cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Pilot study using five methods to evaluate skin barrier function in healthy dogs and in dogs with atopic dermatitis.

Background Atopic dermatitis is associated with skin barrier defects. In people, noninvasive techniques are used to quantify the skin barrier functionality. In dogs, transepidermal water loss (TEWL), stratum corneum hydration and pH have been used to assess skin barrier function. However, few studies have determined their repeatability. Objective To assess the repeatability of measurements of skin hydration, TEWL, pH, skin absorbance and erythema in healthy and atopic dogs. Animals Fifteen healthy and 15 atopic privately owned dogs. Methods and materials Three repeated measurements using Corneometer®, Skin-pH-Meter®, Colorimeter® and VapoMeter® were obtained from inguinal, axilla, pinna and interdigital space by three investigators. Intra- and interobserver variability (coefficient of variation, correlation coefficients and intraclass correlation coefficients) and difference between the two groups (t-test or Mann-Whitney U-test) were determined. Results High repeatability and low variation were observed both intra- and interobservers for all devices except the VapoMeter®. The most repeatable device was the Skin-pH-Meter®, whereas the VapoMeter® was the device with the highest intra- and interobserver variability. Atopic dogs had a significantly increased pH (inguinal P = 0.03; axilla P = 0.02) and erythema (inguinal P = 0.01; axilla P = 0.02) compared to healthy dogs. No differences between the two groups were detected using the Corneometer®, VapoMeter® or Colorimeter® (tartrazine absorption). Conclusion and clinical significance The results of this pilot study support the use of Corneometer®, Skin-pH-Meter® and Colorimeter® in the assessment of skin barrier function in dogs; further investigations to optimize measurements and confirm these results are needed.
Mild Physiologic Hyperglycemia Induces Hepatic Insulin Resistance in Healthy Normal Glucose-Tolerant Participants.

CONTEXT Chronic hyperglycemia worsens skeletal muscle insulin resistance and β-cell function. However, the effect of sustained physiologic hyperglycemia on hepatic insulin sensitivity is not clear. OBJECTIVE To examine the effect of sustained physiologic hyperglycemia (similar to that observed in patients with type 2 diabetes) on endogenous (primarily reflecting hepatic) glucose production (EGP) in healthy individuals. DESIGN Volunteers participated in a three-step hyperinsulinemic (10, 20, 40 mU/m2 per minute) euglycemic clamp before and after a 48-hour glucose infusion to increase plasma glucose concentration by ∼40 mg/dL above baseline. EGP was measured with 3-3H-glucose before and after chronic glucose infusion. PARTICIPANTS Sixteen persons with normal glucose tolerance [eight with and eight without a family history (FH) of diabetes] participated in the study. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE EGP. RESULTS Basal EGP increased following 48 hours of glucose infusion (from a mean ± SEM of 2.04 ± 0.08 to 3.06 ± 0.29 mg/kgffm⋅ min; P < 0.005). The hepatic insulin resistance index (basal EGP × fasting plasma insulin) markedly increased following glucose infusion (20.1 ± 1.8 to 51.7 ± 6.6; P < 0.005) in both FH+ and FH- subjects. CONCLUSION Sustained physiologic hyperglycemia for as little as 48 hours increased the rate of basal hepatic glucose production and induced hepatic insulin resistance in health persons with normal glucose tolerance, providing evidence for the role of glucotoxicity in the increase in hepatic glucose production in type 2 diabetes.
Adipose-specific Monocyte Chemotactic Protein-1 Deficiency Reduces Pulmonary Metastasis of Lewis Lung Carcinoma in Mice.

Aim Monocyte chemotactic protein-1 (MCP1) is a potent adipokine. This study tested the hypothesis that adipose-produced MCP1 contributes to metastasis. Materials and methods In a spontaneous metastasis model of Lewis lung carcinoma (LLC), male adipose MCP1-deficient (Mcp1-/-) and wild-type (WT) mice were fed the AIN93G diet or a high-fat diet (HFD) for 11 weeks. Lung metastasis from a subcutaneous tumor was the primary endpoint. Results The adipose expression of MCP1 was lower in Mcp1-/- mice than in WT controls. The HFD increased the number of lung metastases in WT mice. The number of metastasis was significantly lower in the HFD-fed Mcp1-/- mice than in the HFD-fed WT mice. Compared to the WT mice, adipose MCP1 deficiency lowered plasma concentrations of insulin, proinflammatory adipokines (leptin, plasminogen activator inhibitor-1, and resistin), and angiogenic markers (vascular endothelial growth factor, hepatocyte growth factor, and angiopoietin-2). Conclusion Adipose MCP1 deficiency attenuates HFD-enhanced pulmonary metastasis of LLC.
Regulation of postmenopausal hypertension

Abstract Menopause, the cessation of menstrual cycling, is associated with an increase in risk for cardiovascular diseases, including hypertension. Currently, the average age of menopause is 51 and studies have found that the risk factors for postmenopausal diseases begin to develop during perimenopause, the 5- to 10-year period preceding the onset of menopause. Clinical studies have demonstrated that only 36% of postmenopausal women with hypertension have their blood pressure under control, despite taking antihypertensives. Women taking a monotherapy of a beta-blocker, an Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor, or a calcium channel blocker are less likely to have their blood pressure under control than women who take a diuretic alone. Discrepancies in disease pathology between pre- and postmenopausal women, and the cause of the reduced effectiveness of the major antihypertensive therapeutics remain unclear. This chapter highlights recent developments in our understanding of postmenopausal hypertension, including potential mechanistic pathways that may provide new treatment paradigms, including the activation of immune cells and inflammatory pathways in the postmenopausal kidney and vasculature.
Extended Collective Licenses in International Treaty Perspective: Issues and Statutory Implementation

National legislation establishing extended collective licenses (ECLs) “authoriz[es] a collective organization to license all works within a category, such as literary works, for particular, limited uses, regardless of whether copyright owners belong to the organization or not. The collective then negotiates agreements with user groups, and the terms of those agreements are binding upon all copyright owners by operation of law.” Albeit authorized under national laws, collective coverage of non-members’ works may pose issues of compatibility with international norms. For example, if non-members must opt-out in order to preserve the individual management of their rights, is the opt-out a “formality” prohibited by art. 5(2) of the Berne Convention? Without an opt-out, does the collective’s exercise of nonmember rights operate like an exception or limitation whose contours the Berne Convention, the TRIPS Accord, and the WIPO Copyright Treaty “three-step test” constrain? This essay will analyze the extent to which international norms apply to ECLs and then will propose a treaty-compatible approach to opting-out. ECL systems are a pragmatic response to the growing demand for bulk use of works of authorship, particularly in the digital environment. They can enhance access for users and remuneration to authors, and often may furnish the best means of achieving these ends. Provided, however, that authors' consent is properly presumed, or that the covered uses are defined to avoid conflict with normal exploitations, including emerging exploitations. An opt-out can enable the CMO to license uses that might otherwise encroach on normal exploitations, but for that reason, the more the ECL treads on transactionally-licensable exploitations, the higher the burden to justify the extension effect to non members through a rigorously-administered opt-out program that effectively notifies and clearly explains the consequences to non CMO member authors of their right to opt-out.
The experimental analysis of verbal behavior.

Theverbal behavior literature, inthepages ofthis journal andelsewhere, includes both data-based research onverbal behavior and talk about verbal behavior. Acknowledging that wehaveourselves occasionally contributedtotheimbalance, wenevertheless believe that there should bemoreoftheformer andless ofthelatter. Forexample, weonce submitted achapter toabookabout verbally governed behavior, andwhenthebookappeared weweresurprised todiscover that amongthe10contributions initourswas theonlyonetopresent original data (Catania, Shimoff, & Matthews, 1989). We therefore offer here afewsuggestions about somepossibilities forenhancing theexperimental database fortheanalysis ofverbal behavior. Depending ontheavailable time andresources, wemaysomedaygettoone oranother ofthese topics ourselves. Butwe arenotlikely tostart onanyoftheminthe nearfuture, andwesurely will never beable tocoverallofthem, soweoffer these suggestions inthehopethat someothers will take themup.Theworst that wouldhappen ifmorethanoneinvestigator gottoworkon thesametopic isthateachwouldbecome moreexperienced ingathering dataonverbalbehavior andthat somefindings would bestrengthened (orquestioned) byreplication. Themostwelcome commentary we could getonoursuggestions wouldbethe presentation ofdatasets fromoneormore ofthese research lines. Verbally governed andcontingency-shaped
Detect-and-Avoid Alerting Performance for High-Speed UAS and Non-Cooperative Aircraft

This paper presents a set of experiments designed to assess the viability of using a smaller Detect and Avoid (DAA) volume for large Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) when they are trying to remain well clear of non-cooperative visual flight rules (VFR) aircraft, in compliance with Federal regulations. The current DAA volume was defined for both cooperative and non-cooperative VFR traffic by the work of RTCA (Radio Technical Commission for Aeronautics) Special Committee 228 in 2017, in what is referred to in this paper as the Phase 1 standards. Subsequent work by the committee has been focused on enabling operations by smaller UAS that cannot carry the heavy radars required for the Phase 1 DAA Minimum Operational Performance Standards (MOPS). The work discussed in this paper will explore whether a Phase 1 UAS using a Phase 1 radar can use the reduced non-cooperative DAA alerting volume being studied for smaller, slower Phase 2 UAS without significantly degrading system safety. The study uses UAS models and background traffic from previous Phase 1 and Phase 2 research to run an unmitigated simulation that will examine alerting performance using different DAA well clear definitions. The primary metrics are also tied to the alerting performance of the DAA system, and include average alerting times, probabilities of missed and late alerts, and the probability of a near mid-air collision given a loss of "well clear," as defined by the DAA system. Results are expected to help RTCA make the determination whether or not the DAA well clear definition for Phase 1 UAS can be reduced for non-cooperative VFR aircraft.
Paradox-driven adventures in the development of cancer immunology and immunotherapy

After more than one hundred years of documented trials, immunotherapy has become a standard of care in the treatment of human cancer. Much of the knowledge that led to recent breakthroughs seems quite logical from today's point of view. However, what we now cite as facts were originally considered paradoxes, meaning something contrary to expectations or perceived opinion at the time. In order to make gains in the field of immunotherapy, one had to be willing to confront ideas and concepts that seemed to contradict one another, and reconcile how each could be true. This is what led to new knowledge and advances. Here, we highlight some of these paradoxes and the milestone discoveries that followed, each one critical for our understanding of immune checkpoint pathways. By outlining some of the steps that we took and the challenges that we overcame, we hope to inspire and encourage future generations of researchers to confront the paradoxes that still permeate the field.
Fast and precise single-cell data analysis using hierarchical autoencoder

Abstract A primary challenge in single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) studies comes from the massive amount of data and the excess noise level. To address this challenge, we introduce a hierarchical autoencoder that reliably extracts representative information of each cell. In an extensive analysis, we demonstrate that the approach vastly outperforms state-of-the-art techniques in many research sub-fields of scRNA-seq analysis, including cell segregation through unsupervised learning, visualization of transcriptome landscape, cell classification, and pseudo-time inference.
Contempt Management: You’re Crazy, I’m Not

Enactments of contempt and counter-contempt often occur when patient and analyst become embroiled in power struggles about the nature of reality. The patient feels shamed for being deemed “out of t...
Nitric oxide produced by periostial hemocytes modulates the bacterial infection-induced reduction of the mosquito heart rate.

The circulatory and immune systems of mosquitoes are functionally integrated. An infection induces the migration of hemocytes to the dorsal vessel, and specifically, to the regions surrounding the ostia of the heart. These periostial hemocytes phagocytose pathogens in the areas of the hemocoel that experience the highest hemolymph flow. Here, we investigated whether a bacterial infection affects cardiac rhythmicity in the African malaria mosquito, Anopheles gambiae We discovered that infection with Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus epidermidis, but not Micrococcus luteus, reduces the mosquito heart rate and alters the proportional directionality of heart contractions. Infection does not alter the expression of genes encoding crustacean cardioactive peptide (CCAP), FMRFamide, corazonin, neuropeptide F or short neuropeptide F, indicating that they do not drive the cardiac phenotype. Infection tepidly upregulates the transcription of two superoxide dismutase (SOD) genes, catalase and a glutathione peroxidase, but it induces the dramatic upregulation of nitric oxide synthase (NOS) in both the heart and hemocytes. Within the heart, nitric oxide synthase is produced by periostial hemocytes, and chemically inhibiting the production of nitric oxide using L-NAME reverses the infection-induced cardiac phenotype. Finally, infection induces the upregulation of two lysozyme genes in the heart and other tissues, and treating mosquitoes with lysozyme reduces the heart rate in a manner reminiscent of the infection phenotype. These data demonstrate an exciting new facet of the integration between the immune and circulatory systems of insects, whereby a hemocyte-produced factor with immune activity, namely nitric oxide, modulates heart physiology.
Iron Controllable Lithium into Lithiotropic Carbon Fiber Fabric: A Novel Li Metal Anode with Improved Cyclability and Dendrite Suppression

The Department of Energy (DoE) announced the >500 Wh/Kg even 600 Wh/Kg target of the energy density for next-generation lithium-ion batteries in the incoming 3-5 years, to meet the rapidly growing market in electrical vehicles (EVs) and portable electronic devices. In order to reach this goal, Li metal, is considered as the most promising candidate as anode (Xu, Energy Environ Sci 2014). However, the dendrite forming, low Coulombic efficiency, and unstable solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) pose big challenges in applying Li metal in batteries (Chandrashekar, Nat Mater 2012). Herewe report a novel, single-side Li-infused carbon fiber fabric (LiCFF) with a controllable, minimized Li loading, which shows a highly reversible plating/stripping with a low overpotential of less than 50 mV (Li foil: >1.0 V over 50 cycles) in symmetric cells up to >3000 cycles (>6000 hours) (Energy Environ Sci, under review). Full cell batteries using the LiCFF as 'all-in-one' anode without additional slurry-making process and nickel-manganese-cobalt oxide (NMC) as cathode exhibit an improved capacity retention when compared with Li foil: 32% at 0.5 C and 119% at 1.0 C capacity improved after 100 cycles. In parallel, the mossy/dendritic Li on the LiCFF was largely suppressed, which was confirmed using in-situobservations of Li plating/striping in a capillary cell. The stable, uniform deposition of a thin, controllable Li layer on CFF using a facile ironing method lead to form a reversible, dendrite-free Li metal electrode, which enables practical applications in Li-metal based batteries such as Li-S, Li-O2, and Li-transition metals.
Filling the Empty: An Unnoticed Pun in James 2.20-23

The style of James’s epistle receives much acclaim. Among other techniques like alliteration and rhythm, James enjoys a play on words. I propose that James puns on the concept of “filling” with thr...
Moya Bailey. Misogynoir Transformed: Black Women’s Digital Resistance. New York, NY: NYU Press, 2020. 248p. Hardcover, $28.00 (ISBN: 9781479865109).

Moya Bailey is known for coining the term “misogynoir,” defined as the “particular venom directed at Black women through negative representations in Media” (xiii). Bailey has personal experience with this phenomenon. She gained a name for herself in the world of hip-hop cultural criticism in 2004 as an undergraduate student at Spelman College when she led a protest of the rapper Nelly’s visit to her college campus. At the time, Nelly had been named “Misogynist of the Month” at Spelman, a women’s college and HBCU in Atlanta, because of his controversial, sexually explicit music video “Tip Drill.” The music video was constantly replayed on television and included graphic and explicit sexuality involving Black women. Bailey and her classmates were unaware that the college had agreed to host a bone-marrow drive for the rapper’s sister, who had leukemia. The student protest upended the bone-marrow drive, gained national attention, and is still discussed as a pivotal moment in hip-hop. Bailey and her classmates at Spelman received condemnation for their stance nationwide. Bailey cites this experience as the catalyst to her coining of the term “misogynoir.”
New Modes of Surfactant Delivery

Abstract The provision of exogenous surfactant to premature infants with respiratory distress syndrome has revolutionized the way we care for these patients, significantly improving survival and decreasing morbidity. Currently, the Intubate-SURfactant-Extubate (INSURE) to non-invasive ventilation method remains the standard method for surfactant delivery in the United States. However, the INSURE method requires intubation via direct visualization with a laryngoscope and possible need for sedation. Both carry significant risk to the patients, prompting the development of less invasive ways of safely and efficaciously providing surfactant to newborn infants. The present article reviews and describes the benefits and limitations of several of these alternative methods, including Less Invasive Surfactant Administration (LISA), Minimally Invasive Surfactant Therapy (MIST), via aerosolization, laryngeal mask airway (LMA), and direct nasopharyngeal deposition, focusing on assessment of clinical benefits and the level/risk of invasiveness.
Software mitigations to hedge AES against cache-based software side channel vulnerabilities.

Hardware side channel vulnerabilities have been studied for many years in embedded silicon-security arena including SmartCards, SetTop-boxes, etc. However, because various recent security activities have goals of improving the software isolation properties of PC platforms, software side channels have become a subject of interest. Recent publications discussed cache-based software side channel vulnerabilities of AES and RSA. Thus, following the classical approach — a new side channel vulnerability opens a new mitigation research path — this paper starts to investigate efficient mitigations to protect AES-software against side channel vulnerabilities. First, we will present several mitigation strategies to harden existing AES software against cache-based software side channel attacks and analyze their theoretical protection. Then, we will present a performance and security evaluation of our mitigation strategies. For ease of evaluation we measured the performance of our code against the performance of the openSSL AES implementation. In addition, we also analyzed our code under various existing attacks. Depending on the level of the required side channel protection, the measured performance loss of our mitigations strategies versus openSSL (respectively best assembler) varies between factors of 1.35 (2.66) and 2.85 (5.83).
History counts: a comparative analysis of racial / color categorization in US and Brazilian censuses.

Categories of race (ethnicity, color, or both) have appeared and continue to appear in the demographic censuses of numerous countries, including the United States and Brazil. Until recently, such categorization had largely escaped critical scrutiny, being viewed and treated as a technical procedure requiring little conceptual clarity or historical explanation. Recent political developments and methodological changes, in US censuses especially, have engendered a critical reexamination of both the comparative and the historical dimensions of categorization. The author presents a comparative analysis of the histories of racial/color categorization in American and Brazilian censuses and shows that racial (and color) categories have appeared in these censuses because of shifting ideas about race and the enduring power of these ideas as organizers of political, economic, and social life in both countries. These categories have not appeared simply as demographic markers. The author demonstrates that censuses are instruments at a state's disposal and are not simply detached registers of population and performance.
Induced Structural Defects in T-Even Bacteriophage

Abstract Multiple aberrant substructures of T-even bacteriophage particles occurred when amino acid analogues or antimetabolites were present during phage growth. Certain aberrant substructures were induced by specific analogues or antimetabolites. In particular, it was observed by electron microscopy that l-canavanine, an arginine analogue, gave rise to polyheads; l-azetidine-2-carboxylic acid, a proline analogue, gave rise to polytail tubes; and 1,2,4-trizaole-3-alanine, a histidine analogue, proflavine, and actinomycin D all gave rise to small heads. These aberrant substructures were similar to those reported earlier with conditional lethal mutants (amber) of T4D in a restrictive host.
Closing in on a mammalian touch receptor.

A recent Nature paper on mice lacking the Na+ channel BNC1 shows that this channel is essential for neuronal touch receptor function and may be part of a mechanosensory complex.
Molecular Resonance Phenomena

Resonant autoionizing states of molecules and autodetaching states of molecular negative ions play important roles in many collision phenomena involving low energy electrons, e. g. dissociative attachment, associative and Penning ionization, dissociative recombination, etc.1, 2 Although the formal theory2, 3 describing resonant scattering of electrons from molecules has been developed during the past 20 years, only a few quantitative studies of molecular resonance phenomena had appeared in the literature until recently.2, 4 During the last three years, significant progress has been made toward the development of reliable and practical methods for calculating the decay width of molecular resonances within the Born-Oppenheimer approximation. The method of complex scaling5, 6 and the Stieltjes-moment-theory technique7, 8 are the two ab initio methods which have received most of the attention. In his talk, T. Rescigno will review recent work on the method of complex scaling as it applies to calculating molecular resonance parameters and photoionization cross sections. In my talk, I will focus on the Stieltjes-moment-theory technique and its recent applications to resonance phenomena in diatomic molecules.
Abolition of lemniscal barrellette patterning in Prrxl1 knockout mice: Effects upon ingestive behavior

Ingestive behaviors in mice are dependent on orosensory cues transmitted via the trigeminal nerve, as confirmed by transection studies. However, these studies cannot differentiate between deficits caused by the loss of the lemniscal pathway vs. the parallel paralemniscal pathway. The paired-like homeodomain protein Prrxl1 is expressed widely in the brain and spinal cord, including the trigeminal system. A knockout of Prrxl1 abolishes somatotopic barrellette patterning in the lemniscal brainstem nucleus, but not in the parallel paralemniscal nucleus. Null animals are significantly smaller than littermates by postnatal day 5, but reach developmental landmarks at appropriate times, and survive to adulthood on liquid diet. A careful analysis of infant and adult ingestive behavior reveals subtle impairments in suckling, increases in time spent feeding and the duration of feeding bouts, feeding during inappropriate times of the day, and difficulties in the mechanics of feeding. During liquid diet feeding, null mice display abnormal behaviors including extensive use of the paws to move food into the mouth, submerging the snout in the diet, changes in licking, and also have difficulty consuming solid chow pellets. We suggest that our Prrxl1(-/-) animal is a valuable model system for examining the genetic assembly and functional role of trigeminal lemniscal circuits in the normal control of eating in mammals and for understanding feeding abnormalities in humans resulting from the abnormal development of these circuits.
The magic prism

My aim in The Magic Prism was to engage critically the Frege-Russell tradition at a fundamental level. My perspective radically rejects the tradition's individualism as well as what I call its "thought orientation," its prioritizing thought over language. In place of these tendencies, I emphasize linguistic practice, a social phenomenon. The reference of words focal in late 20th century philosophy of language is not to be grounded in the mind's grasp of the things it thinks about. Quite the contrary, one of the ways we become equipped to think about things is by having words that, as our practices go, stand for things. Linguistic practice, a social phenomenon, thus becomes pivotal. And the philosophy of language takes on an anthropological bent; its quarry is our linguistic practice. Here is a rough and ready guide to the book. In Chapter 1, I introduce the reader to the main problems in the field by way of an introduction to the thought of Frege, the father of the subject. Chapter 2 takes one deeper into the traditional picture, in part by playing Russell off Frege, in part by exploring the nature of their muchremarked fellowship. Here I introduce a notion that plays a pivotal role in the book the cognitive fix idea: The reference of a word is grounded in the mind's grasp of the item in question. This idea suggests a requirement that is endorsed in one way or another by Frege, Russell, and their many followers (even, alas, many direct reference advocates): The use of a linguistic expression to refer requires that the speaker possess a discriminating cognitive fix on the wouldbe referent; that the speaker's cognitive state must single out the relevant item.
Probing structural variability at the N terminus of the TSH receptor with a murine monoclonal antibody that distinguishes between two receptor conformational forms

Despite elucidation of the crystal structure of M22, a human thyroid-stimulating autoantibody (TSAb) bound to the TSH receptor (TSHR) leucine-rich repeat domain (LRD), the mechanism by which TSAs activate the TSHR and cause Graves' disease remains unknown. A nonstimulatory murine monoclonal antibody, 3BD10, and TSAb interact with the LRD N-terminal cysteine cluster and reciprocally distinguish between two different LRD conformational forms. To study this remarkable phenomenon, we investigated properties of 3BD10, which has a linear epitopic component. By synthetic peptide ELISA, we identified 3BD10 binding to TSHR amino acids E34, E35, and D36 within TSHR cysteine-bonded loop 2 (C31-C41), which includes R38, the most N-terminal contact residue of TSAb M22. On flow cytometry, despite not contributing to the 3BD10 and M22 epitopes, chimeric substitution (but not deletion) of TSHR cysteine-bonded loop 1 (C24-C29) eliminated 3BD10 binding to the TSHR ectodomain (ECD) expressed on the cell surface, as found previously for TSAb including M22. Furthermore, 3BD10 did not recognize all cell surface TSHR ECDs, consistent with recognition of only one conformational receptor form. Reversion to wild-type of small components of the loop 1 chimeric substitution partially restored 3BD10 binding to the TSHR-ECD but not to synthetic peptides tested by ELISA. Molecular modeling supports the concept that modification of TSHR C-bonded loop 1 influences loop 2 conformation as well as LRD residues further downstream. In conclusion, the present study with mouse monoclonal antibody 3BD10 confirms TSHR conformational heterogeneity and suggests that the N-terminal cysteine cluster may contribute to this structural variability.
VIRUS AND DNA SYNTHESIS IN X-IRRADIATED HUMAN KIDNEY CELL CULTURES EXPOSED TO ADENOVIRUS TYPE 12.

SummarySynthesis of DNA in human kidney cell cultures was prevented by X-irradiation. Adenovirus type 12 replicated in irradiated cells as well as unirradiated cells. Virus production was preceded and accompanied by marked increase in cells showing DNA synthesis in the nucleus as monitored by autoradiography, which may be virus and/ or virus-stimulated cell DNA.
Mycophenolate mofetil dose reductions and discontinuations after gastrointestinal complications are associated with renal transplant graft failure

Background. Mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) use in renal transplantation has steadily increased since 1995 because of its ability to lower the risks of rejection and chronic allograft nephropathy. However, significant gastrointestinal (GI) complications may lead to MMF dose reductions and discontinuations. Little is known of the association between MMF dose reductions and discontinuations following GI complications and graft survival. Methods. Using the United States Renal Data System, we identified 3,675 adult recipients (age ≥18) with a diagnosed GI complication who were prescribed MMF at the time of first GI diagnosis and had Medicare as their primary insurer. MMF doses were ascertained from Medicare payment records. We estimated risk of graft loss associated with MMF dose adjustments after GI diagnosis: dosage unchanged (reference), reduced <50%, reduced ≥50%, and MMF discontinued. Patients were followed until graft loss, death, last recorded immunosuppression prescription, or 3 years posttransplant. Results. Compared to those with no MMF dose reductions or discontinuations, the risk of graft failure increased with MMF doses reduction ≥50% (HR=2.36, 95% CI 1.23-4.54) and those with MMF discontinuation (2.72, CI 1.60-4.64). Conclusion. Renal transplant recipients who underwent MMF dose reduction or withdrawal following GI diagnosis are associated with increased risk of graft failure.
Chronic Total Occlusion Angioplasty in the United States

Coronary chronic total occlusions (CTOs) are commonly encountered complex lesions identified in 15% of all patients referred for coronary angiography. Chronic total occlusion remains the most powerful predictor of referral for coronary bypass surgery. The benefits of CTO percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) include symptom relief, improved left ventricular function, and potentially a survival advantage associated with success when compared with failed CTO-PCI. Data from the NCDR (National Cardiovascular Data Registry) suggest that CTO-PCI attempt rates in the U.S. have not changed over the past 5 years despite significant advances in techniques and technology, some of which we review here. Additionally, these data highlight a major disparity in attempt rates based on operator PCI volume. Remaining barriers to attempting CTO-PCI in the U.S. include operator inexperience, the perception of increased risk of CTO-PCI, and financial disincentives to operators and hospitals. To overcome operator inexperience, participation in CTO clubs, the invitation of guest operators, and a dedicated CTO day can be implemented at institutions committed to learning advanced CTO-PCI techniques so that operators can overcome the barriers and offer patients access to percutaneous therapy when it is clinically indicated.
Microstructure of Molybdenum Disilicide‐Silicon Carbide Nanocomposite Thin Films

Composite thin films of molybdenum disilicide-silicon carbide (MoSi2-SiC) have been deposited via rf magnetron sputtering onto molybdenum substrates. An intermediate layer was deposited in the presence of nitrogen gas and evaluated as a potential diffusion barrier layer. The composite films have been characterized using X-ray diffractometry, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and Auger electron spectroscopy. The as-deposited films were amorphous but crystallized into nanometer-sized grains after annealing under vacuum at 1000°C for 30 min. There was a significant amount of interdiffusion between the film and substrate, which resulted in the formation of subsilicides such as Mo5Si3 and MoSi3, as well as Mo2C. The films that were deposited via reactive sputtering in a nitrogen ambient were amorphous in both the as-deposited and annealed conditions. Significantly fewer second phases were detected with the presence of the intermediate layer, which suggests the potential use of the nitrided (MoSixNyCz) layer as a high-temperature diffusion barrier layer for the silicon and carbon.
Simvastatin inhibits Candida albicans biofilm in vitro.

By inhibiting the conversion of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl CoA (HMG-CoA) to mevalonate, statins impair cholesterol metabolism in humans. We reasoned that statins might similarly interfere with the biosynthesis of ergosterol, the major sterol of the yeast cell membrane. As assessed by spectrophotometric and microscopic analysis, significant inhibition of biofilm production was noted after 16-h incubation with 1, 2.5, and 5 μM simvastatin, concentrations that did not affect growth, adhesion, or hyphal formation by C. albicans in vitro. Higher concentrations (10, 20, and 25 μM simvastatin) inhibited biofilm by >90% but also impaired growth. Addition of exogenous ergosterol (90 μM) overcame the effects of 1 and 2.5 μM simvastatin, suggesting that at least one mechanism of inhibition is interference with ergosterol biosynthesis. Clinical isolates from blood, skin, and mucosal surfaces produced biofilms; biofilms from bloodstream isolates were similarly inhibited by simvastatin. In the absence of fungicidal activity, simvastatin's interruption of a critical step in an essential metabolic pathway, highly conserved from yeast to man, has unexpected effects on biofilm production by a eukaryotic pathogen.
Abdominal pain in the ED: Stability and change over 20 years

Abdominal pain (AP) is a common presenting complaint in emergency department (ED) patients. A 1972 study reported that unsupervised surgical residents in a university hospital ED were unable to make a specific diagnosis in 41% of 1,000 AP patients. In the intervening time, ED availability of diagnostic technology has increased, and the reference hospital acquired full-time emergency medicine (EM) faculty. To assess what changes occurred in the evaluation and epidemiology of AP, a similar study was done at the same hospital. The study design was a review of records of 1,000 consecutive ED patients with AP seen in 1993 at a 58,000-visit public Level I trauma center ED. The percentage of ED patients (4% to 5%) with AP was unchanged. Frequency of hospital admission dropped from 27.4% (1972) to 18.3% (1993). There was marked increase in the specificity of diagnoses, with only 24.9% in 1993 diagnosed as undifferentiated abdominal pain (UDAP). There were eight cases of missed appendicitis in 1972 and none in 1993. One 1993 patient with acute cholecystitis was initially misdiagnosed as having UDAP. Advances in technology and EM faculty presence were temporally associated with improved diagnostic accuracy in patients with AP in a university hospital ED. As compared with 20 years ago, fewer patients required hospitalization, more were assigned a specific diagnosis, and there were fewer cases of missed surgical disease.
Comparative study of Ho3+ doped Yttria (Yttrium oxide), LuAG and YAG as gain media for eye-safe resonantly pumped lasers

We present spectroscopic properties and lasing results of Ho 3+ -doped Yttria (Y 2 0 3 ), LuAG (Lu 3 Al 5 O 12 ), and YAG (Y 3 Al 5 O 12 ) at wavelengths beyond 1.6 μm. High resolution measurements of absorption and stimulated emission cross sections of Ho 3+ in these hosts from 77K to 300K are reported. Laser operation based on 5 I 7 to 5 I 8 transitions of Ho 3+ in these hosts is demonstrated.
Occupational exposures associated with work-related asthma and work-related wheezing among U.S. workers.

Background National estimates of occupational asthma (OA) in the United States are sparse. Methods Using data from the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES III) 1988–1994, we analyzed associations between occupation and work-related asthma and work-related wheezing among U.S. workers. Results This study identified several occupations that were at risk of developing work-related asthma and/or wheezing, with cleaners and equipment cleaners showing the highest risks. Other major occupations identified were farm and agriculture; entertainment; protective services; construction; mechanics and repairers; textile; fabricators and assemblers; other transportation and material moving occupations; freight, stock, and material movers; and motor vehicle operators. The population attributable risks for work-related asthma and work-related wheezing were 26% and 27%, respectively. Conclusions This study adds evidence to the literature that identifies work-related asthma as an important public health problem. Several occupations are targeted for additional evaluation and study. Of particular interest are cleaners, which are being increasingly reported as a risk group for asthma. Future intervention strategies need to be developed for effective control and prevention of asthma in the workplace. Am. J. Ind. Med. 44:368–376, 2003. © 2003 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
An evaluation of greenhouse gas mitigation options for coal-fired power plants in the US Great Lakes States

Abstract We assessed options for mitigating greenhouse gas emissions from electricity generation in the US Great Lakes States, a region heavily dependent on coal-fired power plants. A proposed 600 MW power plant in northern Lower Michigan, USA provided context for our evaluation. Options to offset fossil CO2 emissions by 20% included biomass fuel substitution from (1) forest residuals, (2) short-rotation woody crops, or (3) switchgrass; (4) biologic sequestration in forest plantations; and (5) geologic sequestration using CO2 capture. Review of timber product output data, land cover data, and expected energy crop productivity on idle agriculture land within 120 km of the plant revealed that biomass from forestry residuals has the potential to offset 6% and from energy crops 27% of the annual fossil fuel requirement. Furthermore, annual forest harvest in the region is only 26% of growth and the surplus represents a large opportunity for forest products and bioenergy applications. We used Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) to compare mitigation options, using fossil energy demand and greenhouse gas emissions per unit electricity generation as criteria. LCA results revealed that co-firing with forestry residuals is the most attractive option and geologic sequestration is the least attractive option, based on the two criteria. Biologic sequestration is intermediate but likely infeasible because of very large land area requirements. Our study revealed that biomass feedstock potentials from land and forest resources are not limiting mitigation activities, but the most practical approach is likely a combination of options that optimize additional social, environmental and economic criteria.
Determining Sources of Fecal Bacteria in Waterways

The microbiological contamination of waterways by pathogenic microbes has been, and is still, a persistent public safety concern in the United States and in most countries of the world. As most enteric pathogens are transmitted through the fecal-oral route, fecal pollution is generally regarded as the major contributor of pathogens to waterways. Fecal pollution of waterways can originate from wastewater treatment facilities, septic tanks, domestic- and wild-animal feces, and pets. Because enteric pathogens are derived from human or animal sources, techniques capable of identifying and apportioning fecal sources have been intensively investigated for use in remediation efforts and to satisfy regulatory concerns. Pollution of human origin is of the most concern, since human feces is more likely to contain human-specific enteric pathogens. Fecal indicator bacteria have been used successfully as the primary tool for microbiologically based risk assessment. However measurement of fecal indicator bacteria does not define what pathogens are present, or define the sources of these bacteria. Microbial source tracking (MST) methods that have the ability to differentiate among sources of fecal pollution are currently under development. These methods will ultimately be useful for risk assessment purposes and to aid regulatory agencies in developing strategies to remediate microbiologically impaired waterways.
Using a Functional Model to Develop a Mathematical Formula.

The unifying theme of models was incorporated into a required Science Capstone course for pre-service elementary teachers based on national standards in science and mathematics. A model of a teeter-totter was selectedfor use as an example of a functional model for gathering data as well as a visual model of a mathematical equation for developing the mathematical relationship for a Class 1 lever, M1D1=M1D1. In this study, 20 student groups (n=72) collected data using the model in an inquiry-based activity. All groups developed the qualitative relationship, 13 groups developed a correct mathematical formula, 6 groups developed one-half of the relationship (X = mass × distance), and 1 group attempted to develop a procedural relationship. The pre-service elementary teachers used a variety of model types in the activity including visual/pictorial, functional/physical and mathematical-both graphs and formulas. The use of the teeter-totter model as a visual and functional model of a mathematical formula was a factor in developing the mathematical relationship.
Reply to “Comment on ‘Precision measurement of the Casimir-Lifshitz force in a fluid’ ”

We have reviewed the Comment of Geyer et al. [preceding paper, Phys. Rev. A 77, 036102 (2008)] concerning our recent work [Phys. Rev. A 75, 060102(R) (2007)], and while we disagree with their criticisms, we acknowledge them for giving us the opportunity to add interesting addition material and a more detailed description of our experiment. We further describe our calculation and explain why a more sophisticated model is not warranted. We also present detailed experiments on the effects of electrostatic forces in our measurements and show that the contribution due to work function differences is small and that the residual electrostatic force is dominated by trapped charges and external fields within the apparatus. Finally, we estimate the effect of double-layer interactions. These additional calculations and measurements support our original conclusion that the experimental results are ``consistent with Lifshitz's theory.''
Global Nitrogen Cycle: Pre-Anthropocene Mass and Isotope Fluxes and the Effects of Human Perturbations

We present a nitrogen cycle model for pre-industrial times based on an extensive literature database. The model consists of 18 reservoirs in the domains of the atmosphere, land, and ocean. The biotic reservoirs on land and in the ocean (N-fixing plants, non-N-fixing plants, and marine biota) interact with atmospheric N2 and dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN, consisting of N2, NO3 −, and NH4 +) in the ocean and soil waters. Marine DIN is taken up by marine biota and transformed from ocean particulate organic matter to dissolved organic nitrogen and the ocean sediment. The atmosphere, the largest nitrogen reservoir, supplies N2 to the system by N fixation, deposition, and dissolution, and these input fluxes are balanced by denitrification and volatilization back to the atmosphere. The land and ocean domains are linked by river transport, which carries both dissolved and particulate nitrogen to the oceanic coastal zone. The isotope–mass balances of the N reservoirs are calculated from the isotopic composition of the reservoirs and the fractionation factors accompanying the fluxes between the reservoirs based on reported values from different natural conditions. The model sensitivity was tested for different biouptake rates and was run with various human perturbations, including fertilization, nitrous oxide emissions, population-related sewage disposal, land-use changes, and temperature-dependent rate kinetics. The new N mass–isotope cycle model provides the basis for assessment of the impact of artificial fertilization between 1700 and 2050. The perturbation experiments in this study suggest that land-use change is the key factor altering the N mass cycle since industrialization.
Conductor externalization in a Riata ST Optim™ lead.

A 72-year-old man with a history of non-ischaemic cardiomyopathy in New York Heart Association III with an ejection fraction of 30% after optimized medical therapy. He underwent implantation of an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) for primary prevention with dual-coil, passive fixation ventricular …
In-vivo regional myocardial perfusion measurements in a porcine model by ECG-gated multislice computed tomography

ABSTRACT Purpose: To evaluate whether functional multi-slice computed tomography (MSCT) can identify regional areas of normally perfused and ischemic myocardium in a porcine model. Material and Methods: Three out bred pigs, two of which had ameroids surgically implanted to constrict flow within the LAD and LCx coronary arteries, were injected with 25 mL of iopromide (Isovue) at a rate of 5 mL/second via the femoral or jugular vein. Sixty axial scans along the short axis of the heart was acquired on a 16-slice CT scanner (Philips MX8000-IDT) triggered at end-diastole of the cardiac cycle and acquiring an image within 270 msec. A second series of scans were taken after an intravenous injection of a vasodilator, 150 g/kg/min of adenosine. ROIs were drawn around the myocardial tissue and the resulting time-density curves were used to extract perfusion values. Results: Determination of the myocardial perfusion and fractional blood volume implementing three different perfusion models. A 5-point averaging or smoothing algorithm was employed to effectively filter the data due to its noisy nature. The (preliminary) average perfusion and fractional blood volume values over selected axial slices for the pig without an artificially induced stenosis were measured to be 84 +/- 22 mL/min/100g-tissue and 0.17 +/- 0.04 mL/g-tissue, the former is consistent with PET scan and EBCT results. The pig with a stenosis in the left LAD coronary artery showed a reduced global perfusion value -- 45 mL/min/100g-tissue. Correlations in regional perfusion values relative to the stenosis were weak. During the infusion of adenosine, averaged perfusion values for the three subjects increased by 46 (+/-45) percent, comparible to increases measured with PET. Conclusion: Quantifying global perfusion values using MDCT appear encouraging. Future work will focus resolving the systematic effects from noise due to signal fluctuation from the porcine tachyardia (80-93 BPM) and provide a more robust measurement of regional myocardial perfusion throughout the heart. Keywords: myocardial perfusion, maximum-gradient, peak-intensity, stenosis, vasodilator.