cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Ablation of ventricular tachycardia: does anyone have any new ideas?

t l t m It is hard to believe today that the concept of reentrant xcitation as an important cause of cardiac arrhythmias as questioned in my professional lifetime. However, nce the occurrence of reentry was proven, first in animal odels of arrhythmias and later in patients, it led to the evelopment of interventional electrophysiology with a oal of being able to destroy (ablate) a crucial part of the eentrant circuit, thereby preventing the reentrant arhythmia. This idea stemmed from what Waldo (Personal ommunication) called the “Mines’ test” in our discusions about reentry. In his classic paper on circus moveent in the early 20th century, Gregory Mines showed hat cutting through the loop that formed the reentrant athway in a simple in vitro model stopped reentry. The ines’ test was first used successfully to prevent arrhythias associated with bypass tracts, which seemed like an mazing accomplishment at the time. Since then, the rocedure of ablation has proved very effective for some upraventricular arrhythmias, such as AV nodal reentrant achycardia and some types of atrial flutter. The success f ablation in these circumstances is due to the predictble location of the reentrant circuits that are targeted for estruction. Unfortunately, ablation of ventricular tachyardia (VT) associated with healed myocardial infarction as been less successful because locating the reentrant ircuit is problematic and procedures for doing so are xtremely time consuming. Current approaches include nduction of the tachycardia with programmed stimulaion, mapping activation with multiple roving catheters, nd entrainment from multiple sites. Because tachycarias must be sustained and hemodynamically tolerated in rder for these techniques to be applied, only some tachyardias are amenable to this approach. To add to the omplexity, patients can have tachycardias with multiple orphologies, suggesting the possibility that different achycardias arise from different reentrant circuits and
Female site-specific transposase-induced recombination: a high-efficiency method for fine mapping mutations on the X chromosome in Drosophila.

P -element transposons in the Drosophila germline mobilize only in the presence of the appropriate transposase enzyme. Sometimes, instead of mobilizing completely, P elements will undergo site-specific recombination with the homologous chromosome. Site-specific recombination is the basis for male recombination mapping, since the male germline does not normally undergo recombination. Site-specific recombination also takes place in females, but this has been difficult to study because of the obscuring effects of meiotic recombination. Using map functions, I demonstrate that it is possible to employ female site-specific transposase-induced recombination (FaSSTIR) to map loci on the X chromosome and predict that FaSSTIR mapping should be more efficient than meiotic mapping over short genetic intervals. Both FaSSTIR mapping and meiotic mapping were used to fine map the crossveinless locus on the X chromosome. Both techniques identified the same 10-kb interval as the probable location of the crossveinless mutation. Over short intervals (
The Solar Cycle

The ~11-year solar cycle was first identified in the fluctuation of the number and location of sunspots and, soon after, their magnetic polarity and the dipole component of the Sun’s magnetism as a whole. The cycle is manifested in satellite records of total and variable solar luminosity, in the open solar magnetic flux, which can be estimated from solar observation or from the aa geomagnetic index, and in the Sun’s radio emission The incidence of flares and coronal mass ejections is linked to the cycle in complex fashion. The Babcock model of sunspot generation relates the cycle to twisting of magnetic field lines by differential solar rotation; deeper links to internal dynamics are revealed by neutrino data. Periodicities which were not obvious when solar observation was limited to the photosphere may turn out to be more significant as regards the solar interior than the Schwabe or Hale cycle.
Optimal Operation of Shelbyville and Carlyle Lakes

: Dams were built by the U. S. Army Corps of Engineers on the Kaskaskia River at Shelbyville and Carlyle in Illinois, in 1969 and 1967, respectively. The operation of the Shelbyville and Carlyle Lakes has changed over the years because of considerably lower bankfull channel capacities downstream of the dams than were adopted in the project designs. This study was conducted to review the present operation policy. Intent was to derive a policy for maximizing the overall benefits (or minimizing the overall damages) and to compare these benefits or damages with those with the present policy. The operating rules were optimized through a simulation model which was structured considering the physical nature of the system and the desirable operation in the best interest of various beneficial uses. The expected annual value of overall benefits from recreation and agriculture is shown to increase by $0.2 million with the optimal policy. With the optimal operation, the overall damages are reduced by 76 percent on the average over the 24 years of flow record at Shelbyville and Carlyle.
SChiSM2: creating interactive web page annotations of molecular structure models using Jmol

Summary: SChiSM2 is a web server-based program for creating web pages that include interactive molecular graphics using the freely-available applet, Jmol, for illustration. The program works with Internet Explorer and Firefox on Windows, Safari and Firefox on Mac OSX and Firefox on Linux. Availability: The program can be accessed at the following address: http://ci.vbi.vt.edu/cammer/schism2.html Contact: [email protected]
Hypoxia, red blood cells, and nitrite regulate NO-dependent hypoxic vasodilation

Local vasodilation in response to hypoxia is a fundamental physiologic response ensuring oxygen delivery to tissues under metabolic stress. Recent studies identify a role for the red blood cell (RBC), with hemoglobin the hypoxic sensor. Herein, we investigate the mechanisms regulating this process and explore the relative roles of adenosine triphosphate, S-nitrosohemoglobin, and nitrite as effectors. We provide evidence that hypoxic RBCs mediate vasodilation by reducing nitrite to nitric oxide (NO) and ATP release. NO dependence for nitrite-mediated vasodilation was evidenced by NO gas formation, stimulation of cGMP production, and inhibition of mitochondrial respiration in a process sensitive to the NO scavenger C-PTIO. The nitrite reductase activity of hemoglobin is modulated by heme deoxygenation and heme redox potential, with maximal activity observed at 50% hemoglobin oxygenation (P50). Concomitantly, vasodilation is initiated at the P50, suggesting that oxygen sensing by hemoglobin is mechanistically linked to nitrite reduction and stimulation of vasodilation. Mutation of the conserved β93cys residue decreases the heme redox potential (ie, decreases E1/2), an effect that increases nitrite reductase activity and vasodilation at any given hemoglobin saturation. These data support a function for RBC hemoglobin as an allosterically and redox-regulated nitrite reductase whose “enzyme activity” couples hypoxia to increased NO-dependent blood flow.
Growing minds: the relationship between parental attitudes toward their child's outdoor recreation and their child's health.

SUMMARY. The objective of this study was to investigate the relationship between parental attitudes toward nature and their child’s outdoor recreation and how these attitudes related to their reports of their child’s health problems. The sample for this study consisted of parents of 6- to 13-year-old children from the United States, who accessed the survey from an informational website for gardeners between Mar. and Aug. 2009. Surveys were collected until 142 completed questionnaires were received. The online survey included questions about parents’ attitude toward nature, parents’ attitudes toward their child’s outdoor recreation, an inventory of potential children’s health problems, the time children spent in various indoor and outdoor activities, and demographic questions. Descriptive statistics were used to tabulate mean scores on the parental attitude toward nature (PAN) scale and parental attitude toward their child’s outdoor recreation (PACOR) scale, both of which indicated overall positive views. Pearson’s product–moment correlations indicated statistically significant relationships between the PAN scale, the PACOR scale, and time children spent outdoors. Relationships between time spent indoors on video games or watching television and health problems in children were identified. Time spent outdoors in free play was inversely related to reports of health problems in children.
Maternal Smoking During Pregnancy and Childhood Cancer

The association between maternal smoking during pregnancy and childhood cancer was investigated using prospectively collected data from 54,795 liveborn children in the Collaborative Perinatal Project (1959-1966). Cases of cancer had a histologic diagnosis and/or a compatible clinical course. There were 51 children with cancer, for a cumulative incidence of cancer of 1.1 per 1,000 by 96 months of age. Maternal smoking was determined at each prenatal visit; 52% of mothers reported smoking at one or more visits. By age 8 years, cancer had occurred in 1.4 per 1,000 children whose mothers did not smoke during pregnancy, compared with 0.9 per 1,000 children whose mothers smoked (p = 0.15 by log rank test); the hazard ratio was 0.67 (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.38-1.17). There was no dose-response effect of smoking compared with nonsmokers (hazard ratio for one to 10 cigarettes/day = 0.45, more than 10 cigarettes/day = 0.83). The hazard ratio for leukemia among children whose mothers smoked was 0.82 (95% CI 0.31-2.11); the hazard ratio for cancers other than leukemia was 0.60 (95% CI 0.30-1.20). Adjustment did not change the hazard ratio substantially. Although the relatively small number of cases precluded extensive study of individual types of cancer, the authors conclude that maternal smoking during pregnancy is not associated with an increased risk of childhood cancer in this cohort.
A revised taxonomy of assistance animals

The use of animals in various assistive, therapeutic, and emotional support roles has contributed to the uncoordinated expansion of labels used to distinguish these animals. To address the inconsistent vocabulary and confusion, this article proposes a concise taxonomy for classifying assistance animals. Several factors were identified to differentiate categories, including (1) whether the animal performs work or tasks related to an individual’s disability; (2) the typical level of skill required by the animal performing the work or task; (3) whether the animal is used by public service, military, or healthcare professionals; (4) whether training certifications or standards are available; and (5) the existence of legal public access protections for the animal and handler. Acknowledging that some category labels have already been widely accepted or codified, six functional categories were identified: (1) service animal; (2) public service animal; (3) therapy animal; (4) visitation animal; (5) sporting, recreational, or agricultural animal; and (6) support animal. This taxonomy provides a clear vocabulary for use by consumers, professionals working in the field, researchers, policy makers, and regulatory agencies.
Clinical implications of new-onset left bundle branch block after transcatheter aortic valve replacement: analysis of the PARTNER experience.

Aims Cardiac conduction disturbances, including a left bundle branch block (LBBB), occur frequently following transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) and may be associated with adverse clinical events. This analysis examines the incidence and implications of new onset, persistent LBBB in patients undergoing TAVR with a balloon-expandable valve. Methods and results Patients undergoing TAVR in the Placement of Aortic Transcatheter Valves (PARTNER) trial and continued access registries with baseline and discharge/7-day electrocardiograms were included. Prior permanent pacemaker implantation (PPI) and baseline intraventricular conduction abnormalities were exclusion criteria. Predictors of new LBBB were identified and outcomes compared between patients with and without new LBBB. New LBBB occurred in 121 of 1151 (10.5%) patients and persisted in more than half at 6 months to 1 year. The only predictor of new LBBB was prior coronary artery bypass grafting. New LBBB was not associated with significant differences in 1-year mortality, cardiovascular mortality, repeat hospitalization, stroke, or myocardial infarction. However, it was associated with increased PPI during hospitalization (8.3 vs 2.8%, P = 0.005) and from discharge to 1 year (4.7 vs. 1.5%, P = 0.01). The ejection fraction failed to improve after TAVR in patients with new LBBB and remained lower at 6 months to 1 year (52.8 vs. 58.1%, P < 0.001). Conclusion Persistent, new-onset LBBB occurred in 10.5% of patients without intraventricular baseline conduction who underwent TAVR in the PARTNER experience. New LBBB was not associated with death, repeat hospitalization, stroke, or myocardial infarction at 1 year, but was associated with a higher rate of PPI and failure of left ventricular ejection fraction to improve.
Inhibition of non-vesicular glutamate release by group III metabotropic glutamate receptors in the nucleus accumbens

Previous in vitro studies have shown that group III metabotropic glutamate receptors (mGluRs) regulate synaptic glutamate release. The present study used microdialysis to characterize this regulation in vivo in rat nucleus accumbens. Reverse dialysis of the group III mGluR agonist l-(+)-2-amino-4-phosphonobutyric acid (L-AP4) decreased, whereas the antagonist (R,S)-α-methylserine-O-phosphate (MSOP) increased the extracellular level of glutamate. The decrease by L-AP4 or the increase by MSOP was antagonized by co-administration of MSOP or L-AP4, respectively. Activation of mGluR4a by (1S,3R,4S)-1-aminocyclopentane-1,2,4-tricarboxylic acid or mGluR6 by 2-amino-4-(3-hydroxy-5-methylisoxazol-4-yl)butyric acid had no effect on extracellular glutamate. (R,S)-4-Phosphonophenylglycine (PPG), another group III agonist with high affinity for mGluR4/6/8, reduced extracellular glutamate only at high concentrations capable of binding to mGluR7. The increase in extracellular glutamate by MSOP was tetrodotoxin-independent, and resistant to both the L-type and N-type Ca2+ channel blockers. L-AP4 failed to block 30 mm K+-induced vesicular glutamate release. Blockade of glutamate uptake by d,l-threo-β-benzyloxyaspartate caused a Ca2+-independent elevation in extracellular glutamate that was reversed by L-AP4. Finally, (S)-4-carboxyphenylglycine, an inhibitor of cystine-glutamate antiporters, attenuated the L-AP4-induced reduction in extracellular glutamate. Together, these data indicate that group III mGluRs regulate in vivo extracellular glutamate in the nucleus accumbens by inhibiting non-vesicular glutamate release.
Conceptual model of seagrass die-off in Florida Bay: Links to biogeochemical processes

Abstract Seagrasses are recognized as important plant communities in coastal estuaries and lagoons across both tropical and temperate climes; thus, large-scale seagrass die-off events worldwide are of general concern. In Florida Bay, at the southern terminus of the Florida peninsula, seagrass die-off events up to 4000 ha have been reported and smaller scale mortality events are noted annually. In the present study, we examined several hypothesized causative factors (high temperature, hypersalinity, sulfide toxicity) of seagrass ( Thalassia testudinum ) mortality in Florida Bay. To test sulfide effects, in situ sulfide production was stimulated by applying a labile carbon source (glucose) to sulfate reducers in the sediment at five sites across the bay (northeastern, northcentral, and southwestern basins). During the one year study, high temperature (32–36 °C) and salinity (> 50 psu) were recorded in the bay associated with a regional drought. We also experienced major seagrass die-off events at two of our southwestern bay sites. These field conditions provided an excellent opportunity to closely examine cause–effect relationships among stressors and die-off events in the field, and verify results of our previous mesocosm experiments. Even though glucose amendments stimulated porewater sulfides in bay sediments (4–8 mmol L − 1 ), no significant differences in biomass, short shoot density or final growth rates were found between control and glucose plots. In addition, the highest growth rates and shoot densities were concomitant with maximum water column salinity (> 50 psu) and temperature (32–36 °C), when porewater sulfides were also in the millimolar range. Large-scale seagrass mortality events, encompassing ∼ 50% of the entire meadow at one site, occurred at southwestern bay sites when plants were down regulating (slower growth and shoot density), probably in response to shorter day length and lower temperature (30–34 to 23–26 °C) from October, 2004 to January, 2005. Sulfate reduction rates (SRR) were also 2-fold higher in the southwestern (214–488 nmol cm − 3 d − 1 ) versus northcentral and northeastern (97–240 nmol cm − 3 d − 1 ) bay sites, possibly limited by labile carbon, which we found to stimulate SRR 3-fold in northeastern and northcentral bay sites (461–708 nmol cm − 3 d − 1 ) and 4-fold at southwestern bay sites (1211–2036 nmol cm − 3 d − 1 ). Based on a synthesis of the field data reported herein, our mesocosm experiments to date, and contributions by others, we present a conceptual model of seagrass die-off in Florida Bay outlining a cascade of stressors, stimulated by P enrichment, which leads to high O 2 consumption in the system triggering a seagrass die-off event.
Combining verification decisions in a multi-vendor environment

Building access control represents an important application for biometric verification but often requires greater accuracy than can be provided by a single verifier. Even as algorithms continue to improve, poor samples and environmental factors will continue to impact performance in the building environment. We aim to improve verification accuracy by combining decisions from multiple verifiers spread throughout a building. In particular, we combine verifiers along the path traced out by each subject. When combining these decisions, the assumption of conditional independence simplifies implementation but can potentially lead to suboptimal performance. Through empirical evaluation of two related algorithms, we show that the assumption of conditional independence does not significantly impact verification accuracy. We argue that such a small reduction in accuracy can be attributed to the relative accuracy of each verifier. As a result, decisions can be combined using low complexity fusion rules without concerns of degraded accuracy.
The temporal expression profile of Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection in mice

Infection with Mycobacterium tuberculosis causes the illness tuberculosis with an annual mortality of ≈2 million. Understanding the nature of the host-pathogen interactions at different stages of tuberculosis is central to new strategies for developing chemotherapies and vaccines. Toward this end, we adapted microarray technology to analyze the change in gene expression profiles of M. tuberculosis during infection in mice. This protocol provides the transcription profile of genes expressed during the course of early tuberculosis in immune-competent (BALB/c) and severe combined immune-deficient (SCID) hosts in comparison with growth in medium. The microarray analysis revealed clusters of genes that changed their transcription levels exclusively in the lungs of BALB/c, SCID mice, or medium over time. We identified a set of genes (n = 67) activated only in BALB/c and not in SCID mice at 21 days after infection, a key point in the progression of tuberculosis. A subset of the lung-activated genes was previously identified as induced during mycobacterial survival in a macrophage cell line. Another group of in vivo-expressed genes may also define a previously unreported genomic island. In addition, our analysis suggests the similarity between mycobacterial transcriptional machinery during growth in SCID and in broth, which questions the validity of using the SCID model for assessing mycobacterial virulence. The in vivo expression-profiling technology presented should be applicable to any microbial model of infection.
Development and Evaluation of a Variable-Temperature Quadrupole Ion Trap Mass Spectrometer

A new, variable-temperature mass spectrometer system is described. By applying polyimide heating tape to the end-cap electrodes of a Bruker (Bremen, Germany) Esquire ion trap, it is possible to vary the effective temperature of the system between 40 and 100°C. The modification does not impact the operation of the ion trap and the heater can be used for extended periods without degradation of the system. The accuracy of the ion trap temperatures was assessed by examining two gas-phase equilibrium processes with known thermochemistry. In each case, the variable-temperature ion trap provided data that were in good accord with literature data, indicating the effective temperature in the ion trap environment was being successfully modulated by the changes in the set-point temperatures on the end-cap electrodes. The new design offers a convenient and effective way to convert commercial ion trap mass spectrometers into variable-temperature instruments.
Effects of Breeder Dietary Fat and Eggshell Cuticle Removal on Subsequent Broiler Growout Performance

Abstract Broiler breeder hens were fed isocaloric diets containing one of three different types and levels of added fat. Eggs collected when hens were 52 and 62 wk of age were either left intact or were washed to remove the eggshell cuticle prior to set. Chicks hatched from each breeder diet and eggshell cuticle treatment were reared through 22 days to assess effects on broiler performance. An increase in feed consumption in broilers from 52-wk-old breeders was associated with cuticle removal. It was concluded that eggshell cuticle removal in eggs from hens during post-peak production may lead to subsequent increases in feed consumption of broiler offspring.
Effects of phenolic glycosides and protein on gypsy moth (Lepidoptera: Lymantriidae) and forest tent caterpillar (Lepidoptera: Lasiocampidae) performance and detoxication activities

Levels of phenolic glycosides and protein influence the quality of aspen leaves to herbivorous insects, and vary in relation to genetic and environmental factors. This research was conducted to assess the independent and interactive effects of phenolic glycosides and protein on the performance and detoxication enzyme activities of gypsy moths, Lymantria dispar (L.), and forest tent caterpillars, Malacosoma disstria Hubner. We fed fourth-stadium larvae aspen leaves supplemented with 0, 2, or 4% (wet weight) phenolic glycosides and 0 or 5% (wet weight) casein. We measured stadium duration, growth and consumption rates, and food conversion efficiencies. In addition, we measured the activities of three midgut enzymes likely involved in the metabolism of phenolic glycosides: b-glucosidase, esterase, and glutathione transferase. Phenolic glycosides re- duced performance of both insect species in terms of increased developmental time and decreased growth rates. Casein supplementation increased growth rates of gypsy moth larvae but slightly reduced growth rates of forest tent caterpillars. Phenolic glycosides and protein did not interactively influence stadium duration or growth rates. b-glucosidase activities declined for both insect species when reared on diets with phenolic glycosides. Esterase activities were induced by phenolic glycosides only in gypsy moths, whereas glutathione transferase activities were induced by phenolic glycosides in both species. Casein supplementation had little influence on enzyme activities, and phenolic glycosides and protein interactively affected only forest tent caterpillar esterase activity.
Laser Microdissection: Application to Carcinogenesis

Although several microscopic techniques are available for separation of small groups of cells from surrounding tissue, the high energy concentrated into a small area, the easy control of beam position and the lack of direct contact with the material to be dissected make lasers the best option for a large scale microdissection. Laser microdissection technology provides samples of homogenous cells, or even a single cell, isolated from whole tissue or cytological materials to ensure that biological molecules such as DNA, RNA or protein are undamaged during sampling in order to define the molecular and cellular biology of diseases, including cancer. This article reviews the various techniques of laser microdissection including capture, catapulting and gravity-assisted, in addition to a cheaper alternative (ultrasound). Methods of sample preparation, including contamination eradication, enrichment, fixation, staining and extraction of biological molecules are also reviewed. Application of genomic and proteomic technology to laser microdissected cells has revolutionized the classification of solid cancer and enhanced its diagnosis, prognosis and drug discovery. Tissues are a heterogeneous mixture of different cell populations. In the era of genomics/proteomics, the correlation of molecular changes with morphologic pathologies requires procurement of pure populations of cells. Earlier methods
Learning how to ask: Interview techniques vis-à-vis native metacommunicative repertoires; or, on the analysis of communicative blunders

As noted in Chapter 2, Mexicanos draw on a wide range of accepted speech forms, and they know intuitively which types of expressions are appropriate for which social contexts. Growing up in a given speech community presents the language learner with innumerable opportunities to discover the rules that relate form, context, and meaning. When a researcher leaves her or his own native speech community and establishes contact with another group of human beings, however, no such common body of experience is available to smooth the initial encounters. The same problem arises when investigators work with a different social class or ethnic group within their own society. In filling this gap, researchers commonly draw on the communicative device their speech community views as the best means of obtaining large bodies of information in the least amount of time–the interview. The implicit reasoning seems to be that interviews allow the researcher to assume control of the type and quantity of information being conveyed. This enables him or her to circumvent the usual constraints on the transmission of knowledge (e.g., kinship, age, degree of intimacy, gender, initiation, etc.) I will argue that this process is really not quite as smooth and successful as we seem to imagine. Our ability to banish the native communicative norms that operate in other environments is far from complete, and the natives' own discourse rules have an odd way of infiltrating the interview.
Development of the Next Generation of Multi-chroic Antenna-Coupled Transition Edge Sensor Detectors for CMB Polarimetry

We present the development of the next generation of multi-chroic sinuous antenna-coupled transition edge sensor (TES) bolometers optimized for precision measurements of polarization of the cosmic microwave background (CMB) and cosmic foreground. These devices employ a polarization sensitive broadband self-complementary sinuous antenna to feed on-chip band defining filters before delivering the power to load resistors coupled to a TES on a released bolometer island. This technology was originally developed by UC Berkeley and will be deployed by POLARBEAR-2 and SPT-3G in the next year and half. In addition, it is a candidate detector for the LiteBIRD mission which will make all sky CMB and cosmic foreground polarization observations from a satellite platform in the early 2020’s. This works focuses on expanding both the bandwidth and band count per pixel of this technology in order to meet the needs of future CMB missions. This work demonstrates that these devices are well suited for observations between 20 and 380 GHz. This proceeding describes the design, fabrication, and the characterization of three new pixel types: a low-frequency triplexing pixel (LFTP) with bands centered on 40, 60, and 90 GHz, a high-frequency triplexing pixel (HFTP) with bands centered on 220, 280, and 350 GHz, and a mid-frequency tetraplexing pixel with bands (MFTP) centered on 90, 150, 220, and 280 GHz. The average fractional bandwidth of these pixels designs was 36.7, 34.5, and 31.4 % respectively. In addition we found that the polarization modulation efficiency of each band was between 1 and 3 % which is consistent with the polarization efficiency of the wire grid used to take the measurement. Finally, we find that the beams have $${\sim }$$ 1 % ellipticity for each pixel type. The thermal properties of the bolometers where tuned for characterization in our lab so we do not report on G and noise values as they would be unsuitable for modern CMB experiments.
AN IRREVERSIBLE THERMODYNAMIC MODEL OF NONLINEARITIES AND HYSTERESIS IN PIEZOCERAMICS

In this paper, a simple irreversible thermodynamic model that uses the concepts of the internal variable theory is developed to describe nonlinear material behavior of piezoceramics beyond the linear approximation region, which exhibit the following nonlinear characteristics: dielectric hysteresis, ferroelastic hysteresis, butterfly hysteresis, phase transition and depolarization. At each instant, the local state of a material point is described by a set of classical state variables and internal state variables that integrate the microstructure effects. Instead of micromechanical modeling of domains and their motions that would involve large computation efforts, a proper domain orientation distribution is assumed, in which the corresponding distribution parameters are chosen as the internal state variables. The Von Mises-Fisher circular distribution and the Fisher spherical distribution are chosen for 2-D and 3-D model, respectively. The distribution parameters are the concentration parameter κ, and the mean domain orientation that includes one polar angle θ for the 2-D model and two spherical orientation angles φ , θ for the 3-D model. The delineation of domain evolvements is simplified by the evolutions of domain orientation distribution, which is determined by the evolutions of the corresponding internal variables.
Effect of the Injection of Nonspecific Foreign Substances on the Course of Experimental Rabies

Investigations on the treatment of infectious diseases have recently received additional stimuli as a result of many favorable reports on the effect of nonspecific biochemic therapy in some of these diseases. Principal among the latter are rheumatic arthritis, gonorrheal arthritis, and typhoid fever. Experimentally, it has long been known that the resistance of animals to some infections could occasionally be raised by the injection of heterogeneous nonspecific substances. Thus Pfeiffer1 found that by injecting broth intraperitoneally the resistance of guineapigs to cholera infection was materially raised. Thus, also Babes,2 Fermi,3 and Repetto4 claimed to have produced immunity to rabies by subsequent treatments with normal brain tissue. Fermi5 claims, furthermore, to have rendered animals immune to experimental rabies by injections of fresh egg-yolk, mixtures of cholesterin and lecithin, and other lipoidal substances. The work of Babes, Fermi and Repetto have, however, not met with universal confirmation by other investigators. The objection most frequently raised to this work has been that the rabies inoculations were made subcutaneously. Their protocols present recoveries in 50-66*^ in relatively large series of animals. According to Koch,6 however, inoculations subcutaneously of rabies virus result in positive takes in only about 50^ of the animals inoculated, whereas subdural or intracerebral inoculations are positive in 100%. Repetto contends, however, that the percentage of positive infections in the subcutaneous inoculation of the virus in rats is greater than this, and that the results not in accord with his were obtained by others who did not repeat all the conditions of his experiments. The control series of
Presence and Persistence of Uranyl Peroxide Nanoclusters in Contact with Geological Media

Recently uranyl peroxide nanoclusters containing 24, 28, and 32 uranyl polyhedra were chemically and structurally characterized under alkaline conditions. Such nanoclusters could conceivable form from oxidative alteration of nuclear waste in a geological repository by incorporating peroxide formed by alpha-radiolysis of water or in tanks where high-level waste is stored. The stability and persistence of uranyl peroxides in the vadose zone will be impacted by their interaction with geological media. Here we report batch experiments of solutions containing monodisperse nanoclusters in contact with crushed welded tuff. Within the first 72 hours, U concentrations in solution remained unchanged; however concentrations of Si, Al, Ca, Mg, Na, and Fe increased due to the dissolution of calcium-bearing aluminum silicate minerals in the welded tuff. Despite the presence of excess Li+ in solution, within two weeks crystals precipitated in which Ca2+ replaced Li+ in the nanocluster cage.
Architecture and polity in the formative Lake Titicaca Basin, Bolivia

A regional approach to public architecture offers a useful medium through which to study changes in the scale of integrative institutions. Changes in political structure are often associated with changes in the scale and complexity of public ritual space. In Bolivia’s Lake Titicaca Basin, Middle Formative period (800–250 B.C.) villagers along the Taraco Peninsula built earthen platforms that visually dominated their settlements. Until recently, research on the peninsula had focused almost exclusively on the site of Chiripa, with the result that little was known of the regional context in which this site and its neighbors emerged. Now, after excavations at the contemporaneous site of Alto Pukara, the sequence of public architecture at Middle Formative communities may be viewed within a regional context. This paper evaluates the trajectory of institutional complexity along the Taraco Peninsula through a formal comparison of public ritual architecture at Alto Pukara and Chiripa. Six criteria for measuring architectural variation—centrality, permanence, accessibility, visibility, scale, and ubiquity—facilitate this comparison. Only through a regional approach can we understand the integrative role of public space in these early village societies.
Sensitive and rapid detection of anti-PEG in blood using surface plasmon resonance sensor (Conference Presentation)

Polyethylene glycol (PEG) is widely used to modify many therapeutic proteins and nanoparticles to reduce their immunogenicity and to improve their pharmacokinetic and therapeutic properties. It is generally accepted that PEG is non-immunogenic and non-antigenic. However, an emerging of literature and studies shows that the immune system can generate specific antibodies binding PEG. These anti-PEG antibodies not only correlate with adverse reactions appeared after patient infusions, but are also found to be the reason for therapeutic efficacy loss during chronical administrations. In addition, because of constant exposure to PEG in daily consumer products including detergents, processed food and cosmetics, a substantial proportion of the population has likely developed anti-PEG immunity. Thus a method to quickly and accurately measure the anti-PEG antibody level is desired. Nevertheless, the gold standard to detect anti-PEG antibodies is ELISA, which is costly and time-consuming especially for quantification. Herein, we demonstrated the anti-PEG measurement in blood serum using surface plasmon resonance (SPR) sensor. Several PEG-based surface functionalization on SPR sensor chip were studied in terms of protein resistance and the limit of detection (LOD) of anti-PEG. The quantitative detection can be achieved in less than 30 min with LOD comparable to ELISA. Furthermore, the IgG and IgM of anti-PEG can be differentiated by following the secondary antibody.
Analysis of etiology of bloodstream infection in children by sequencing the 16S rDNA

Objective To explore the value of PCR for analyzing the pathogenic spectrum of bloodstream infection(BSI) in children, and to provide a new thought for epidemiological survey of BSI. Methods A total of 100patients in PICU with suspected bacterial infections were included, and then performed blood cultivation(BC) and analyzed by 16S rDNA-PCR following by sequencing and BLAST. At the same time, the results of two methods were compared. Results Among the 100 specimens, the positive rate of BC and PCR are 11% and 23%, respectively.There was significant difference between the two methods(χ2=10.08, P0.05). Gram-positive bacteria and Gram-negative bacteria accounted for 65.2% and 34.8%, respectively, in 23 bacteria. The predominant pathogens were Staphylococcus epidermidis(26.1%), followed by Escherichia coil(17.4%). Conclusions Compared with BC, 16S rDNA-PCR and sequencing which provide a new way of analyzing the pathogenic spectrum of BSI might be effective for epidemiological investigation. The pathogens of BSI are mainly gram-positive bacteria in PICU, and Staphylococcus epidermidis is the most common one.
Effectiveness of an oral health program in improving the knowledge and competencies of head start staff.

Purpose Head Start and Early Head Start (HS/EHS) programs have partnered with the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry to promote oral health and increase access to dental homes. Preparing HS/EHS staff for issues related to pediatric oral health promises to improve effectiveness of this collaboration. This paper's purpose was to describe the Columbia Head Start Oral Health Program (C-HSOHP) and changes in HS/EHS staff pediatric oral health knowledge and competencies after participating in C-HSOHP. Methods Four HS/EHS grantees in New York City engaged in the 2008-09 C-HSOHP. A convenience sample of 61 staff completed pre- and postself assessments of knowledge and competencies. Results Significant paired mean improvements were found for staff-reported level of preparation to explain dental issues during pregnancy, the tooth decay process, and preparing parents for their child's first dental visit. Significant improvements were found in staff confidence in teaching parents about children's oral health issues, referring for pediatric dental services, and talking to a dentist about a concern. Conclusions The Columbia Head Start Oral Health Program was effective in improving Head Start/Early Head Start staff self-confidence and self-perceived preparedness in teaching parents about oral health, applying oral health knowledge to HS/EHS programs, communicating with dental professionals, and improving access to pediatric dental services.
Individual Differences in Participation in a Parent-Child Support Program

Most descriptions and evaluations of programs designed to enhance parent-child functioning have given scant attention—or none—to the determinants and nature of individual differences in participants’ program experiences. The tendency has been to conceptualize the treament as a unidimensional construct rather than a set of variables. Typically the treatment is viewed as either present or absent. Yet informal knowledge suggests there is considerable variation in program experience at the individual level. Cursory examination of a human service program indicates that workers do not carry out identical tasks in a uniform manner and that participants do not “receive” a program with similar intensity. The essence of a program may be characterized best by exploring these individual differences. Information about the range of experiences within intervention programs might help evaluators explain program effects with greater power and precision and, moreover, might assist program designers in improving the effectiveness of services.
Minimal Degrees Below \emptyset^{\prime}

The Spector proof of a minimal degree used a o” oracle to prune one tree \(T^{e-1}\) to obtain the next tree \(T^{e}\). Sacks used a variation of the finite injury method. He saw that the Spector method could be approximated to find a minimal degree below a o’ oracle
Nothing about Us without Us: Art Education's Disservice to Disabled People.

(2013). Nothing about Us Without Us: Art Education’s Disservice to Disabled People. Studies in Art Education: Vol. 54, No. 4, pp. 376-380.
Practice Effects on Story Memory and List Learning Tests in the Neuropsychological Assessment of Older Adults.

Two of the most commonly used methods to assess memory functioning in studies of cognitive aging and dementia are story memory and list learning tests. We hypothesized that the most commonly used story memory test, Wechsler's Logical Memory, would generate more pronounced practice effects than a well validated but less common list learning test, the Neuropsychological Assessment Battery (NAB) List Learning test. Two hundred eighty-seven older adults, ages 51 to 100 at baseline, completed both tests as part of a larger neuropsychological test battery on an annual basis. Up to five years of recall scores from participants who were diagnosed as cognitively normal (n = 96) or with mild cognitive impairment (MCI; n = 72) or Alzheimer's disease (AD; n = 121) at their most recent visit were analyzed with linear mixed effects regression to examine the interaction between the type of test and the number of times exposed to the test. Other variables, including age at baseline, sex, education, race, time (years) since baseline, and clinical diagnosis were also entered as fixed effects predictor variables. The results indicated that both tests produced significant practice effects in controls and MCI participants; in contrast, participants with AD declined or remained stable. However, for the delayed—but not the immediate—recall condition, Logical Memory generated more pronounced practice effects than NAB List Learning (b = 0.16, p < .01 for controls). These differential practice effects were moderated by clinical diagnosis, such that controls and MCI participants—but not participants with AD—improved more on Logical Memory delayed recall than on delayed NAB List Learning delayed recall over five annual assessments. Because the Logical Memory test is ubiquitous in cognitive aging and neurodegenerative disease research, its tendency to produce marked practice effects—especially on the delayed recall condition—suggests a threat to its validity as a measure of new learning, an essential construct for dementia diagnosis.
Honokiol Decreases Lung Cancer Metastasis through Inhibition of the STAT3 Signaling Pathway

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in the United States. Metastasis to lymph nodes and distal organs, especially brain, leads to severe complications and death. Preventing lung cancer development and metastases is an important strategy to reduce lung cancer mortality. Honokiol (HNK), a natural compound present in the extracts of magnolia bark, has a favorable bioavailability profile and recently has been shown to readily cross the blood-brain barrier. In the current study, we evaluated the antimetastatic effects of HNK in both the lymph node and brain mouse models of lung tumor metastasis. We tested the efficacy of HNK in preventing 18 H2030-BrM3 cell (brain-seeking human lung tumor cells) migration to lymph node or brain. In an orthotopic mouse model, HNK significantly decreased lung tumor growth compared with the vehicle control group. HNK also significantly reduced the incidence of lymph node metastasis and the weight of mediastinal lymph nodes. In a brain metastasis model, HNK inhibits metastasis of lung cancer cells to the brain to approximately one third of that observed in control mice. We analyzed HNK's mechanism of action, which indicated that its effect is mediated primarily by inhibiting the STAT3 pathway. HNK specifically inhibits STAT3 phosphorylation irrespective of the mutation status of EGFR, and knockdown of STAT3 abrogated both the antiproliferative and the antimetastatic effects of HNK. These observations suggest that HNK could provide novel chemopreventive or therapeutic options for preventing both lung tumor progression and lung cancer metastasis. Cancer Prev Res; 10(2); 133-41. ©2016 AACR.
Improved supercapacitor performance of MnO2-electrospun carbon nanofibers electrodes by mT magnetic field

Abstract This work reports on a finding of mT magnetic field induced energy storage enhancement of MnO2-based supercapacitance electrodes (magneto-supercapacitor). Electrodes with MnO2 electrochemically deposited at electrospun carbon nanofibers (ECNFs) film are studied by cyclic voltammetry (CV), galvanostatic charge/discharge, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), and life cycle stability tests in the presence/absence of milli-Tesla (mT) magnetic fields derived by Helmholtz coils. In the presence of a 1.34 mT magnetic field, MnO2/ECNFs shows a magneto-enhanced capacitance of 141.7 F g−1 vs. 119.2 F g−1 (∼19% increase) with absence of magnetic field at a voltage sweeping rate of 5 mV s−1. The mechanism of the magneto-supercapacitance is discussed and found that the magnetic susceptibility of the MnO2 significantly improves the electron transfer of a pseudo-redox reaction of Mn(IV)/Mn(III) at the electrode, along with the magnetic field induced impedance effect, which may greatly enhance the interface charge density, facilitate electrolyte transportation, and improve the efficiency of cation intercalation/de-intercalation of the pseudocapacitor under mT-magnetic field exposure, resulting in enhancement of energy storage capacitance and longer charge/discharge time of the MnO2/ECNFs electrode without sacrificing its life cycle stability.
Anti-Atp synthase β-chain autoantibodies

ABSTRACT IgA and IgM autoantibodies against the β-chain of ATP synthase (ASA) have been separately described in different cohort of patients with coeliac disease and nephrotic syndrome. In the later case, they occur in concomitance with anti-actin IgM and/or with anti-nuclear autoantibodies that indicate some parallelism with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). ASA IgM were found in children who developed nephrotic syndrome under 15 years and presented resistance or dependence to steroids and cyclosporine. Focal segmental glomerulosclerosis and mesangial proliferation with IgM deposition was the histology background in almost all cases. Patients positive for circulating ASA IgM could not be separated from other nephrotic patients on clinical grounds and represent a subset with uncertain significance. Further screening studies will better define clinical implications and inconsistencies and possibly define personalized therapeutic approaches.