergonomic research: empirical examples and a technological development

Functional near infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) is a non-invasive, safe, and portable optical neuroimaging method that can be used to assess brain dynamics during skill acquisition and performance of complex work and everyday tasks. In this paper we describe neuroergonomic studies that illustrate the use of fNIRS in the examination of training-related brain dynamics and human performance assessment. We describe results of studies investigating cognitive workload in air traffic controllers, acquisition of dual verbal-spatial working memory skill, and development of expertise in piloting unmanned vehicles. These studies used conventional fNIRS devices in which the participants were tethered to the device while seated at a workstation. Consistent with the aims of mobile brain imaging (MoBI), we also describe a compact and battery-operated wireless fNIRS system that performs with similar accuracy as other established fNIRS devices. Our results indicate that both wired and wireless fNIRS systems allow for the examination of brain function in naturalistic settings, and thus are suitable for reliable human performance monitoring and training assessment.
A simulation environment for very large neural networks

Computational requirements in signal processing may cover a wide spectrum, from binary operations to floating point. A task-oriented approach to solving such complex problems may prove costly if the application domain is not specifically restricted. The present approach consists in combining performance speed-up through parallelism with enough flexibility in an attempt to cover a wide field of application. The paper provides a brief overview of a reconfigurable multiprocessor system, called Shiva, and an example of how a computationally intensive problem such as large neural network simulation can be mapped onto it. This is illustrated by a speech synthesis application. >
Dynamic Time-Variant Connection Management for PGAS Models on InfiniBand

InfiniBand (IB) has established itself as a promising network infrastructure for high-end cluster computing systems as evidenced by its usage in the Top500 supercomputers today. While the IB standard describes multiple communication models (including reliable-connection (RC), and unreliable data gram (UD)), most of its promising features such as remote direct memory access (RDMA), hardware atomics and network fault tolerance are only available for the RC model which requires connections between communicating process pairs. In the past, several researchers have proposed on-demand connection management techniques that establish connections when there is a need to communicate with another process. While such techniques work well for algorithms and applications that only communicate with a small set of processes in their life-time, there exists a broad set of applications that do not follow this trend. For example, applications that perform dynamic load balancing and adaptive work stealing have a small set of communicating neighbors at any given time, but over time the total number of neighbors can be very high, in some cases, equal to the entire system size. In this paper, we present a dynamic time-variant connection management approach that establishes connections on-demand like previous approaches, but further intelligently tears down some of the unused connections as well. While connection tear-down itself is relevant for any programming model, different models have different complexities. In this paper, we study the Global Arrays (GA) PGAS model for two reasons: (1) the simple one-sided communication primitives provided by GA and other PGAS models ensure that connection requests are always initiated by the origin process without explicit synchronization with the target process -- this makes connection tear-down simpler to handle, and (2) GA supports applications in several domains such as computational chemistry (NWChem) and computational biology (ScalaBLAST) that demonstrate this behavior making it an obvious first target for the proposed enhancements. We evaluate our proposed approach using NWChem computational chemistry application using up to 6144 processes, and show that our approach can significantly reduce the memory requirements of the communication library while maintaining its performance.
Spatial Experiences of High Academic Achievers: Insights from a Developmental Perspective.

The study explored the relationship between types of spatial experiences and spatial abilities among 13- to 14-year-old high academic achievers. Each participant completed two spatial tasks and a survey assessing favored spatial activities across five categories (computers, toys, sports, music, and art) and three developmental periods (early childhood, middle childhood, and adolescence). The first phase of analysis determined the percentage of favorite activities by category and developmental period; the second phase examined how participants with the highest scores on each spatial measure differed in their experiences. Findings showed that certain activities (e.g., playing video games and soccer) tended to reemerge across periods and be linked to strong spatial skills. Implications for nurturing high achievers’ potential to succeed in spatially demanding careers are discussed.
Low-Dose Warfarin for Prevention of Symptomatic Thromboembolism after Orthopedic Surgery

BACKGROUND:Warfarin dosing with a target international normalized ratio (INR) range of 1.5–2.5 has not been reported as adequate for venous thromboembolism (VTE) prophylaxis after total knee (TKR) and total hip replacement (THR) surgery. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the rate of symptomatic VTE after TKR and THR surgery using a low-dose (INR 1.5–2.5) warfarin protocol started the evening before surgery compared with a literature cohort treated with enoxaparin.METHODS:TKR/THR patients treated with a 21-day low-dose warfarin protocol were followed via a consecutive observational design. Main outcome measures were symptomatic VTE and pulmonary embolism (PE), with major bleeds and death as secondary outcomes. Low-dose warfarin was compared with a literature cohort of patients treated with enoxaparin who received enoxaparin for a similar length of time and was evaluated for the same outcomes. Cohort event rates were derived as a weighted average using the DerSimonian model.RESULTS:VTE, PE, bleeds, and deaths in the l...
Replication of intestinal basement membrane using chemical vapor deposition of poly (2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate): Film degradation and biocompatibility

It is recognized that topographical features such as ridges and grooves can dramatically influence cell phenotype, motivating the development of substrates with precisely biomimetic topography for study of the influence on cultured cells. Intestinal basement membrane topography has been precisely replicated using plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (CVD) of poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) (pHEMA) on native tissue. To test the suitability of CVD pHEMA as a cell culture substrate, biocompatibility and degradation properties were assessed. CVD pHEMA require cross-linking with EGDA for maintenance of film integrity over 21 days in an aqueous medium. Cells maintained a high (≫90%) viability on CVD pHEMA. Cell attachment and proliferation on CVD pHEMA was similar to that observed on polystyrene.
Essential Roles for Mycobacterium tuberculosis Rel beyond the Production of (p)ppGpp

In Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the stringent response to amino acid starvation is mediated by the M. tuberculosis Rel (RelMtb) enzyme, which transfers a pyrophosphate from ATP to GDP or GTP to synthesize ppGpp and pppGpp, respectively. (p)ppGpp then influences numerous metabolic processes. RelMtb also encodes a second, distinct catalytic domain that hydrolyzes (p)ppGpp into pyrophosphate and GDP or GTP. RelMtb is required for chronic M. tuberculosis infection in mice; however, it is unknown which catalytic activity of RelMtb mediates pathogenesis and whether (p)ppGpp itself is necessary. In order to individually investigate the roles of (p)ppGpp synthesis and hydrolysis during M. tuberculosis pathogenesis, we generated RelMtb point mutants that were either synthetase dead (RelMtbH344Y) or hydrolase dead (RelMtbH80A). M. tuberculosis strains expressing the synthetase-dead RelMtbH344Y mutant did not persist in mice, demonstrating that the RelMtb (p)ppGpp synthetase activity is required for maintaining bacterial titers during chronic infection. Deletion of a second predicted (p)ppGpp synthetase had no effect on pathogenesis, demonstrating that RelMtb was the major contributor to (p)ppGpp production during infection. Interestingly, expression of an allele encoding the hydrolase-dead RelMtb mutant, RelMtbH80A, that is incapable of hydrolyzing (p)ppGpp but still able to synthesize (p)ppGpp decreased the growth rate of M. tuberculosis and changed the colony morphology of the bacteria. In addition, RelMtbH80A expression during acute or chronic M. tuberculosis infection in mice was lethal to the infecting bacteria. These findings highlight a distinct role for RelMtb-mediated (p)ppGpp hydrolysis that is essential for M. tuberculosis pathogenesis.
Neprilysin inhibitors potentiate effects of bradykinin on b2 receptor.

Some beneficial effects of angiotensin-I–converting enzyme (ACE, kininase II) inhibitor therapy are attributed to enhancing the activity of bradykinin on its B 2 receptor. Independent of inhibition of bradykinin hydrolysis, ACE inhibitors enhance the action of bradykinin on its B 2 receptor by inducing crosstalk between ACE and the receptor. We investigated whether inhibitors of another kininase II-type enzyme, neprilysin (neutral endopeptidase 24.11; NEP), could augment bradykinin effects unrelated to blocking its breakdown using a NEP-resistant bradykinin analog as ligand. We used transfected Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells stably expressing human B 2 receptor and NEP (CHO/NEP-B 2 ) or only B 2 (CHO/B 2 ) as control and human pulmonary fibroblasts (IMR90), expressing B 2 , but more NEP than ACE. NEP inhibitor phosphoramidon (100 nmol/L), or omapatrilat, which inhibits both NEP and ACE, did not potentiate bradykinin in CHO/B 2 cells. In IMR90 cells, 10 nmol/L bradykinin elevated [Ca 2+ ] i and desensitized the receptor. Adding either 100 nmol/L omapatrilat or phosphoramidon resensitized the receptor to the ligand, which was abolished by receptor blocker HOE 140. Arachidonic acid release by bradykinin from CHO/NEP-B 2 cells was also augmented by 100 nmol/L phosphoramidon or omapatrilat about 3-fold, and again, the inhibitors resensitized the desensitized B 2 receptor. The inhibitors did not potentiate bradykinin when soluble rNEP was added to the medium of CHO/B 2 cells. Similar to ACE, NEP inhibitors potentiated bradykinin independent of inhibiting inactivation. Consequently, omapatrilat could augment bradykinin effects on B 2 , when either ACE or NEP is expressed close to receptor on cell membrane.
Toxicology and Carcinogenesis Study of Senna in C3B6.129F1-Trp53 tm1Brd N12 Haploinsufficient Mice

Senna is a pod or leaf of Senna alexandrina P. Mill and is used as a stimulant laxative. In the large intestine, bacterial enzymes reduce sennosides to rhein-9-anthrone, the active form for the laxative effect. To determine the potential toxic effects of senna, a 5-week dose range finding study in the C57BL/6N mouse and a 40-week toxicology and carcinogenesis study in the C3B6.129F1-Trp53 tm1Brd N12 haploinsufficient (p53 þ/� ) mouse were conducted. In the 5-week study, C57BL/6N mice were exposed to up to 10,000 ppm senna in feed. Increased incidences of epithelial hyperplasia of the cecum and colon were observed in males and females exposed to 5,000 or 10,000 ppm senna. These intestinal lesions were not considered to be of sufficient severity to cause mortality and, thus, in the p53 þ/� mouse 40-week study, the high dose of 10,000 ppm was selected. Significant increases in the incidences of epithelial hyperplasia of the colon and cecum were observed at 10,000 ppm in p53 þ/� males and females, and the incidence of hyperplasia of the colon was significantly increased at 3,000 ppm in females. In conclusion, the large intestine was the major target of senna-induced toxicity in both wild-type and the p53 þ/� mouse model. There was no neoplastic change when senna was administered to p53 þ/� mouse.
Classroom Composition and Racial Differences in Opportunities to Learn.

Black and White advanced math students leave high school with disparate math skills. One possible explanation is that minority students are exposed to different learning opportunities, even when they are taking classes with the same title. Using a convenience sample of the Mathematics Survey of the Enacted Curriculum (SEC), this study found that math teachers in classrooms with a minority racial composition spend their instructional time emphasizing different topics and instructional tasks than teachers in classrooms that have a predominately White racial composition. Racial differences continue to exist when school socioeconomic level and teacher-reported classroom achievement level are included. Students in classrooms with minority racial compositions have different learning opportunities compared to those of their peers, which may explain racial differences in returns to advanced math course-taking.
Effects of the October 2013 U.S. Federal government shutdown on National Park gateway communities: the case of Acadia National Park and Bar Harbor, Maine

ABSTRACTThe U.S. Federal Government experienced a shutdown that halted much of its spending and services over 16 days in October 2013. Federal government officials noted a wide variety of impacts that the shutdown had on economic activity, including a reduction in the admission fees collected by the National Park Service and losses of visitor spending in ‘gateway communities’ located near national parks and monuments. This article examines the effects of the October 2013 federal government shutdown on Acadia National Park’s gateway community of Bar Harbor, Maine. Regression results show that the 16-day shutdown is associated with a 76% reduction in Acadia visitation in October 2013 and a 13% reduction in tourism-related sales. This suggests that an estimated 17% of the potential visitors impacted by the Acadia closure cancelled their trips to Bar Harbor. This change in visitor behaviour is a reasonably large response to a short-term event such as the government shutdown.
Empirical methods in trade secret research

This book chapter surveys a variety of methods in conducting empirical trade secret research. It discusses data sources, study types and methods, and challenges unique to trade secrecy with respect to four different considerations: innovation incentives, tradeoffs with other IP, the "cost minimization" theory of trade secrets, and litigation behavior.The chapter also includes a comprehensive bibliography of every empirical trade secret study we could locate, organized by subject. Many of the papers and their findings are discussed in the book chapter as aids for those developing their own research along similar paths.
On the influence of an equatorial cerclage on closure of posterior retinal detachment

A mechanics-based mathematical model of an eye possessing a posterior retinal detachment is presented for the case where an encircling scleral buckle (a cerclage) is sutured around the equator of the eye. The mechanical behaviour of the retina and the globe, both before and after applying the cerclage, is studied. An energy formulation yields the self-consistent equations of equilibrium and boundary conditions of the ocular system, and analytical solutions are established for the scleral buckle, for the globe and for the detached segment of the retina. Results of numerical simulations based on the solutions unveil characteristic behaviour of the ocular system, and demonstrate the influence of the scleral buckle, as well as of the pressure difference between the vitreous cavity and the subretinal space, on the deformation of the eye and on closing the region of retinal detachment. The results indicate that a scleral buckle encircling the equator, normally used for closing retinal tears and associated retinal detachments in the immediate vicinity of the buckle, can have a marked influence on bringing the detached segment of neurosensory retina back into contact with the retinal pigment epithelium, even for detachments at the posterior of the eye.
Job Satisfaction Among Practicing School Psychologists: the Impact of SLD Identification

Research has documented high levels of job satisfaction among school psychologists. Given that school psychologists spend much of their time in special education decision making and identifying students with specific learning disabilities (SLDs), it is important to understand how assessment practices relate to job satisfaction. This study surveyed 471 practicing school psychologists to understand how SLD identification methods impact job satisfaction. Results indicated (a) approximately 60 % of participants were satisfied with their SLD assessment practices, (b) participants were least satisfied with their school guidelines regarding assessment, (c) participants were most satisfied working with others for SLD assessment, (d) different SLD identification methods were associated with varying levels of job satisfaction, and (e) greater alignment between preferred and actual SLD identification practices was associated with higher levels of job satisfaction related to assessment. Implications for future or practicing school psychologists are discussed. Future research should focus on empirically investigating outcomes associated with job satisfaction, such as turnover rates.
Low temperature magnetoresistance of UPt3, U3Fe and U6Co

The transverse magnetoresistance Δρ(T,H)≡ρ(T,H)-ρ(T,0) has been measured at fixed temperatures in the range 0.5K \leqslant T \leqslant 40K as a function of magnetic field H \leqslant 15T for polycrystalline samples of U6Fe and U6Co, and a single crystal of UPt3 (\overrightarrowH||\overrightarrowa and \overrightarrowH||\overrightarrowc, \overrightarrowJ||\overrightarrowb). The sign of Δρ(T,H) changes from positive to negative as T increases through ~25K for U6Fe and U6Co, and \i~18K for UPt3. At low temperatures the data obey a novel universal form Δρ=AH2/B+H for all three materials, where A and B are T- and H-independent constants. Such behavior is postulated as typical of materials entering a heavy Fermi liquid state at low temperatures.
Pheromone Monitoring of Peachtree Borers and Lesser Peachtree Borers in South Carolina

The peachtree borer, Synanthedon exitiosa (Say). and lesser peachtree borer, Synanthedon pictipes (Grote and Robinson), were monitored with pheromone-baited traps in 2 peach-growing areas. Pheromone monitoring was compared to cast skin counts in one orchard. Similar seasonal distributions were obtained by using both methods, though the pheromone traps were more sensitive in detecting sparse populations. Trap catch data were compared to precipitation patterns. Physiological days at 27°C between the medians of generations were calculated by using daily max and min temperatures. Calculations of physiological days were in agreement with developmental times as determined in laboratory rearing. Wet periods were found to enhance the eclosion of both species.
Response of the Western Spruce Budworm, Choristoneura occidentalis (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae), to Temperature: The Stochastic Nature of Developmental Rates and Diapause Termination

The variability in the developmental rates for the embryos, larvae, and pupae of the western spruce budworm, Choristoneura occidentalis , was skewed and was well described by a gamma probability density function. At extreme temperatures, the shapes of the frequency distributions for the embryos and pupae were not unimodal, suggesting the presence of thermal biotypes. Variability increased markedly towards the temperature extremes (15 and 31°C) and was greater for female than for male larvae. The shapes of the frequency distributions for larvae terminating diapause ranged from a skewed curve for second-instar larvae held in diapause at 0°C to a negative exponential curve for larvae held at 5°C. A Monte Carlo simulation model showed that the probability of synchronous emergence of male and female moths was relatively constant (ca. 66%) over a range of average minimum/maximum temperatures. During the larval developmental period, average minimum/maximum ranged from 2.3/18.1 to 6.0/21.0°C. For the pupae developmental period, average minimum/maximum temperatures ranged from 6.0/21.0 to 1l.4/27.1°C. Above these temperatures, the probability of synchronous emergence decreased.
Reseach on application of the concurrent auditing in the enterprise

The paper thinks the most important problem is that it's difficult to obtain the proofs in time in using the technology of auditing by analyzing the development of the computerization information systems'influence in company's auditing. Finally the paper introduced the concurrent auditing technique and practicing in different conditions.
Price Differences across Farmers’ Markets, Roadside Stands, and Supermarkets in North Carolina

Whether direct farmer-to-consumer outlets compete with supermarkets on produce prices remains an empirical question; marketing costs are not consistently higher in one retail channel or the other. This study compared prices of 29 fruits and vegetables across North Carolina farmers’ markets, roadside stands, and supermarkets. Larger farmers’ markets had higher prices: three fruits and one vegetable were cheaper at a direct outlet, while four vegetables were cheaper at supermarkets. Weighting item prices by consumption share attenuated differences in mean price across outlets. Direct-retail outlets are price competitive and should be considered among other tools to boost fresh fruit and vegetable intake.
Partial Nephrectomy in the Treatment of Renal Adenocarcinoma

During a 20-year period 17 patients underwent partial nephrectomy as primary curative therapy for renal adenocarcinoma. In 15 patients (88 per cent) partial nephrectomy was performed satisfactorily in situ with free margins of resection. Eleven patients are alive (65 per cent) and only 3 (17 per cent) died of recurrent malignant disease. There was no operative mortality and postoperative complications were minimal. A review of the literature reveals that partial nephrectomy is an effective form of therapy for patients with bilateral renal carcinoma or carcinoma occurring in a solitary kidney.
Müschenbroek’s Wonderful Bottle

In his second letter to Mr. Collinson, Franklin presented his one-fluid theory of electricity. Contrary to Du Fay’s two-fluid theory, Franklin suggested that all objects contain within them a certain quantity of the so-called “electrical fire”. While the overall quantity of this electrical fire is unchanged—it is a conserved quantity—its distribution need not be uniform everywhere. Objects having a (perhaps temporary) surplus are said to be “plus”; objects having a deficit are said to be “minus”.
S11-2 Manganese-induced neurotoxicity: lessons from worms

Manganese (Mn), is a trace metal required for normal physiological processes in humans. Mn levels are tightly regulated, as high levels of Mn result in accumulation in the brain and cause a neurological disease known as manganism. Manganism shares many similarities with Parkinson’s disease (PD), both at the physiological level and the cellular level. Exposure to high Mn-containing environments increases the risk of developing manganism. Combining genetics and biochemical assays, we established in the nematode (C. elegans) and other experimental models that dopamine (DA) is responsible for Mn-induced DAergic neurodegeneration, and that this process (1) requires functional DA-reuptake transporter (DAT-1), (2) is associated with oxidative stress and lifespan reduction, (3) and is enhanced by iron deficiency. The presentation will focus on the mechanisms of Mn uptake and efflux into the brain, genetic susceptibility to Mn-induced damage, and molecular mechanisms of neurotoxicity. (This research was supported by a grant from the National Institutes of Health, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) R01 ES10563).
Culturally Adapted Substance Use Interventions for Latino Adolescents: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Purpose:To examine the characteristics and effects of culturally adapted substance use interventions with Latino adolescents on substance use outcomes.Methods:Systematic review and meta-analytic me...
A battery-operated wireless multichannel gas sensor system based on a capacitive micromachined ultrasonic transducer (CMUT) array

This paper reports on the design and implementation of a complete battery-operated wireless system for a mechanically resonant gas sensor based on a capacitive micromachined ultrasonic transducer (CMUT) array. A custom-designed front-end integrated circuit (IC) with eight inputs and a serial peripheral interface (SPI) was tightly integrated with a CMUT array. The power consumption of the front-end is 10 μW with a duty cycle of 1:60 corresponding to 1-s measurement time every minute. For the completeness of the system, a power management unit (PMU) was designed and interfaced with the described custom IC along with a wireless module. For multichannel operation, time-division multiplexing was adopted to minimize power consumption and prevent potential frequency locking between different channels. Multichannel wireless data acquisition with the described system was demonstrated by loading unfunctionalized sensor channels with humidity in human breath.