cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Human Extrafollicular CD4+ Th Cells Help Memory B Cells Produce Igs

Follicular helper T (Tfh) cells are necessary for germinal center B cell maturation during primary immune responses; however, the T cells that promote humoral recall responses via memory B cells are less well defined. In this article, we characterize a human tonsillar CD4+ T cell subset with this function. These cells are similar to Tfh cells in terms of expression of the chemokine receptor CXCR5 and the inhibitory receptor PD-1, IL-21 secretion, and expression of the transcription factor BCL6; however, unlike Tfh cells that are located within the B cell follicle and germinal center, they reside at the border of the T cell zone and the B cell follicle in proximity to memory B cells, a position dictated by their unique chemokine receptor expression. They promote memory B cells to produce Abs via CD40L, IL-10, and IL-21. Our results reveal a unique extrafollicular CD4+ T cell subset in human tonsils, which specialize in promoting T cell-dependent humoral recall responses.
A phase I trial of recombinant human interleukin-1 beta alone and in combination with myelosuppressive doses of 5-fluorouracil in patients with gastrointestinal cancer

We studied escalating doses of recombinant human interleukin-1 beta (IL- 1 beta) alone and after a myelosuppressive dose of 5-fluorouracil (5- FU) in patients with gastrointestinal cancer. Transient neutropenia, monocytopenia, and lymphocytopenia were observed followed by a 1.3- to 6.0-fold (mean, 3.46-fold) dose-dependent neutrophil leukocytosis (P less than .00001) on the days of IL-1 beta administration. Increases in platelet counts were observed at a median of 14 days (range, 6 to 23) after IL-1 beta administration. Transient hypoglycemia, rebound hyperglycemia, elevations in serum cortisol, and C-reactive protein were observed. Side effects included fever, rigors, and headache in the majority of patients. Hypotension was observed in three of five patients at the highest dose level (0.1 micrograms/kg) and was dose- limiting. Fewer days of neutropenia were noted after 5-FU plus IL-1 beta than after 5-FU alone; however, this difference did not reach statistical significance. These data show that IL-1 beta has stimulatory effects in human hematopoiesis.
Phase Ib of Copanlisib in Combination with Ibrutinib in Recurrent/Refractory Primary CNS Lymphoma (PCNSL)

BACKGROUND PCNSL is an aggressive primary brain tumor with median progression free survival (PFS) after upfront methotrexate-based chemotherapy of 2-3 years. Outcome and treatment options are poor for recurrent/refractory (r/r) disease. This trial combines the pan-PI3K inhibitor copanlisib with Ibrutinib in patients with r/r PCNSL. METHODS Eligible patients had r/r PCNSL, age≥18, ECOG≤2, normal end-organ function, and an unrestricted number of CNS directed prior therapies. Ibrutinib was given orally daily; copanlisib intravenously on days 1, 8, and 15 of each 28-day cycle. RESULTS Six patients have been enrolled so far and received copanlisib at 60 mg and ibrutinib at 560 mg. Median age was 68 (range 50-77); 3 were women. Median ECOG was 1 (0: 2, 1: 3, 2: 1). All had recurrent parenchymal disease. Three had additional cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) involvement. Two had received prior single-agent ibrutinib. Initially, no prophylactic antimicrobial treatment was required. PCP prophylaxis was made mandatory after one patient developed PCP pneumonia leading to a grade 5 lung infection. Four patients are still on trial and one withdrew due to personal choice. Two grade 4 adverse events were observed in 2 patients (LFT elevation, lymphopenia); four grade 3 events in 3 patients (rash, lymphopenia, LFT elevation). The most common toxicities at any grade were transient, infusion-related hyperglycemia and hypertension. No Aspergillus infections have been observed. Enrollment into the next dose level (copanlisib 60 mg, ibrutinib 840 mg) is ongoing. After a median follow-up of 180 days (range 46-249), all patients were evaluated for response with an overall response rate of 67% with 1 CR, 3 PR, 1 SD and 1 PD as best response. CONCLUSION Treatment with copanlisib and ibrutinib in patients with PCNSL has manageable adverse events after initiation of mandatory PCP prophylaxis. Clinical response was seen in 67% of patients. Disclosures Grommes: Squipps: Speakers Bureau; Kite: Consultancy; BTG: Consultancy. OffLabel Disclosure: The combination of the BTK inhibitor ibrutinib and the pan PI3K inhibitor copanlisib in recurrent PCNSL will be discussed
Tracer eluting proppants for hydraulic fracture characterization

Abstract Existing fracture characterization methods (e.g., microseismic) detect fractures created during hydraulic fracturing, but cannot determine whether the fractures are propped or not. The goal of this work is to develop a tracer-eluting proppant technique that can indicate the extent of propped fractures. A polymer coating is developed for common proppants which can release a tracer after being placed in a fracture. A small slug of coated proppants can be injected at the end or middle of the regular proppant injection during hydraulic fracturing. The released tracer can be collected during flow back and be used to better understand proppant location in fracture systems. Laboratory-scale batch tracer release experiments show that the tracer release can be triggered by an increase in temperature, salinity or pH. A proof of concept experiment was conducted in a model single fracture system. The tracer was successfully detected in the flow-back fluid and the tracer concentration was accurately estimated by a numerical tracer release model. The location of the tracer eluting proppants can be estimated from the peak tracer time in the flow-back water. This technique can be used for a wide range of proppants and tracers. Different tracers can be used in different stages.
Prediction of Building Stock Energy Demand

Recent years witnessed an increasing interest in the prediction of building energy demand at large-scale. The prediction of large-scale building (or building stock) energy use is essential for energy policy development, energy management, urban development decision, and distributed power generation. However, it is not a simple task to estimate large-scale building energy consumption because of significant uncertainties in building information for a variety of critical characteristics. Modeling every single building within a building stock is impractical, and proper methods are hence inevitable to reduce modeling efforts and simulation time. This study presents a stochastic building stock energy modeling approach using archetypes and Bayesian calibration. The paper introduces the procedure of the proposed method and then demonstrates and validates the method with a campus-scale application with 80 buildings. The predicted campus-scale building energy demand matches the measured energy data and provides much comprehensive knowledge on the building performance with estimated stochastic distributions of building energy usages.
Metabolic Reprogramming Promotes Neural Crest Migration via Yap/Tead Signaling.

Summary The Warburg effect is one of the metabolic hallmarks of cancer cells, characterized by enhanced glycolysis even under aerobic conditions. This physiological adaptation is associated with metastasis , but we still have a superficial understanding of how it affects cellular processes during embryonic development. Here we report that the neural crest, a migratory stem cell population in vertebrate embryos, undergoes an extensive metabolic remodeling to engage in aerobic glycolysis prior to delamination. This increase in glycolytic flux promotes Yap/Tead signaling, which activates the expression of a set of transcription factors to drive epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition. Our results demonstrate how shifts in carbon metabolism can trigger the gene regulatory circuits that control complex cell behaviors. These findings support the hypothesis that the Warburg effect is a precisely regulated developmental mechanism that is anomalously reactivated during tumorigenesis and metastasis.
The role and importance of packaging and labeling in assuring food safety, quality & compliance with regulations I: Packaging basics

Abstract This chapter explores the nature and options for the packaging of major product categories for food exported from developing countries. These include fresh fruits and vegetables, roots, tubers and other produce, herbs and spices, acidified and low acid canned foods, snack foods, dairy products, seafood, meats, beverages and other processed foods. The specific issues addressed focus on packaging basics, including different packaging options, packaging considerations in new product development, an introduction to container closure integrity and evaluation, packaging considerations in risk and hazard analysis, HACCP plans and in systems implementation. The suitability of various types of packaging technology for different processing options and their role in marketing are also discussed.
Using Deep Learning for Temporal Forecasting of User Activity on Social Media: Challenges and Limitations

The recent advances in neural network-based machine learning algorithms promise a revolution in prediction-based tasks in a variety of domains. Of these, forecasting user activity in social media is particularly relevant for problems such as modeling and predicting information diffusion and designing intervention techniques to mitigate disinformation campaigns. Social media seems an ideal context for applying neural network techniques, as they provide large datasets and challenging prediction objectives. Yet, our experiments find a number of limitations in the power of deep neural networks and traditional machine learning approaches in predicting user activity on social media platforms. These limitations are related to dataset characteristics due to temporal aspects of user behavior. This work describes the challenges we encountered while attempting to forecast user activity on two popular social interaction sites: Twitter and GitHub.
Screening an Established Natural Product Library Identifies Secondary Metabolites That Potentiate Conventional Antibiotics.

Health organizations worldwide have warned that we are on the cusp of a “post-antibiotic era,” necessitating new approaches to combat antibiotic resistant infections. One such approach is the devel...
Improving UV-stability of epoxy coating using encapsulated halloysite nanotubes with organic UV-stabilizers and lignin

Abstract Epoxy coatings are used in a wide variety of applications due to their excellent chemical, thermal, and mechanical properties. However, their susceptibility to UV degradation has limited their use in exterior applications. Usually, organic UV absorbers and stabilizers are added to epoxy systems to improve their UV stability, but their performance decreases over time due to the degradation and loss of organic UV-stabilizers. In this study, a novel method was developed to encapsulate organic UV stabilizers and lignin (as a natural UV absorber) into halloysite nanotubes (HNTs). To ensure successful encapsulation, the pristine and filled halloysite nanotubes were characterized quantitatively, using a thermogravimetric analyzer (TGA), and qualitatively with X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Then, encapsulated nanotubes (HNTs) were added to an epoxy system (1−3 wt%) and their efficacy was evaluated before and after 840 h of accelerated weathering. Changes in physical, chemical, and thermal properties of coatings were measured using a spectrophotometer, field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy (EPR), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The results showed that epoxy samples containing 2 wt% HNT-encapsulated with organic UV-stabilizers, and samples containing 1 wt% HNTs encapsulated with lignin had significantly higher UV stability than epoxy resin prepared with the same concentration of these individual components (UV-stabilizers or lignin). This study demonstrates the efficacy of encapsulated HNTs, with UV stabilizers or lignin, in improving UV stability and extending service life of epoxy coatings. Nanoclay (HNT) loaded with lignin, a natural polymer, can be used as an effective UV-absorber to increase the weathering performance of epoxy resins.
The Host Interactome of Spike Expands the Tropism of SARS-CoV-2

The SARS-CoV-2 virus causes severe acute respiratory syndrome (COVID-19) and has rapidly created a global pandemic. Patients that survive may face a slow recovery with long lasting side effects that can afflict different organs. SARS-CoV-2 primarily infects epithelial airway cells that express the host entry receptor Angiotensin Converting Enzyme 2 (ACE2) which binds to spike protein trimers on the surface of SARS-CoV-2 virions. However, SARS-CoV-2 can spread to other tissues even though they are negative for ACE2. To gain insight into the molecular constituents that might influence SARS-CoV-2 tropism, we determined which additional host factors engage with the viral spike protein in disease-relevant human bronchial epithelial cells (16HBEo - ). We found that spike recruited the extracellular proteins laminin and thrombospondin and was retained in the endoplasmatic reticulum (ER) by the proteins DJB11 and FBX2 which support re-folding or degradation of nascent proteins in the ER. Because emerging mutations of the spike protein potentially impact the virus tropism, we compared the interactome of D614 spike with that of the rapidly spreading G614 mutated spike. More D614 than G614 spike associated with the proteins UGGT1, calnexin, HSP7A and GRP78/BiP which ensure glycosylation and folding of proteins in the ER. In contrast to G614 spike, D614 spike was endoproteolytically cleaved, and the N-terminal S1 domain was degraded in the ER even though C-terminal 'S2 only' proteoforms remained present. D614 spike also bound more laminin than G614 spike, which suggested that extracellular laminins may function as co-factor for an alternative, 'S2 only' dependent virus entry. Because the host interactome determines whether an infection is productive, we developed a novel proteome-based cell type set enrichment analysis (pCtSEA). With pCtSEA we determined that the host interactome of the spike protein may extend the tropism of SARS-CoV-2 beyond mucous epithelia to several different cell types, including macrophages and epithelial cells in the nephron. An 'S2 only' dependent, alternative infection of additional cell types with SARS-CoV-2 may impact vaccination strategies and may provide a molecular explanation for a severe or prolonged progression of disease in select COVID-19 patients.
Reaction morphologies developed by nickel aluminides in type II hot corrosion conditions: The effect of chromium

Abstract The short-term reaction of Ni–36Al (at. %) and Ni–36Al–5Cr alloys with Na 2 SO 4 in O 2 -0.1% SO 2 at 700 °C was studied by SEM and TEM. Local failure of the protective scale on NiAl led to nodule development via internal oxidation. Conversely, NiAlCr underwent a uniform attack involving internal sulfidation, porous scale growth, and NiO and Al 2 O 3 dissolution into the sulfate. The roles of gas and sulfate compositions were studied by comparing exposures to Na 2 SO 4 , Na 2 SO 4 –MgSO 4 and Na 2 SO 4 –Cr 2 O 3 deposits in air and O 2 -0.1% SO 2 . The effect of Cr in preventing passivation during early-stage exposure was associated with a coupled dissolution of NiO and Cr 2 O 3 .
The Codon-Degeneracy Model of Molecular Evolution

Mitochondrial genetic codons can be categorized by four patterns of nucleotide-site degeneracy based on varying combinations of twofold- or nondegenerate sites at first codon positions and twofold- or fourfold-degenerate sites at third codon positions. Herein, a model of molecular evolution is introduced that uses these patterns to calculate expected substitution frequencies for each codon position and substitution type relative to overall number of synonymous or nonsynonymous substitutions. Regions of the pocket gopher cytochrome oxidase subunit I (COI) and cytochrome b (cyt-b) genes are analyzed using this model. Chi-square distributions are used to produce relative goodness-of-fit (GF) scores for measuring the difference between substitution frequencies predicted by the codon-degeneracy model (CDM), and frequencies inferred using a well-supported phylogenetic tree of closely related species. The GF scores for expected and observed synonymous (GF(syn) = 0.429, p = 0.807) and nonsynonymous (GF(ns) = 2.309, p = 0.679) substitution frequencies resulted in a failure to reject the CDM as a null hypothesis for the molecular evolution of COI and cyt-b in pocket gophers. Alternative tree topologies and calculations of transition bias for these data result in higher GF scores.
Chapter nine Engineering pathway enzymes to understand the function and evolution of sterol structure and activity

This chapter discusses first the structures of sterols to establish the limits to diversity, followed by a brief review of sterol biosynthesis and structure-activity studies to provide background information on factors that can impact sterol phylogenesis. The chapter also outlines parallel strategies performed with a critical enzyme of phytosterol synthesis, the sterol methyltransferase (SMT) to show that mutations engineered in the enzyme structure can lead to a change in the sterol structure, thereby affecting cell growth, maturation and evolution. The function, enzymology, and evolution of phytosterols are an area which has received little attention. In spite of numerous indications that the C-methylation reaction in sterol biosynthesis in plants, fungi, and protozoa are essential and that to disturb phytosterol homeostasis in these organisms can be of therapeutic value, the bulk of the evidence along these lines comes from scattered observations.
Highly conductive nano-silver ink for PCB trace repair

Silver is a the best conductor, but silver powders are very difficult to disperse well because of high density (10.49 g/cm3) and strong van der Waals force (hamaker constant∼40∗10"20J). In order to disperse silver powders in organic solvent, insulating polymeric dispersants should be used to create enough steric hindrance between silver powders. However, in order to maintain the conductivity of silver dispersion after sintering, the dosage of polymeric dispersants should be used as less as possible. It's a conflict between stability and conductivity for silver dispersion system. In the study, we have successfully fabricated a highly stable conductive silver nanoparticle-based ink (D ave ∼60 nm) for inkjet printing through formulating a novel lab-synthesized dispersant, Ag nano-powders, an organic ECO solvent. Based on the characterization of thermogravimetry analysis, viscometer, surface tension analyzer, and dynamic light scattering, the silver nanoparticle-based ink shows a high silver content of 75wt%, a high uniformity of D9 0 /D ave ∼2.5, a viscosity of >20000 cps at 25°C, and tunable surface tension from 25–35 dyne/cm. Moreover, the ink can be directly loaded in screen printer to pattern fine conductive line on FR-4 or flexible PI. After baking at 170°C for 30min, the conductive patterns perform a line width of 4 mil, a low resistivity of 5 μΩ-m (only 3 times than pure silver) and a good peel adhesion of class 5; Most important, the printed line can't breakdown when a high voltage of 30V is applied (breakdown voltage for 4mil copper trace on PCB is 60V, and breakdown voltage for all of commercial PCB-repaired silver pastes are below to 15 V), indicating the silver paste and screen print process can be applied for PCB trace pattern and repair.
Alterations in the Oral Mucosa Caused by Chemotherapeutic Agents. A Histologic Study

Histologic changes in the oral mucosa of 120 specimens from 30 patients who had received chemotherapy for a variety of extra-oral malignancies were studied in an attempt to relate the phenomena to pharmacological toxicity of the chemotherapeutic agents and other factors.
Identification of Quality Measures for Performance of and Interpretation of Data From Esophageal Manometry

Background & Aims Esophageal manometry is the standard for the diagnosis of esophageal motility disorders. Variations in the performance and interpretation of esophageal manometry result in discrepant diagnoses and unnecessary repeated procedures, and could have negative effects on patient outcomes. We need a method to benchmark the procedural quality of esophageal manometry; as such, our objective was to formally develop quality measures for the performance and interpretation of data from esophageal manometry. Methods We used the RAND University of California Los Angeles Appropriateness Method (RAM) to develop validated quality measures for performing and interpreting esophageal manometry. The research team identified potential quality measures through a literature search and interviews with experts. Fourteen experts in esophageal manometry ranked the proposed quality measures for appropriateness via a 2-round process on the basis of RAM. Results The experts considered a total of 29 measures; 17 were ranked as appropriate and were as follows: related to competency (2), assessment before the esophageal manometry procedure (2), the esophageal manometry procedure itself (3), and interpretation of data (10). The data interpretation measures were integrated into a single composite measure. Eight measures therefore were found to be appropriate quality measures for esophageal manometry . Five other factors also were endorsed by the experts, although these were not ranked as appropriate quality measures. Conclusions We identified 8 formally validated quality measures for the performance and interpretation of data from esophageal manometry on the basis of RAM. These measures represent key aspects of a high-quality esophageal manometry study and should be adopted uniformly. These measures should be evaluated in clinical practice to determine how they affect patient outcomes.
Participative management and correctional personnel: A study of the perceived atmosphere for participation in correctional decision making and its impact on employee stress and thoughts about quitting

Abstract Participatory management has been identified in the empirical literature as a technique to alleviate job related stress in criminal justice organizations. Although many advantages have been noted, few criminal justice agencies have developed programs to capitalize on the benefits of employee participation in decision making. This article focuses on the perceptions of correctional officers regarding their participation in decision making and the relationship between organizational stress, physical stress, and thoughts about quitting the job. Four hundred eighty-six employees were surveyed from seven correctional institutions in the Southeast United States. A structural model, which explained 31 percent of the variation, showed that as employee participation increased, physical and occupational stress decreased. Thoughts about quitting were associated with higher levels of physical stress, occupational stress, and the perception of a negative atmosphere for participation. The results lend support for the use and development of participatory management programs in the field of corrections.
An organizing function of basement membranes in the developing nervous system.

Abstract The basement membranes (BMs) of the nervous system include (a) the pial BM that surrounds the entire CNS, (b) the BMs that outline the vascular system of the CNS and PNS and (c) the BMs that are associated with Schwann cells. We previously found that isolated BMs are bi-functionally organized, whereby the two surfaces have different compositional, biomechanical and cell adhesion properties. To find out whether the bi-functional nature of BMs has an instructive function in organizing the tissue architecture of the developing nervous system, segments of human BMs were inserted into (a) the parasomitic mesoderm of chick embryos, intersecting with the pathways of axons and neural crest cells, or (b) into the midline of the embryonic chick spinal cord. The implanted BMs integrated into the embryonic tissues within 24 h and were impenetrable to growing axons and migrating neural crests cells. Host axons and neural crest cells contacted the epithelial side but avoided the stromal side of the implanted BM. When the BMs were inserted into the spinal cord, neurons, glia cells and axons assembled at the epithelial side of the implanted BMs, while a connective tissue layer formed at the stromal side, resembling the tissue architecture of the spinal cord at the pial surface. Since the spinal cord is a-vascular at the time of BM implantation, we propose that the bi-functional nature of BMs has the function of segregating epithelial and connective cells into two adjacent compartments and participates in establishing the tissue architecture at the pial surface of the CNS.
Crafting places through mobility: Chinese American “roots‐searching” in China

A cultural heritage tour to China that is jointly sponsored by Chinese American organizations and the People's Republic of China government represents the “forging” (Schein 1998) of a transnational relationship between Chinese Americans and China through which Chinese Americans re‐assess their identities. Multicultural discourses in the United States and mainland Chinese government narratives of modernity produce racialized and territorialized ideas of Chineseness that forcibly attach Chinese American identities to their places of ancestral origin in China. In contrast, the Chinese American participants in this program draw from cultural and historical references formed through their experiences in the United States and use their privileges of mobility to experience their ancestral places in China in ways that draw upon multiple understandings of their relationships to China as a place. Their visits reflect transnational processes that are built upon yet qualitatively differ from those of previous generat...
A model for extraction of both lipid and water soluble toxins using a procedure from Maharishi Ayurveda

Environmental toxicity from xenobiotic compounds is a major health concern today. This paper presents a hypothetical model for the removal of toxins from the physiology employing procedures of Maharishi Ayurveda, a comprehensive system of natural medicine, which is undergoing renewal. This model combines the use of principles similar to those which are found in lipid extraction, dialysis and bulk flow. A means of testing the hypothesis is also presented.
Probing the Interface of the trp Repressor–Operator Complex Using Operator Sequences Containing Isosteric Base-Pair Analogues☆

Abstract A series of base pair analogues, dI-dM and dD-dU, have been used in place of the native dA-dT and dG-dC residues to probe the interface between the trp repressor and its operator sequence. Both analogues maintain the interstrand hydrogen bond character that correlates with the corresponding native base pair, but alters the relative positions of the amino and carbonyl residues of the base pairs that extend into the major groove of B-form DNA. None of the sequences tested exhibit native-like binding with the trp repressor. Although functional group contacts between complementary hydrogen bond donors and acceptors could account for these differences, such a scenario is not consistent with the published crystal structures. Differences in binding by these analogue sequences is suggested to result from incremental differences in the van der Waals contacts at the interface between the protein and the nucleic acid. Although this surface would appear to be nonspecific in nature, previous studies have indicated that the state of hydration in the major groove for the free and complexed operators is in part conserved. These bound water molecules alter the nature of the van der Waals surface and could function as an extension of the van der Waals surface of the major groove. Either of the base pair analogues, dI-dM or dD-dU, results in either the loss of a conserved site of hydration, or the introduction of a new hydration site. Either effect would alter the van der Waals surface relative to the native operator and result in reduced affinity between the protein and nucleic acid. Additional analogues designed to alter the nature of the van der Waals surface by removing polar functional groups (adenine → purine) result in some cases in higher affinity binding than is observed with the native operator sequence.
Labor for the Picking: the New Deal in the South

During the Great Depression of the 1930s southern landlords began to replace sharetenants and mules with wage laborers and large-scale preharvest machinery. Informed observers in the 1920s did not expect this to happen until the advent of the mechanical cotton picker, which came after World War I. This paper presents evidence supporting the claim that the AAA policies of the 1930s, and the economic depression they were designed to cure, induced this tenant displacement by increasing the asset value of land rights without securing tenants a share right, and by relaxing the harvest labor constraint that had previously impeded mechanization.
Modulation of rat parasympathetic cardiac ganglion phenotype and NGF synthesis by adrenergic nerves

Cardiac function is regulated by interactions among intrinsic and extrinsic autonomic neurons, and the mechanisms responsible for organizing these circuits are poorly understood. Parasympathetic neurons elsewhere synthesize the neurotrophin NGF, which may promote postganglionic axonal associations where parasympathetic axons inhibit sympathetic transmitter release. Previous studies have shown that parasympathetic NGF content and neurochemical phenotype are regulated by sympathetic innervation. In this study we assessed contributions of sympathetic input on cardiac ganglion neuronal phenotype and NGF expression. Because cardiac ganglia are reported to contain putative noradrenergic neurons, we eliminated sympathetic input both surgically (extrinsic) and chemically (extrinsic plus intrinsic). In controls, most cardiac ganglion neurons expressed vesicular acetylcholine transporter, frequently colocalized with vesicular monoamine transporter, but lacked catecholamine histofluorescence. Most cardiac ganglion neurons expressed NGF transcripts, and 40% contained mature and 47% proNGF immunoreactivity. Guanethidine treatment for 7 days decreased numbers of neurons expressing vesicular acetylcholine transporter, NGF transcripts and NGF immunoreactivity, but did not affect proNGF or vesicular monoamine transporter immunoreactivity. Stellate ganglionectomy had comparable effects on neurochemical phenotype and mature NGF immunoreactivity, but proNGF expression was additionally reduced. These findings show that individual cardiac ganglion neurons display markers of both cholinergic and noradrenergic transmission. Sympathetic noradrenergic innervation maintains levels of cholinergic but not noradrenergic marker protein. Sympathetic innervation also promotes cardiac ganglion neuronal NGF synthesis. Because chemical blockade of all noradrenergic transmission is no more effective than extrinsic sympathectomy, local intrinsic noradrenergic transmission is not a factor in regulating ganglion neuron phenotype.
Ground state structure of BNB using fixed-node diffusion Monte Carlo

Abstract BNB is a challenging example of artifactual symmetry-breaking effects due to its susceptibility to a pseudo second-order Jahn–Teller interaction, which results in a structure with unequal BN bondlengths. The fixed-node diffusion Monte Carlo method is employed to calculate the potential curves along the symmetric and asymmetric stretching coordinates. With a multi-determinant wavefunction, the symmetric and asymmetric structures are found degenerate within statistical errors, with the asymmetric configuration lower in energy. The energy difference between the two structures is smaller than the multi-reference coupled cluster result obtained with four determinants, and supports previous conclusions that BNB has a floppy quasi-symmetric ground-state.
A matroid-friendly basis for the quasisymmetric functions

A new Z-basis for the space of quasisymmetric functions (QSym, for short) is presented. It is shown to have nonnegative structure constants, and several interesting properties relative to the quasisymmetric functions associated to matroids by the Hopf algebra morphism F of Billera, Jia, and Reiner [L.J. Billera, N. Jia, V. Reiner, A quasisymmetric function for matroids, arXiv:math.CO/0606646]. In particular, for loopless matroids, this basis reflects the grading by matroid rank, as well as by the size of the ground set. It is shown that the morphism F distinguishes isomorphism classes of rank two matroids, and that decomposability of the quasisymmetric function of a rank two matroid mirrors the decomposability of its base polytope. An affirmative answer to the Hilbert basis question raised in [L.J. Billera, N. Jia, V. Reiner, A quasisymmetric function for matroids, arXiv:math.CO/0606646] is given.
Effects of wax coatings on leaf temperatures & field survival of Pinus taeda seedlings.

This paper reports two experiments. The first was a field test of the effectiveness of wax foliage coatings in improving survival of loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) seedlings planted on dry sites. The second was a laboratory study of a suspected upset in the heat balance of wax-coated leaves. The bulk of experimental evidence, as well as horticultural practice, supports the use of wax coatings for stock to be stored or transported. There is little agreement, however, that coatings can consistently improve the drought-resistance of growing trees. Coatings have materially reduced transpiration in somiie studies (4, 6, 10), but not in all (1. 8). Tn the field their net effects on survival sometimes have been beneficial (2,11) and sometimes useless (7,9, 12).
Digital servo control of a novel disk actuator

A novel disk actuator transported on parallel flexures is considered for digital servo control. The control scheme derives the state estimates from a position error signal which resembles a sawtooth wave form. The estimator is based on a second-order actuator model with two augmented states for both track-following and track-access modes. The structure of the track-following controller is of a proportional-integral-derivative type. The estimator's residue time history shows that the algorithms are sufficiently robust to accommodate the model uncertainty, measurement noise, and force disturbance that are associated with a disk drive mechanism. The performance characteristics of the actuator are presented in terms of transfer functions, a step input response, a track misregistration probability distribution function, and 1/3 stroke seek dynamics. >
Teahouses, theaters, and popular education: entertainment and leisure politics in late Qing and early republican Chengdu

This article discusses the relationships among folk entertainers and audience members, theater, and popular performances. It also explores the opera reform and its impact. Entertainment in Chengdu was mainly concentrated in teahouses, where people could watch folk performances and local operas while sipping tea, and teahouses became the most important location for leisure pursuits, although they were also multifunctional. This study argues that popular entertainment was a powerful educational tool; many people, especially those who had little or no formal instruction, learned about history, literature and traditional values and virtues from local operas and storytellers. Reformist elites and government officials believed operas could provide enlightenment, enhance civilized discourse, and boost morale. The government used this forum for public entertainment to spread orthodox ideologies and influence the minds of ordinary people, while enacting regulations to control what people watched. In this article, ...
CONSUMER ACCEPTABILITY OF COLOR IN PROCESSED TOMATO PRODUCTS BY AFRICAN‐AMERICAN, LATINO AND PROTOTYPICAL CONSUMERS

African-American, Latino, and Prototypical consumers rated the color of ketchup, salsa, tomato sauce, pizza sauce, spaghetti sauce, and barbecue sauce. For most products, ethnicity had little influence on acceptance. Prototypical consumers rated products the highest and had the widest preference range. All but one commercially available product was in the acceptable range, but they were not always in the most preferred range. Ketchup was the only product with no commercially available products in the color most preferred by Prototypical and African-American consumers. The leading brand was within the most preferred range for all products and ethnic groups except African-Americans and Prototypical consumers for ketchup and salsa. A peak color acceptance existed for all products: too red or too brown was undesirable. Understanding the optimum color range can help tomato processors increase the quality of their product for all consumers.
Fitting reality into a database mold: rules for data collection

Abstract Presents a typology of rules for database design through examination of one such set of rules, the Anglo-American Cataloguing Rules, Second Edition (AACR2). Analysis of the AACR2 reveals three clusters of rules: 1. (1) content rules; 2. (2) format rules; and 3. (3) data collection rules. The last cluster is of interest to database designers in general, and includes the following types of rules: 1. (1) rules for authorized sources of information; 2. (2) rules for establishing entities, relationships and attributes; 3. (3) rules for domains; 4. (4) rules for occurrence; and 5. (5) rules for cardinality. Further examination of these rule types shows particular instances which require specialized kinds of rules to resolve cases of absent, multiple, fuzzy or ambiguous data. Though useful for database design work as it stands, the typology could be enriched by addition of rule types from other databases and by further exploration of relationships between rule types and data characteristics. “An information system (e.g. data base) is a model of a small, finite subset of the real world.” [1]
Postnatal methylazoxymethanol: sensitive periods and regional selectivity of effects.

Abstract Work on neonatal MAM exposure has focused primarily on exposure within the first week postpartum, and on resulting hypoplasia or stunting of the cerebellum. Rats in this study were exposed to MAM on 4 consecutive postnatal days (PND), beginning at one of six ages, from birth through weaning (PND 1, 5, 9, 13, 17, or 21). MAM was administered subcutaneously in doses of 3, 4, or 5 mg/kg twice per day. Rats were sacrificed at PNDs 28 or 84. The most sensitive age for MAM-induced stunting was determined to be PNDs 1–4. When 5 mg/kg MAM was administered twice daily on PNDs 1–4, body weight was reduced by 24% at age 28 days. Additionally, when compared to control rats, brains of the 28-day-old rats were stunted as follows: whole brain (11%), cerebellum (35%), hippocampus (11%), and olfactory bulb (27%). The effects of PND 1–4 MAM exposure were still evident at 84 days of age when cerebellum and olfactory bulbs from treated rats weighed 30% less than those same regions in control rats. These findings indicate that neonatal exposure to MAM results in permanent stunting in select regions of developing rat brain. This stunting, along with other known MAM effects, can be tailored by exposure age and dose to augment the use of MAM as a positive control for investigation of compounds with neurotoxic potential.
Contribution of ambulatory electrocardiographic monitoring to antiarrhythmic management

Abstract To date, ambulatory electrocardiographic monitoring has contributed to our understanding of the occurrence and significance of arrhythmias. Our appreciation of the spontaneous variability of ventricular arrhythmias, the relations between symptoms and the occurrence of arrhythmias, and the use of ambulatory monitoring in documenting drug effect for new antiarrhythmic drugs and for defining relations among drug dose, plasma concentration and antiarrhythmic effect have contributed to our ability to make more rational recommendations for prescribing and monitoring drug therapy. Further work is necessary to define the occurrence of arrhythmias in normal persons and to determine the prognostic importance of arrhythmias in normal subjects and patients with heart disease other than coronary artery disease. Studies assessing the role of spontaneous variation have indicated the problems that can occur in attempting to evaluate antiarrhythmic drug therapy in individual patients. These variations are so great that it may not be practical to monitor antiarrhythmic drug therapy in certain patients. For patients with coronary artery disease, ambulatory electrocardiographic monitoring can identify those with frequent complex arrhythmias who are at high risk of subsequent sudden cardiac death. Such monitoring can document the effectiveness of antiarrhythmic drug therapy for ventricular irritability and define the dosing regimens or plasma concentrations that are effective for most patients. Ultimately, multicenter intervention trials must document whether or not such antiarrhythmic drug therapy can influence the outcome in the high risk patients identified with ambulatory electrocardiographic recordings. It will be important to determine whether any observed reduction in sudden death in these trials can be related to suppression of asymptomatic ventricular ectopy as determined with ambulatory electrocardiographic recordings.
Design-enabled manufacturing enablement using manufacturing design request tracker (MDRT)

The shrinking dimensions with advanced technologies pose yield challenges which require continuous enhancement of yield methodologies to quickly detect and fix the marginal layout features. In this paper, we present a practical approach to enhance the DFM and DEM capabilities suite provided by GLOBALFOUNDRIES for 28nm technology and beyond. The MDRT system has been implemented in the Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) system within GLOBALFOUNDRIES.
“I'm wondering if I am completely missing that”: Foster care case managers and supervisors report on their IPV training

The co-occurrence between child maltreatment and adult intimate partner violence (IPV) is estimated to range from 30% to 60%, and child welfare workers have tremendous potential to identify IPV when they are adequately trained. The purpose of this descriptive study is to assess whether any training on IPV is received by child welfare employees in three large geographic areas of one Midwestern state. The study includes survey data from 237 (n = 133 public, n = 104 private) foster care case managers and supervisors. Data from three focus groups of case managers and supervisors are also used to uncover what topics should be included in IPV training provided to child welfare employees. Results revealed that 49% of the respondents received no training on IPV as part of their initial agency training and 32% have received no training on IPV during their current employment, although public employees reported IPV training more often than private employees. Fifty-eight percent of survey respondents report they are not sufficiently trained to address IPV in their caseload, and public employees discuss aspects of IPV with their supervisors more often than private employees. Focus group results show a wide range of IPV training received by the state's child welfare workers and highlight the need for collaborative training and coordinated service provision with domestic violence agencies. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Sensitivity of physiological measures for detecting systematic variations in cognitive demand from a working memory task: an on-road study across three age groups.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the sensitivity of two physiological measures for discriminating between levels of cognitive demand under driving conditions across different age groups. BACKGROUND: Previous driving research presents a mixed picture concerning the sensitivity of physiological measures for differentiating tasks with presumed differences in mental workload. METHOD: A total of 108 relatively healthy drivers balanced by gender and across three age groups (20-29, 40-49, 60-69) engaged in three difficulty levels of an auditory presentation-verbal response working memory task. RESULTS: Heart rate and skin conductance level (SCL) both increased in a statistically significant fashion with each incremental increase in cognitive demand, whereas driving performance measures did not provide incremental discrimination. SCL was lower in the 40s and 60s age groups; however, the pattern of incremental increase with higher demand was consistent for heart rate and SCL across all age groups. Although each measure was quite sensitive at the group level, considering both SCL and heart rate improved detection of periods of heightened cognitive demand at the individual level. CONCLUSION: The data provide clear evidence that two basic physiological measures can be utilized under field conditions to differentiate multiple levels of objectively defined changes in cognitive demand. Methodological considerations, including task engagement, may account for some of the inconsistencies in previous research. APPLICATION: These findings increase the confidence with which these measures may be applied to assess relative differences in mental workload when developing and optimizing human machine interface (HMI) designs and in exploring their potential role in advanced workload detection and augmented cognition systems. Language: en
Estimates of per capita fish consumption in the U.S. based on the continuing survey of food intake by individuals (CSFII)

This paper presents estimates of daily average per capita fish consumption by age and gender for the 48 conterminous states. The estimated consumption rates are reported for three fish habitats: freshwater/estuarine fish, marine fish, and all fish. The estimates were generated from the combined 1989, 1990, and 1991 Continuing Survey of Food Intake by Individuals (CSFII), a national food consumption survey conducted by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Point and interval estimates of per capita fish consumption were generated from the empirical distribution of daily average per capita consumption. The point estimates include the mean, 50th, 75th, 90th, 95th, and 99th percentiles. Ninety percent confidence intervals are provided for the estimated mean and 90% bootstrap intervals are provided for percentile estimates. Information in a recipe file provided by USDA was used to calculate the amount of fish in recipes which contain fish. The estimated consumption rates are based on the weight of fish in its prepared or "as consumed" condition. The estimated mean consumption rate for all fish for the U.S. population of the 48 conterminous states was 15.65 grams/person/day (C.I.:14.67-16.63) of which 4.71 grams/person/day (C.I.:4.17-5.25) was freshwater/estuarine fish and 10.94 grams/person/day (C.I.:10.14-11.73) was marine fish.
Use of controlled atmospheres to minimize matrix effects in the spectrographic analysis of tool steels

Abstract Sample excitation conditions which produce a black burn have been compared with normal excitation and have been found to result in an appreciable reduction in matrix effects in the analysis of tool steels. These black burns are the result of the deposition of graphite from the counter-electrode upon the sample surface and were obtained with high-voltage spark excitation by introducing nitrogen or argon into the analytical gap. Black burns were also obtained in ambient air by employing a slightly oscillatory low-voltage condensed-arc discharge with the sample as anode. A less pronounced reduction in matrix effects was observed with violent-burn conditions. Violent burns were obtained by introducing oxygen into the analytical gap and employing a potent spark discharge.