cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Variability in Output Characteristics of Single-Walled Carbon Nanotube Thin-Film Transistors

Single-walled carbon nanotube (CNT) based thin-film transistors (TFTs) are promising candidates for future electronic devices because of their excellent properties. However, device-to-device performance variability of TFTs can pose challenging problems, which is rooted in the randomness of CNT networks, the variation in individual CNT properties due to change in chirality, and the fabrication imperfections. This paper presents a systematic study of variability in I – V characteristics through a combination of experimental and theoretical analysis of the major sources that cause performance variation. The sources of variation including the percentage of metallic CNTs (m-CNTs), threshold voltage, CNT mean length, and CNT network density have been studied separately. The analysis shows that the presence of m-CNTs is a major source contributing to the performance variation for short channel TFTs, but its effect reduces for large channel length transistors. The threshold voltage is found to be the major source of variation for long channel TFTs. A better consistency in performance can be guaranteed for TFTs with larger channel area, which ensures a smaller variation in CNT network density and CNT mean length. These results provide key insights into the variability estimation of I – V characteristics of CNT-based devices, which is vital for reliability studies of CNT-TFTs based circuits for different electronic applications.
Case 75: Cervical Hematoma Following Neck Surgery

A 48-year-old man was scheduled for left parotidectomy under general anesthesia. He was 190 lbs and 6′0 (ASA 2) and had no significant past medical history. His vital signs in the operating room and after sedation were HR 78 bpm, BP 140/85. The parotid mass was 17×11 mm and diagnosed as a benign salivary neoplasm. No airway compromise was seen on imaging, and the patient denied preoperatively any symptoms of dyspnea, shortness of breath, or cough.
Operators on the Universal Hilbert Space Generated by Transfer Operators

Starting with a fixed transfer operator (R, σ) on \((X, {\mathcal B})\), we show below that there is then a naturally induced universal Hilbert space \(\mathcal H(X)\) with the property that (R, σ) yields naturally a corresponding isometry in \(\mathcal H(X)\), i.e., an isometry with respect to the inner product from \(\mathcal H(X)\). With this, we then obtain a rich spectral theory for the transfer operators, for example a setting which may be considered to be an infinite-dimensional Perron-Frobenius theory. Our main results are Theorems 8.12, 8.17, and 8.18.
Control Capabilities of Jason and its Manipulator

Underwater work systems can be made more effective if vehicles and manipulators are automatically controlled and can work together in a coordinated fashion. Coordinated control can greatly increase the workspace of the manipulator without the need for additional or larger manipulator links. Such control will also minimize the need for attachment points, which is especially important in unprepared or poorly structured environments.
CHARACTERIZATION OF SOLUBILIZED ACTIVE OPIATE RECEPTORS FROM TOAD BRAIN

Active opiate receptors have been solubilized from toad brain membranes in 40–50% yield. The solubilized receptor is similar to the membrane-bound receptor in its affinity for various ligands and its sensitivity to heat, trypsin and N-ethylmaleimide. The sodium and GTP effects seen in membrane-bound receptors are retained in the solubilized preparation. The solubilized opiate receptor has an approximate molecular weight of 4.0 × 105. Purification of up to 20-fold has been achieved by gel filtration on Sepharose CL 6B.
EDTA glycine acid treatment of red blood cells

IgG dissociation is necessary when a sample is direct antiglobulin test (DAT) positive and antigen testing using blood grouping serum reactive by the antiglobulin test is performed. Exposure of IgG-coated red blood cells (RCBs) to a low pH of 3.0 with EDTA glycine acid successfully dissociates the IgG, rendering the RCBs DAT negative 82 to 85 percent of the time. The procedure takes one minute or less and leaves RBC antigens intact and able to be typed except for those antigens in the Kell blood group system and for the high-prevalence antigen Er(a).
Abstract P118: Tissue Transglutaminase Contributes to Pro-Inflammatory Cytokine LIGHT-Induced Ang II Sensitization

Hypertension is a severe cardiovascular complication with elevated inflammation and pressor sensitivity. Activated enzymatically and transcriptionally by inflammatory cytokines, tissue transglutami...
Chapter 5 – Spectrum Awareness

Publisher Summary This chapter aims to investigate solutions that range from local brokers that “deal out” spectrum, to totally autonomous systems that operate completely independently of any other structures. In its ultimate incarnation, it is possible to actually use spectrum awareness and adaptation to relax the hardware physical (PHY) layer performance requirements by avoiding particularly stressing spectrum situations. As such, a cognitive radio could ultimately be of lower cost than a less intelligent, and more performance stressed, conventional one. The chapter discusses a cognitive spectrum process and also considers the classical spectrum management and assignment case. It is highly likely that future networking will continue to move to the adoption of more and more cognitive technologies. However, if this adaptation is driven by the needs of fixed networks, it is unlikely to address the unique aspects of wireless communications. In the wired world, each network link is independent and an abstraction. In the wireless world, they are an interconnected ecosystem, where each action by one has some impact on the others.
Functional analysis of BARD1 missense variants in homology-directed repair and damage sensitivity

The BARD1 protein, which heterodimerizes with BRCA1, is encoded by a known breast cancer susceptibility gene. While several BARD1 variants have been identified as pathogenic, many more missense variants exist that do not occur frequently enough to assign a clinical risk. In this paper, whole exome sequencing of over 10,000 cancer samples from 33 cancer types identified from somatic mutations and loss of heterozygosity in tumors 76 potentially cancer-associated BARD1 missense and truncation variants. These variants were tested in a functional assay for homology-directed repair (HDR), as HDR deficiencies have been shown to correlate with clinical pathogenicity for BRCA1 variants. From these 76 variants, 4 in the ankyrin repeat domain and 5 in the BRCT domain were found to be non-functional in HDR. Two known benign variants were found to be functional in HDR, and three known pathogenic variants were non-functional, supporting the notion that the HDR assay can be used to predict the clinical risk of BARD1 variants. The identification of HDR-deficient variants in the ankyrin repeat domain indicates there are DNA repair functions associated with this domain that have not been closely examined. In order to examine whether BARD1-associated loss of HDR function results in DNA damage sensitivity, cells expressing non-functional BARD1 variants were treated with ionizing radiation or cisplatin. These cells were found to be more sensitive to DNA damage, and variations in the residual HDR function of non-functional variants did not correlate with variations in sensitivity. These findings improve the understanding of BARD1 functional domains in DNA repair and support that this functional assay is useful for predicting the cancer association of BARD1 variants.
Characterization of antimicrobial prescription frequency and diversity in a large animal veterinary medical teaching hospital.

Abstract Antimicrobials are commonly used in veterinary medicine for therapeutic and prophylactic purposes, but little is known about the frequency with which they are prescribed or the quantity administered, especially in large animals. Furthermore, there are no standardized metrics for characterizing antimicrobial use, which can lead to confusion when comparing antimicrobial use among different units (institution, clinical service, clinician). Because there is no gold standard metric, the most comprehensive characterization of antimicrobial use will be achieved using a variety of metrics. The goal of this study was to characterize antimicrobial use from 2013 to 2018 at a tertiary care teaching hospital for large animals using different metrics, including novel ones. We found that at least one antimicrobial was prescribed in 42% of visits and that antimicrobials were prescribed at a rate of 919 animal-defined daily doses (ADDs) per 1000 animal days. A median of 3.6 ADDs and a mean of 2 different classes of antimicrobial were prescribed per patient, and penicillin was the most commonly used antimicrobial. The prescription diversity, a metric accounting for richness and evenness (similarity of frequencies) of different types of antimicrobials, was 0.82, with 1.0 representing maximal richness and diversity. Antimicrobial use differed significantly by species and by organ system affected for all metrics, though in general antimicrobials were prescribed most frequently and with the largest amounts in animals presenting with integumentary or respiratory signs. Many of our findings were consistent with those of other studies examining antimicrobial use in the species represented in our patient population, but more research is needed to determine how to best characterize antimicrobial use and assess appropriateness of prescribing.
Antitumor Efficacy of Liposome-Encapsulated NVP-BEZ235 Combined With Irreversible Electroporation for Head and Neck Cancer

Irreversible electroporation (IRE) kills tumor cells by the delivery of short pulses of strong electric fields. However, the field strength decreases with distance from the treatment center. When IRE cannot eradicate the entire tumor mass, the surviving tumor cells can regrow. NVP-BEZ235 is a dual PI3K/mTOR inhibitor that has been administered orally in clinical trials. However, its hydrophobicity and poor water solubility make NVP-BEZ235 difficult to deliver to target areas. To improve its pharmacokinetics and therapeutic efficacy, we have encapsulated NVP-BEZ235 in a liposome (termed as L-BEZ). Our current study focuses on the long-term antitumor efficacy of IRE and intratumoral injection of L-BEZ in HN5 head and neck cancer xenografts in nude mice. We compared in vitro efficacy, as well as the effect on tumor size and growth rate in vivo, between IRE alone, IRE + oral BEZ, and IRE + L-BEZ over the course of two months. All animals in the control group were sacrificed by day 36, due to excess tumor burden. Tumors treated with IRE alone grew faster and larger than those in the control group. IRE + oral BEZ suppressed tumor growth, but the growth rate increased to that of the controls toward the end of 21 days. Only IRE + L-BEZ eradicated the tumor masses, with no palpable or extractable tumor mass observed after two months. The combination of IRE and L-BEZ could effectively eradicate tumors and prevent recurrence.
Extracorporeal Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation: Outcomes and Complications at a Quaternary Referral Center.

Objective At a quaternary care center that regularly performs and cares for patients undergoing extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation (eCPR), a database of all adult patients who underwent eCPR with venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) over a 10-year period was reviewed. Seventy-one eCPR patients were analyzed to compare outcomes and complication rates. The authors hypothesized that evidence of end-organ injury, such as the need for continuous renal replacement therapy, in their institution's eCPR population would be associated with increased in-hospital mortality. Design Retrospective chart review of prospectively collected data at a quaternary care center. Setting Single quaternary academic referral center for ECMO. Participants The study comprised adult patients who underwent venoarterial ECMO for eCPR from 2009–2019 and for whom demographic data, survival data, and complication rates were available. Interventions None—this was a retrospective chart review. Measurements and Main Results eCPR survival was 53.5% (38 of 71), and hospital survival was 33.8% (24 of 71). The most common complications were hemorrhage (26 of 67), renal failure (19 of 67), and neurologic injury (14 of 67). Of 19 patients requiring renal replacement therapy, only 1 survived to hospital discharge (5.3%) versus 23 of 48 patients without renal failure (47.9%) surviving to discharge (p = 0.001). Conclusions In this cohort of 71 patients who underwent eCPR, outcomes were promising; however, complication rates were high, and renal failure in particular demonstrated an extremely high mortality. These are single-institution results that should be followed up with larger multicenter cohorts of eCPR patients.
Breaking the Barriers of Disability With Cotton Performance Technologies: An Experiential Learning Opportunity for Technical Design and Omnichannel Retailing Students

The purpose of this project was to provide students in a Technical Design (TD) course and an Omnichannel Retailing (OCR) course with an opportunity to explore innovative materials and design approaches as mechanisms to reduce apparel-related barriers for people living with disabilities (PLWD). This project, funded through a competitive grant from the Importer Support Program of the Cotton Board and Cotton Incorporated, was developed as an impetus for students to apply, and promote cotton innovations for adaptive apparel products that have performance and aesthetic value for PLWD. The instructors approached the project from a holistic product development perspective where cross-functional TD teams cooperated with OCR teams throughout the 16-week semester through a real-life case study of an adaptive apparel retailer. The instructors of both courses reframed the delivery of the course learning objectives so that each course objective directly related to the case study. Throughout the semester, TD teams developed cotton-rich adaptive apparel products and twelve OCR teams analyzed the adaptive apparel market to produce mock websites and social media content promoting cotton as a barrier-breaking fiber for adaptive apparel. This project provides educators with an example of how to project like this into their courses to engage students in discussions about adaptive apparel, material innovation, and omnichannel promotion strategies to ensure that apparel is meeting the demands of the market.
Level set topology optimization of cooling channels using the Darcy flow model

The level set topology optimization method for 2D and 3D cooling channels, considering convective heat transfer for high Reynolds number flows, is presented in this paper. The Darcy potential flow, which is a low-fidelity linear flow model, is used to simulate the flow using the finite element method. The resulting velocity field is used in a convection-diffusion model to simulate the heat transfer using the finite element method. A linear combination of the pressure drop and the average temperature is considered as the objective function, which is minimized subject to a volume constraint and a maximum length scale constraint. The results show that the pressure drop and the average temperature are conflicting criteria, and the trade-off between the two criteria is investigated. We perform a verification study by comparing the Darcy flow field of the obtained optimum designs with that of a high fidelity turbulence model. The verification study shows that there exists a reasonable agreement between the Darcy and the turbulent flow field for narrow channels. Therefore, by restricting the design space to narrow channels, we optimize the cooling performance and sufficiently capture the turbulent flow physics using the low-fidelity Darcy flow model. Finally, we show an example in 3D where we optimize the cooling channel topology that conforms to the surface of a sphere.
Associations between calcium and magnesium intake and the risk of incident oesophageal cancer: an analysis of the NIH-AARP Diet and Health Study prospective cohort.

Risk reduction through dietary modifications is an adjunct strategy for prevention of oesophageal cancer, a leading cause of cancer-related mortality and morbidity worldwide. We aimed to estimate the association between calcium and magnesium intakes and incident oesophageal cancer (OC). We conducted a retrospective analysis of the NIH-AARP Diet and Health Study prospective cohort. We used multivariable Cox proportional hazard modeling to estimate the association between total intakes and incident OC overall and by histology (oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) and adenocarcinoma (OAC)). Sensitivity and stratified analyses were performed. Among 536,359 included respondents, 1414 incident OCs occurred over 6.5 million person-years follow-up time. Increasing dietary calcium intake was associated with an adjusted 32–41% lower risk of OSCC compared to the lowest quartile (p-trend 0.01). There was a positive association between increasing magnesium intake and OAC risk, but only among participants with low calcium:magnesium intake ratios (p-trend 0.04). There was a significant interaction with smoking status. Based on a retrospective analysis of the NIH-AARP Diet and Health Study prospective cohort, dietary intakes of calcium and magnesium were significantly associated with risk of OSCC and, among certain participants, OAC, respectively. If validated, these findings could inform dietary modifications among at-risk individuals. Mechanistic investigations would provide additional insight.
The links between religiousness and prosocial behaviors in early adulthood: The mediating roles of media exposure preferences and empathic tendencies

We examined the links among religiousness, prosocial and violent media exposure preferences, empathic tendencies, and prosocial behaviors in early adulthood. Participants were U.S. college students...
Separate-effect experiments and modeling for two-phase flow under geometric restrictions

Abstract While significant efforts have been made to investigate two-phase flows in vertical upward channels, limited work has been performed to study the effects stemming from geometric configurations on two-phase flow transport, such as flow restrictions and change in flow orientation. This presents significant shortcomings in the application of predictive models to practical systems, including nuclear power reactors. It has been well observed that geometric restrictions (e.g., elbows, spacer-grid, and inlet configurations) and change in flow orientation (e.g., upward-to-horizontal, horizontal-to-downward) can cause significant effects on the hydrodynamics of two-phase flow. In view of these, high-resolution separate-effect experiments have been performed to establish a two-phase flow database that is accurate, extensive and good enough for multi-phase CFD codes development, to develop predictive models accounting for geometric effects, and to improve the performance of nuclear reactor system analysis codes. Recent studies on the effects of the vertical-upward and vertical-downward 90-degree elbows, spacer grid, inlet configurations, and change in flow orientation are summarized. Some of the major two-phase flow phenomena investigated in the present study include flow regime transition, pressure loss, two-phase flow parameters, flow development, and interfacial drag. To demonstrate the functionality of the newly developed models, the one-dimensional steady-state one-group interfacial area transport equation is employed to predict two-phase flow transport under geometric effects.
Lagrangians, Gauge Functions, and Lie Groups for Semigroup of Second-Order Differential Equations

A set of linear second-order differential equations is converted into a semigroup, whose algebraic structure is used to generate novel equations. The Lagrangian formalism based on standard, null, and nonstandard Lagrangians is established for all members of the semigroup. For the null Lagrangians, their corresponding gauge functions are derived. The obtained Lagrangians are either new or generalization of those previously known. The previously developed Lie group approach to derive some equations of the semigroup is also described. It is shown that certain equations of the semigroup cannot be factorized, and therefore, their Lie groups cannot be determined. A possible solution of this problem is proposed, and the relationship between the Lagrangian formalism and the Lie group approach is discussed.
Regulating Online Hate Speech: A U.S. Perspective

In the early 2010s, Terry Jones of Florida became known for his threats to burn, and for eventually burning, the Koran, the holy book of Muslims. The actions and message of the pastor eventually attracted the attention of figures as prominent as U.S. President Barack Obama and, with transmission around the world via the Internet, spread to countries far from the United States like Afghanistan and Indonesia. The response was explosive. The burning of sacred texts such as the Koran provides particularly rich opportunities for study by academics in a variety of fields. Topics like religion, politics, marginalization, nonverbal communication, intercultural communication, and hate speech come together. Digital dissemination adds an element of contemporary technology to the mix. Drawing upon the Florida Koran-burning case, this paper briefly examines the constitutional regulation of online hate speech in the United States, illustrating how limited the punishment and thus regulation of such hate speech generally are. Hate speech is discourse that aims to promote hatred based on categories such as ethnicity, race, national origin, class, and similar categories. The paper proceeds with a summary of the Florida Koran-burning case, continues with a discussion of relevant constitutional principles, and then moves to constitutional analyses of the Florida case.
Crossing the Bridge: African-Americans and the Necessity of a 21st Century Human Rights Movement

Despite President Obama's decisive 2008 election and 2012 re-election, racism is still very much a reality against which African-Americans continue to struggle. African-Americans also still wallow in socioeconomic inequality. A careful look at the insidious nature of the shift in social and legal discourse towards colorblindness, combined with increasingly aggressive conservative post-Obama, anti-Black, anti-woman, anti-Muslim, anti-immigrant, and anti-progressive expressions makes it necessary to question all of the discussion surrounding the issue of progressive and eventual racial justice and to challenge some very basic assumptions regarding African-American progress. If the so-called post-racial, colorblind society is what awaits African-Americans on the other side of the bridge, then this bridge is an ill-fated bridge to nowhere. If African-Americans are to ever experience true equality, in fact and under the law, the United States must cast aside the shield of individual rights and confront the hypocrisy inherent to its white supremacist majoritarian democracy.
The role of female endoscopists: are women gastroenterologists better at obtaining biopsies for celiac disease than men?

Celiac disease (CD) is commonly found in women. Given the sex differences in diagnosed patients, we hypothesized sex differences in physicians obtaining biopsies for CD may exist.We retrospectively...
Revising mental representations of faces based on new diagnostic information.

Abstract Extending evidence for the rapid revision of mental representations of what other people are like, we explored whether people also rapidly revise their representations of what others look like. After learning to ascribe positive or negative behavioral information to a target person and generating a visualization of their face in a reverse-correlation task, participants learned new information that was (a) counter-attitudinal and diagnostic about the person's character or (b) neutral and non-diagnostic, and then they generated a second visualization. Ratings of these visualizations in separate samples of participants consistently revealed revision effects: Time 2 visualizations assimilated to the counter-attitudinal information. Weaker revision effects also emerged after learning neutral information, suggesting that the evaluative extremity of visualizations may dilute when encountering any additional information. These findings indicate that representations of others' appearance may change upon learning more about them, particularly when this new information is counter-attitudinal and diagnostic.
Cancer of the esophagus - medical university of south carolina pilot study

Cancer of the esophagus is a rare neoplasm accounting for 2% of all cancer deaths each year.1 The survival remains poor despite improved staging, post-operative care, and adjuvant therapy. Our previous experience is summarized in Table 1. During the period 1940–1951, the majority of the patients were treated surgically when considered operable. The two-year survival remained consistently less than 1% during the decade. Throughout the next twenty-six years, radiation therapy was added to the treatment plan, first as a definitive treatment and later as an adjuvant to therapy. Cures with any modality remained uncommon.
Unusual thermodynamical and transport signatures of the BCS to bose-einstein crossover scenario below T(c)

Within the pseudogap regime of the cuprates, it has been widely argued that the excitations of the superconducting state are either fermionic [1] or bosonic [2] in character. In this paper we discuss a third scenario [associated with the BCS to Bose-Einstein condensation (BEC) crossover approach], in which the excitations contain a mix of bosonic and fermionic properties [3]. The BCS-BEC crossover scheme has been viewed as relevant to the cuprates and other “exotic” [4,5] superconductors where their short coherence lengths, j, naturally lead to a breakdown of strict BCS theory. The BCS-BEC scenario [3,6–9] owes its origin to Eagles [10] and Leggett [11] who proposed a ground state wave function of the BCS form, C0 Pkuk 1y kc y k" c y 2k# j0, which describes the continuous evolution between a BCS system, having weak coupling g and large j, and a BEC system with large g and small j. Here uk, yk are the standard coherence factors of BCS theory, which are determined in conjunction with the number constraint. The essence of this paper is a characterization of the excitations of C0 and their experimental signatures (for all T # Tc). New thermodynamical effects stemming from bosonic degrees of freedom must necessarily enter, as one crosses out of the BCS regime, towards BEC. Here we show that the bosonic excitations (which appear in the gap equations and which we call “pairons”) are different from the collective phase mode [12]: they generally have a quadratic dispersion similar to that of a quasi-ideal BEC system—a consequence of the mean field treatment of the pairs which, in turn, is dictated by the general mean field character of C0. These ideas are applied to the cuprates and other short j superconductors. We consider fermions, with lattice dispersion ek (measured with respect to the fermionic chemical potential m), and with interaction Vk,k0 gwkwk0, where g , 0; here wk 1 and coskx 2 cosky for s- and d-wave pairing, respectively. We begin by reviewing BCS theory, in terms of a somewhat unfamiliar but very useful formalism [13] which is then generalized [3,14] to the crossover problem. For brevity, we use a four-momentum notation: K k, iv, P K T P k,v , etc. We also suppress wk until the final equations.
Investigation of instability in high J/sub c/ Nb/sub 3/Sn strands

Magnetization measurements show that modern high current-density Nb/sub 3/Sn strands made for HEP programs exhibit flux-jump instabilities at low fields, due to their having large effective filament diameters. Such instabilities might be problematic because they can initiate a quench in low-field regions of magnets. We explored magnetization and transport measurements of the most recent high J/sub c/ Nb/sub 3/Sn strands and cables to probe the instability behavior. In the regime where flux jumps are seen by magnetization measurements, transport current measurements show a threshold for stability. This threshold is significantly lower than the critical current at higher fields, and above this threshold, quenching in the strand could be initiated by ramping the magnetic field. The threshold current depends on the wire size and internal filament design, and is consistent with stability criteria. In cables, quench currents were nearly independent of field after training, and were far below the expected critical currents. Details of these measurements and their implications for testing and use in magnets are discussed.
Arabidopsis: Flower Development and Patterning

The development of flowers and floral organs is directed by intricate genetic programmes, many aspects of which appear to be shared among angiosperms. Early acting genes establish floral meristem identity in flower primordia initiated at the periphery of the inflorescence meristem. Later, floral organ primordia arise at precise positions within these floral meristems and take on one of the four distinct identities (sepals, petals, stamens and carpels). The ABCE model, supported by both molecular and genetic experiments in Arabidopsis, explains how a small number of regulatory genes (called floral homeotic genes or floral organ identity genes) act in different combinations to specify these different organ types. The floral organ identity genes encode transcription factors that form distinct higher order protein complexes in different regions of a flower primordium to control the expression of target genes responsible for organogenesis. Key Concepts Lateral organs produced by the shoot apical meristem during reproductive development acquire their identity as flowers through the action of floral meristem identity genes such as LEAFY and APETALA1. The identities of each of the four organ types of a flower (sepal, petal, stamen and carpel) is conferred by a unique combination of floral organ identity gene activities, referred to as class A, B, C and E in the ABCE model. The activities of the class A, B and C genes are restricted to particular regions within a developing flower primarily, but not exclusively, through transcriptional regulation. The MADS domain transcription factors encoded by the class A, B, C and E genes form unique tetrameric transcriptional regulatory complexes in cells of each floral whorl. The transcriptional regulatory complexes formed by the A, B, C and E proteins regulate distinct sets of genes at different stages of flower development. Many aspects of the genetic programmes conferring floral meristem identity and floral organ identity are conserved among all angiosperms. Keywords: flower development; homeotic genes; floral meristem identity genes; floral organ identity genes; Arabidopsis; ABCE model; quartet model
Purification and characterization of monodehydroascorbate reductase from soybean root nodules.

Abstract Soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.) root nodules contain the enzymes of the ascorbate-glutathione cycle as an important defense against activated forms of oxygen. A key enzyme in this cycle—monodehydroascorbate reductase (MR)—was purified 646-fold and appeared as a single band on SDS-PAGE with silver or Coomassie blue staining. Purified MR contained 0.7 mol FAD/mol enzyme and had a specific activity of 288 μmol NADH oxidized · min−1 · mg protein−1. The enzyme was a single subunit occurring as two isozymes (MR I and MR II) with Mr values of 39,000 and 40,000. Isoelectric focusing revealed that each isozyme consisted of two forms with pl values of 4.6 to 4.7. Ferricyanide and 2,6-dichlorophenol-indophenol were effective as electron acceptors. The purified enzyme did not possess leghemoglobin reductase activity. Inhibition by p-chloromercuribenzoate indicated the involvement of a thiol group in MR activity. The Km values were 5.6, 150, and 7 μ m for NADH, NADPH, and monodehydroascorbate, respectively. The pH optimum was 8 to 9. The N-terminal sequence of 10 amino acids of MR II had little homology to known protein sequences.
Atherosclerosis in chronic kidney disease: the role of macrophages

Patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) are at increased risk of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease and loss of renal parenchyma accelerates atherosclerosis in animal models. Macrophages are central to atherogenesis because they regulate cholesterol traffic and inflammation in the arterial wall. CKD influences macrophage behavior at multiple levels, rendering them proatherogenic. Even at normal creatinine levels, macrophages from uninephrectomized Apoe−/− mice are enriched in cholesterol owing to downregulation of cholesterol transporter ATP-binding cassette subfamily A member 1 levels and activation of nuclear factor κB, which leads to impaired cholesterol efflux. Interestingly, treatment with an angiotensin-II-receptor blocker (ARB) improves these effects. Moreover, atherosclerotic aortas from Apoe−/− mice transplanted into renal-ablated normocholesterolemic recipients show plaque progression and increased macrophage content instead of the substantial regression seen in recipient mice with intact kidneys. ARBs reduce atherosclerosis development in mice with partial renal ablation. These results, combined with the clinical benefits of angiotensin-converting-enzyme (ACE) inhibitors and ARBs in patients with CKD, suggest an important role for the angiotensin system in the enhanced susceptibility to atherosclerosis seen across the spectrum of CKD. The role of macrophages could explain why these therapies may be effective in end-stage renal disease, one of the few conditions in which statins show no clinical benefit.
Repeated pregnancy without lactation: effects on maternal glycemic control, pregnancy outcome, carcass composition, and fat distribution in rats.

Repeated pregnancy without lactation in rats has been reported to produce permanently elevated carcass fat mass and hyperplasia in subcutaneous fat depot. In the present study, the pregnancy outcome, intravenous glucose tolerance ability (IVGTT), and carcass composition were further examined in Osborne-Mendel rats. Female rats were divided into pregnancy-lactation (PL), pregnancy-no lactation (PNL), and control (CON) groups. Half of the rats were killed after three pregnancy/lactation cycles, whereas the rest were given a 12-week rest period before killing. It was found that rats in PNL group had fasting hyperglycemia and insulin insensitivity during the third pregnancy (P less than or equal to .05), elevated spontaneous abortion rate (P less than or equal to .05), and elevated subcutaneous fat content (P less than or equal to .01) relative to that of PL rats or CON rats. After a 12-week rest period, a significant increase in subcutaneous fat cell number was also observed in PNL rats. PL rats, on the other hand, have significantly elevated internal/subcutaneous fat ratios (P less than or equal to .05), both immediately after weaning and after the 12-week rest period. The significance of this change is not yet known.
Ab initio relativistic many-body calculations for the Hg 6p2 resonances.

Relativistic configuration-interaction calculations have been made for the 6${\mathit{p}}^{2}$ resonances of Hgi using a relativistic version of the Fano theory. Pair-correlation effects associated with the 5d and valence electrons are important, contributing \ensuremath{\sim}1.5 eV to the positions of the resonances. Relative to Hg 6${\mathit{s}}^{2}$, the theoretical positions of the resonances (in ${\mathrm{cm}}^{\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}1}$) are 90654, 94595, 97066, 106257, and 111609 for $^{3}$${\mathit{P}}_{0,1,2}$, $^{1}$${\mathit{D}}_{2}$, and $^{1}$${\mathit{S}}_{0}$. The experimental values are 90096, 93980, 96185, and (tentatively) 103232, 109286 ${\mathrm{cm}}^{\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}1}$. The theoretical values for the width (in eV) are 0.002, 0.0, 0.215, 0.914, and 0.298. The experimental value for the $^{3}$${\mathit{P}}_{2}$ width is 0.272\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.074 eV.
Quantification of soft tissue deformations using strain-encoded magnetic resonance imaging

Strain Encoded Magnetic Resonance Imaging (SENC-MRI) is a new technique that allows real-time quantification of tissue deformation. The technique is based on initially modulating the magnetization of the imaged object with sinusoidal pattern (MR-tagging) in the z-direction (through-plane direction). Compression is then applied to the object resulting in a change of the frequency of the sinusoidal tagging depending, in part, on tissue stiffness; e.g. the softer the material the higher the resulting frequency. By determining the changes in frequency, regional deformations can be determined and quantified. In SENC MRI, this is achieved by acquiring several images (typically 8 images), each with different phase-encoding, which we call tunings , in the z-direction. For each tuning, the intensity of pixels whose tagging frequency coincides with the tuning frequency is higher than other pixels. Since the number of the acquired images is limited, only a limited range of frequencies can be covered and, hence, the accuracy of the estimates may be inefficient if the tuning are not selected carefully. However, in this paper, we show that deformation maps can be obtained with good accuracy from the limited number of tunings. In this regard, we propose three methods and compare between them for maximum achievable accuracy. The methods are 1) center-of-mass, 2) curve fitting, and 3) clustering-based method. The methods are applied to simulated data and MR images obtained from a gel phantom experiment. The results of comparisons shows that good estimates of deformation can be obtained even if the sampled data is distorted by noise or MR artifacts.
“Let Chinese Thinking Be Chinese, not Western”: Sine Qua Non to Globalization

Globalization consists of global interculture strengthening local cultures as it depends on them. Globality and locality are interdependent, and “universal” must be replaced by “inter-versal” as existence inter-exists. Chinese thinking thus must be Chinese, not Western, as Western thinking must be Western, not “universal”; China must help the West be Western, as the West must help China be Chinese. As Mrs. Tu speaks English in Chinese syntax, so “sinologists” logicize in Chinese phrases. English speakers parse her to realize the distinctness of English; Chinese thinkers parse Western “sinologists” to realize the distinctness of China. Inter-versal parsing toward cultural inter-enrichment occurs in three stages. This is intercultural globalization.
The immune restorative effect of cimetidine administration in vivo on the local graft-versus-host reaction of cancer patients

The immunorestorative effect of cimetidine in vivo on T-cell-induced local graft-versus-host (GVH) reaction was analyzed in 29 cancer patients. Twenty patients received 1200 mg/day cimetidine orally for 7 days and nine patients remained untreated for the same period of time. Local GVH reaction was assessed before and after the 7-day treatment (or no treatment). A significant augmentation of the local GVH reaction was observed among cimetidine-treated patients 32.6 ± 21.2 mm3 before cimetidine versus 49.7 ± 46.1 mm3 after cimetidine (P 0.5). Seven of sixteen cimetidine-treated patients who were initially characterized by a negative ( 50 mm3), compared with none of eight initially local GVH reaction negative among the untreated controls. The absence of changes among the controls suggests that the local GVH reaction status is a relatively stable function not subject to substantial diurnal variation. Four cancer patients in the treatment group were initially GVH reaction positive. Three of those remained so or showed a slight augmentation after 7 days of treatment, but in one patient, cimetidine was detrimental. These results confirm our previous in vitro studies with cimetidine and lend further support to the use of this drug as an immunomodulating therapy in cancer patients.
An accurate, non-iterative approximation for studentized range quantiles

Several statistical procedures require upper quantiles of the studentized range distribution, but few environments for statistical analysis offer on-line calculation of those quantiles. This is because available algorithms require high-precision numerical integration, applied iteratively, to achieve accurate results. Consider instead a simple non-iterative approximate transformation from student t quantiles, which are easily computed and generally available, to studentized range quantiles. Given an accurate quantile from the student t distribution, only a few arithmetic operations yield a studentized range quantile with accuracy sufficient for most data analytic and other practical purposes; in fact, the accuracy is nearly as good as that of the studentized range table that has been in use since 1960. This approach also yields methods for interpolating studentized range quantiles that are more accurate than methods in current use.
Mucosal and disseminated candidiasis in gnotobiotic SCID mice

The alimentary tracts of germ-free SCID (severe combined immunodeficient) mice were susceptible to colonization with Candida albicans. Large viable populations (106-108 colony forming units g-1) of C. albicans, in pure culture, were present in all sections of the intestinal tract. Candida-colonized SCID mice, sacrificed at various time intervals over a 16 week study, manifested chronic superficial mucosal candidiasis of keratinized epithelial surfaces (tongue and stomach). Despite the continuous presence of large viable populations of C. albicans in their intestinal tract, only superficial mucosal candidiasis and no progressive disseminated candidiasis of endogenous origin was evident in these mice. Treatment with cyclophosphamide (100 mg kg-1, intraperitoneally) enhanced the susceptibility of SCID mice to mucosal (tongue and stomach) candidiasis. Gnotobiotic (C. albicans-colonized) SCID mice were also found to be as resistant as immunocompetent BALB/c mice to acute (intravenous challenge) renal candidias...
Minimizing the Electricity Bill of Cooperative Users under a Quasi-Dynamic Pricing Model

Dynamic energy pricing is a promising development that addresses the concern of finding an environmentally friendly solution to meeting energy needs of customers while minimizing their electrical energy bill. In this paper, we mathematically formulate the electrical energy bill minimization problem for cooperative networked consumers who have a single energy bill, such as those working in a commercial/industrial building. The idea is to schedule user requests for appliance use at different times during a fixed interval based on dynamic energy prices during that interval. Two different methods are presented to minimize the energy cost of such users under non-interruptible or interruptible jobs. The methods relay on a quasi-dynamic pricing function for unit of energy consumed, which comprises of a base price and a penalty term. The methods minimize the energy cost of the users while meeting all the scheduling constraints and heeding the pricing function. The proposed methods result in significant savings in the energy bill under different usage pricing, and scheduling constraints.
Early detection of cancer. Psychologic and social dimensions

Major strides in early detection research can be attributed to social and behavioral research. Social scientists have been involved in research determining the epidemiologic basis of and the cost-effectiveness of screening for asymptomatic disease. The availability of well accepted screening tests has been a barrier to early detection research, especially in the area of men's health. Early detection research has focused on the individual and system levels. Theoretical models are being adapted for early detection from smoking research and are a strength of current work. These models explain why people participate in early detection and how behavior change can occur
Twenty-four year record of Northern Hemisphere snow cover derived from passive microwave remote sensing

Snow cover is an important variable for climate and hydrologic models due to its effects on energy and moisture budgets. Seasonal snow can cover more than 50% of the Northern Hemisphere land surface during the winter resulting in snow cover being the land surface characteristic responsible for the largest annual and interannual differences in albedo. Passive microwave satellite remote sensing can augment measurements based on visible satellite data alone because of the ability to acquire data through most clouds or during darkness as well as to provide a measure of snow depth or water equivalent. It is now possible to monitor the global fluctuation of snow cover over a 24 year period using passive microwave data (Scanning Multichannel Microwave Radiometer (SMMR) 1978-1987 and Special Sensor Microwave/Imager (SSM/I), 1987-present). Evaluation of snow extent derived from passive microwave algorithms is presented through comparison with the NOAA Northern Hemisphere snow extent data. For the period 1978 to 2002, both passive microwave and visible data sets show a smiliar pattern of inter-annual variability, although the maximum snow extents derived from the microwave data are consistently less than those provided by the visible statellite data and the visible data typically show higher monthly variability. During shallow snow conditions of the early winter season microwave data consistently indicate less snow-covered area than the visible data. This underestimate of snow extent results from the fact that shallow snow cover (less than about 5.0 cm) does not provide a scattering signal of sufficient strength to be detected by the algorithms. As the snow cover continues to build during the months of January through March, as well as on into the melt season, agreement between the two data types continually improves. This occurs because as the snow becomes deeper and the layered structure more complex, the negative spectral gradient driving the passive microwave algorithm is enhanced. Trends in annual averages are similar, decreasing at rates of approximately 2% per decade. The only region where the passive microwave data consistently indicate snow and the visible data do not is over the Tibetan Plateau and surrounding mountain areas. In the effort to determine the accuracy of the microwave algorithm over this region we are acquiring surface snow observations through a collaborative study with CAREERI/Lanzhou. In order to provide an optimal snow cover product in the future, we are developing a procedure that blends snow extent maps derived from MODIS data with snow water equivalent maps derived from both SSM/I and AMSR.
The Representation of Slavery in Cuban Fiction

By focusing on six antislavery writers during a time when censorship curtailed Cuban aspirations to autonomy, Williams traces the emergence of a national consciousness and deepens our understanding of the social and cultural dynamics of Cuban society in the nineteenth century.
Unconfounding the effects of climate and density dependence using 60 years of data on spiny dogfish (Squalus acanthias)

The confounded effects of changes in climate and density on a population’s demography are hard to separate for long-lived species because demographic traits are usually the aggregated result of conditions faced over years. Demographic parameters are compared for spiny dogfish (Squalus acanthias) in the Northeast Pacific, the longest lived and latest maturing of all sharks, using samples from the 1940s and 2000s. This 60-year interval has seen ocean temperatures rise by almost 1 °C and dogfish harvests peak above 50 000 tonnes (t)·annum–1 and then drop below 50 t·annum–1. Over this period, the age at 50% maturity for dogfish declined from 43 to 32 years, while the estimated average number of embryos per litter for a 100 cm dogfish increased from 5.9 to 6.7. Growth parameters changed significantly, with faster growth to a smaller size. Leslie matrix analysis showed that these changes could lead to an increase in population growth rate of about 1%. Comparison with published demographic parameters from the 19...