cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A noninvasive, machine learning-based method for monitoring anthocyanin accumulation in plants using digital color imaging.

Premise When plants are exposed to stress conditions, irreversible damage can occur, negatively impacting yields. It is therefore important to detect stress symptoms in plants, such as the accumulation of anthocyanin, as early as possible. Methods and Results Twenty-two regression models in five color spaces were trained to develop a prediction model for plant anthocyanin levels from digital color imaging data. Of these, a quantile random forest regression model trained with standard red, green, blue (sRGB) color space data most accurately predicted the actual anthocyanin levels. This model was then used to noninvasively monitor the spatial and temporal accumulation of anthocyanin in Arabidopsis thaliana leaves. Conclusions The digital imaging-based nature of this protocol makes it a low-cost and noninvasive method for the detection of plant stress. Applying a similar protocol to more economically viable crops could lead to the development of large-scale, cost-effective systems for monitoring plant health.
Wavelength-Dependent Tip-Enhanced Laser Ablation of Organic Dyes

The wavelength dependence of atomic force microscope apertureless tip-enhanced laser ablation was studied using a series of organic dyes to assess the effect of surface optical absorption. An optic...
Compromised Dynamic Postural Stability Under Increased Load Carriage Magnitudes

Warfighter performance may be compromised through the impact of load carriage on dynamic postural stability. Men and women may experience this impact to differing extents due to postural stability differences. Therefore, the authors investigated the effect of load magnitude on dynamic postural stability in men and women during a landing and stabilization task. Dynamic postural stability of 32 subjects (16 women) was assessed during the unilateral landing of submaximal jumps under 3 load conditions: +0%, +20%, and +30% body weight. Dynamic postural stability was measured using the dynamic postural stability index, which is calculated from ground reaction force data sampled at 1200 Hz. Two-way mixed-measures analysis of variance compared dynamic postural stability index scores between sexes and loads. Dynamic postural stability index scores were significantly affected by load (P = .001) but not by sex or by the sex by load interaction (P > .05). Dynamic postural stability index scores increased between the 0% (0.359 ± 0.041), 20% (0.396 ± 0.034), and 30% (0.420 ± 0.028) body weight conditions. Increased load negatively affects dynamic postural stability with similar performance decrements displayed by men and women. Men and women warfighters may experience similar performance decrements under load carriage conditions of similar relative magnitudes.
Beyond Property: The Other Legal Consequences of Informal Relationships

To this point, scholars analyzing nonmarital relationships have primarily focused on the challenge of determining the economic consequences of cohabitation. Yet property distribution, while significant, is only one piece of a much larger puzzle. Married people qualify for a wide range of benefits from the government as well as private employers. These benefits, such as health insurance or Social Security, can greatly eclipse the value of whatever the spouses can expect from each other at the end of their relationship. Marriage also affects spousal eligibility for means-tested benefits such as food stamps and financial aid. If nonmarital partners are similarly situated to married couples, regulation comprised solely of economic duties will exclude many potentially relevant legal incidents. This Article studies these other legal incidents of nonmarital relationships. It does so by analyzing two years’ worth of recent cases involving disputes over the legal consequences of informal relationships. Courts have been called on to review determinations by insurance companies about eligibility under their plans, consider the viability of tort claims based on a party’s relationship to the victim or tortfeasor, and analyze criminal charges based on the nature of the defendant’s relationship to the alleged victim, among other things. These other types of disputes—beyond property—have much to teach about the regulation of informal relationships. As an initial matter, they establish that relationships are relevant to legal consequences that have escaped scholars’ sustained attention. They also show that private entities, such as employers and insurance companies, are surprisingly active in their evaluation of informal relationships. Moreover, the cases reveal that although courts have struggled to identify when informal relationships should give rise to inter se obligations, they have successfully created a wide variety of tests to assess the legal significance of informal relationships outside the property context. Collectively, these cases establish that informal relationships perform functions that are relevant to the imposition of legal consequences that flow from formal relationships, and that the law must expand its view beyond property.
Intensified Statin Preserves Global Longitudinal Strain in Transplanted Heart

Purpose Left ventricular (LV) global longitudinal strain (GLS) is a robust marker of subclinical myocardial dysfunction. Previous studies showed that as small as 2% reduction in GLS predicted major adverse event in heart transplant (HT) recipients, including cardiac allograft vasculopathy (CAV). Although low intensity statin is commonly used after HT to reduce CAV, the incremental impact of statin intensity on myocardial function is unknown. Methods A single center, retrospective review was conducted in all adult HT recipients between 2012 and 2016. Patients were excluded for: death, LV ejection fraction Results Forty-three HT recipients (low intensity statin, n=21; intensified statin, n=22) comprised the study population. Age, sex, donor age, presence of pre-HT VAD, and immunosuppression regimen were not significantly different between groups. Importantly, GLS was preserved in HT recipients receiving intensified statin (-17.0 ± 3.3 vs. -17.1 ± 2.5%, p=0.62) but significantly reduced in low intensity statin group (-17.5 ± 2.5 vs. -15.8 ± 2.5%, p=0.029, Figure 1A). The degree of GLS reduction was significantly higher during low intensity statin use (1.8 ± 1.5%) in comparison to intensified statin (0.13 ± 2.7%, p=0.044, Figure 1B). Interobserver correlation coefficient was 0.95. Conclusion Intensified statin after HT is associated with preservation of myocardial function during intermediate term follow up, indicating a favorable impact of intensifying statin regimen after HT.
Provider Integrated Medicare Advantage Plans Are Associated With Differences In Patterns Of Inpatient Care

Health systems have increasingly developed integrated Medicare Advantage (MA) plans to align financial incentives and improve coordination of care and services across payer and provider. However, l...
Societal experiences of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people

Abstract Research suggests that lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) individuals face unique health disparities. Although often treated as a single, homogenous population, LGBT people experience stigma and oppression across multiple intersecting identities. Minority stress theory posits that lifetime experiences of stigma and discrimination are linked to poor mental and physical health. Although LGBT people experience discrimination across multiple social domains, most maintain good mental health in the face of stigma. Focus has recently shifted towards understanding the factors that protect wellbeing and promote resilience among this population. In this section, we review health disparities, minority stress, and resilience processes across the lifespan.
Knotless Arthroscopic Repair of Subscapularis Avulsion Fracture Using a Single Anterior Portal.

Abstract Proximal humerus lesser tuberosity avulsions are uncommon injuries; however, when present, they can be debilitating for patients. As such, they pose a unique clinical challenge. These fractures were traditionally treated through an open approach to the proximal humerus; however, arthroscopic techniques continue to evolve and are increasingly used for these types of injuries. We describe our minimally invasive arthroscopic technique to repair lesser tuberosity avulsions using standard arthroscopic equipment. This method is safe, efficient, and applies basic shoulder arthroscopic techniques.
Can Smartphone Apps Assist People with Serious Mental Illness in Taking Medications as Prescribed

Adherence research commonly happens in a silo, focused on a particular disease state or type of therapy. Learning from outside disciplines can bring new insights and ideas. This article presents adherence research as related to people with a diagnosis of a serious mental illness (SMI) and medication adherence through smartphone applications (apps). Individuals with SMI have high rates of not taking medication, increasing risks of relapse and hospitalization. Advances in technology may be advantageous in promoting taking medication. Smartphones apps have been designed for people with SMI. Further research is needed to evaluate their efficacy on improving rates of taking medication.
Relationship of perceived everyday cognitive function and work engagement in breast cancer survivors.

Breast cancer survivors (BCS) who represent approximately 3.5 million survivors in the USA frequently report ongoing cognitive dysfunction that may impact work outcomes. However, little is known about how perceived everyday cognitive function may affect work engagement (a measure of work efficacy and work well-being) in BCS who have completed treatment. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between perceived everyday cognitive function and work engagement in BCS. A convenience sample of 68 employed BCS seen at a Midwest NCI-Cancer Center who were at least 1-year post-treatment, completed a cross-sectional questionnaire assessing demographic and medical characteristics, and perceived everyday cognitive function (Everyday Cognition Scale) and work engagement (Utrecht Work Engagement Scale). Descriptive statistics, Pearson’s r, and separate regression models controlling for age and education were used to analyze the data. BCS who were on average 52 (SD = 8.6) years old, 5 (SD = 3.8) years post-treatment, and primarily employed full-time (79%) participated. A subset of BCS (12%) identified poorer everyday cognitive function after BC diagnosis and treatment. Everyday cognition, including subscales vigor and dedication, were correlated with work engagement (p˂0.01), controlling for age and education. Findings indicate the important role of perceived everyday cognitive function in work engagement well into survivorship. Reducing cognitive dysfunction may be an important area for future intervention research to support BCS who return to work. Healthcare providers need to assess and address perceived cognitive dysfunction to promote work-related outcomes in BCS well into survivorship.
Four New Species of North American Fireflies from Isolated Peatlands with Reference to Species Determination of Photuris Dejean (Coleoptera: Lampyridae)

Four species of fireflies (Coleoptera: Lampyridae) are newly described herein: Photuris anna n. sp., P. sheckscheri n. sp., P. eliza n. sp., P. sellicki n. sp. All were discovered occupying acidic peat wetlands of high ecological quality in the mid-Atlantic and northeastern United States (Delaware, New Jersey, New York). I present a diagnostic phenotypic profile for each as a means to aid in the identification of Photuris fireflies. The association of these species with specific wetland types suggests that the edaphic heterogeneity of wetlands may be a driver of Photuris diversification.
Future Protest Made Risky: Examining Social Media Based Civil Unrest Prediction Research and Products.

Social media has both been hailed for enabling social movements and critiqued for its affordances as a surveillance infrastructure. In this work, I focus on the latter by analyzing research, products, and discourses around the recent history of civil unrest prediction based on social media data and other public data sources, thereby giving insights into current and often opaque protest surveillance and forecasting practices. Technologies to monitor individuals and groups online have been developed for instance to predict US protests following the election of President Trump in 2016 and labor strikes across global supply chains. These works are part of an emerging computer science research field focused on “civil unrest prediction” dedicated to forecasting protests across the globe (e.g., Indonesia, Brazil, and Australia). Foremost I focus on scholarly literature as my unit of analysis, but also other artifacts discussing or detailing applications for companies, organizations or governments are examined. I provide a conceptualization of civil unrest prediction technology by illustrating data sources, features and methods used, and how prediction and detection are necessarily entangled. Then I show how various kinds of unrest activity are framed as risks to be fixed or averted for various actors with differing interests such as the military, law enforcement, and various industries. Finally, I critically unpack justifications and ascribed benefits of the technology and point to how the perspectives of protestors are almost completely absent. My analysis shows a critical need for regulation centering activists and workers, and reflection within academia, particularly in the fields of computer and data science, on the ethics and politics of protest research and ensuing technological applications.
Changing Paradigms in the Management of the Elderly IBD Patient

This review will provide the busy clinician with an understanding of the “different biology” of the elderly IBD patient.
Accurate Classification of Burn Injuries Using Support Vector Machines and the Wavelet Shannon Entropy of the THz-TDS Waveforms

The accuracy of clinical assessment of partial-thickness burn injuries has remained as low as 60% in the first few days post burn induction. Here, we present the implementation of a wavelet Shannon entropy technique for noninvasive characterization of burn injuries in an in vivo porcine burn study. Supervised machine learning using the support vector machines (SVM) based on the energy to Shannon entropy ratio (ESER) in the wavelet packet transform of the THz-TDS waveform yielded accuracy rates above 91% in differentiation between superficial, intermediate, and full-thickness burn categories.
Dilation of cortical capillaries is not related to astrocyte calcium signaling.

The brain requires an adequate supply of oxygen and nutrients to maintain proper function as neuronal activity varies. This is achieved, in part, through neurovascular coupling mechanisms that mediate local increases in blood flow through the dilation of arterioles and capillaries. The role of astrocytes in mediating this functional hyperemia response is controversial. Specifically, the function of astrocyte Ca2+ signaling is unclear. Cortical arterioles dilate in the absence of astrocyte Ca2+ signaling, but previous work suggests that Ca2+ increases are necessary for capillary dilation. This question has not been fully addressed in vivo, however, and we have reexamined the role of astrocyte Ca2+ signaling in vessel dilation in the barrel cortex of awake, behaving mice. We recorded evoked vessel dilations and astrocyte Ca2+ signaling in response to whisker stimulation. Experiments were carried out on WT and IP3R2 KO mice, a transgenic model where astrocyte Ca2+ signaling is substantially reduced. Compared to WT mice at rest, Ca2+ signaling in astrocyte endfeet contacting capillaries increased by 240% when whisker stimulation evoked running. In contrast, Ca2+ signaling was reduced to 9% of WT values in IP3R2 KO mice. In all three conditions, however, the amplitude of capillary dilation was largely unchanged. In addition, the latency to the onset of astrocyte Ca2+ signaling lagged behind dilation onset in most trials, although a subset of rapid onset Ca2+ events with latencies as short as 0.15 s occurred. In summary, we found that whisker stimulation-evoked capillary dilations occurred independent of astrocyte Ca2+ increases in the cerebral cortex.
Use of commercially available natural language processing software to identify bleeding from the medical record

Background: Real-world evidence derived from the electronic medical record (EMR) is increasingly prevalent. How best to ascertain cardiovascular outcomes from EMRs is unknown. We sought to validate a commercially available natural language processing (NLP) software to extract bleeding events. Methods: We included patients with atrial fibrillation and cancer seen at our cancer center from 1/1/2016 to 12/31/2019. A query set based on SNOMED CT expressions was created to represent bleeding from 11 different organ systems. We ran the query against the clinical notes and randomly selected a sample of notes for physician validation. The primary outcome was the positive predictive value (PPV) of the software to identify bleeding events stratified by organ system. Results: We included 1370 patients with mean age 72 years old (SD 1.5) and 35% female. We processed 66,130 notes; the NLP software identified 6522 notes including 654 unique patients with possible bleeding events. Among 1269 randomly selected notes, the PPV of the software ranged from 0.921 for neurologic bleeds to 0.571 for OB/GYN bleeds. Patterns related to false positive bleeding events identified by the software included historic bleeds, hypothetical bleeds, missed negatives, and word errors. Conclusions: NLP may provide an alternative for population-level screening for bleeding outcomes in cardiovascular studies. Human validation is still needed, but an NLP-driven screening approach may improve efficiency.
Contextual Analysis of Enterprise Mobile Services Requirements

This article presents a framework to classify various types of mobile services implemented in organizational settings. Based on the objectives of wireless information systems (WIS), we identify three categories viz. enterprise mobile services, enterprise-advantage mobile services, and consumer mobile services. While the last two categories of mobile services have received broader attention, there has not been much work done in analyzing the role of mobile services in the organizational settings specific to various industries. In this article, we attempt to fill this void by synthesizing the extant literature in this area. Based on the degree of user's mobility in their organizational settings, we categorize enterprise mobile services in three subcategories. This categorization helps identijy differences in the information access needs of users. We then discuss how firms belonging to various industries can benefit from mobile services and various issues that need to be addressed before embracing such services. Finally this paper concludes with identification of potential research topics.
Smoothing techniques for macromolecular global optimization

We study global optimization problems that arise in macromolecular modeling, and the solution of these problems via continuation and smoothing. Our results unify and extend the theory associated with the use of the Gaussian transform for smoothing. We show that the, Gaussian transform can be viewed as a special case of a generalized transform and that these generalized transforms share many of the properties of the Gaussian transform. We also show that the smoothing behavior of the generalized transform can be studied in terms of the Fourier transform and that these results indicate that the Gaussian transform has superior smoothing properties.
Hypersonic laminar boundary layers around slender bodies

Nonsimilar compressible laminar boundary layer equations for hypersonic flow around slender bodies solved by integration based on steepest descent method
External Geometric Data Structures

Many modern applications store and process datasets much larger than the main memory of even state-of-the-art high-end machines. Thus massive and dynamically changing datasets often need to be stored in space efficient data structures on external storage devices such as disks, and in such cases the Input/Output (or I/O) communication between internal and external memory can become a major performance bottleneck. Many massive dataset applications involve geometric data (for example, points, lines, and polygons) or data that can be interpreted geometrically. Such applications often perform queries that correspond to searching in massive multidimensional geometric databases for objects that satisfy certain spatial constraints. Typical queries include reporting the objects intersecting a query region, reporting the objects containing a query point, and reporting objects near a query point.
Fundamental length hypothesis in a Gauge theory context

The new gauge formulation of the electromagnetic interaction theory, containing the “fundamental length” l as a universal scale like ħ and c, is worked out. A key part belongs to the 4-dimensional de Sitter p-space, with the curvature radius ħ/lc In the new approach the electromagnetic potential becomes a 5-vector associated with de Sitter group O(4.1). The extra fifth component, called the τ-photon, similar to scalar and longitudinal photons, does not correspond to an independent dynamical degree of freedom. Respectively, the new local gauge group is larger than the ordinary one and depends intrinsically on the fundamental length l
Health Information Literacy and the Elderly: Has the Internet Had an Impact?

The objective of the literature review was to determine whether the existence of the Internet has had a significant impact on health information literacy among the elderly in developed nations. Results were truly mixed, which led to the conclusion that, despite its worldwide acceptance and usage, the Internet has not had an all-encompassing influence on the ability of seniors to make informed health decisions, which is the ultimate product of good health information literacy.
Canonical Poly(A) Polymerase Activity Promotes the Decay of a Wide Variety of Mammalian Nuclear RNAs

The human nuclear poly(A)-binding protein PABPN1 has been implicated in the decay of nuclear noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs). In addition, PABPN1 promotes hyperadenylation by stimulating poly(A)-polymerases (PAPα/γ), but this activity has not previously been linked to the decay of endogenous transcripts. Moreover, the mechanisms underlying target specificity have remained elusive. Here, we inactivated PAP-dependent hyperadenylation in cells by two independent mechanisms and used an RNA-seq approach to identify endogenous targets. We observed the upregulation of various ncRNAs, including snoRNA host genes, primary miRNA transcripts, and promoter upstream antisense RNAs, confirming that hyperadenylation is broadly required for the degradation of PABPN1-targets. In addition, we found that mRNAs with retained introns are susceptible to PABPN1 and PAPα/γ-mediated decay (PPD). Transcripts are targeted for degradation due to inefficient export, which is a consequence of reduced intron number or incomplete splicing. Additional investigation showed that a genetically-encoded poly(A) tail is sufficient to drive decay, suggesting that degradation occurs independently of the canonical cleavage and polyadenylation reaction. Surprisingly, treatment with transcription inhibitors uncouples polyadenylation from decay, leading to runaway hyperadenylation of nuclear decay targets. We conclude that PPD is an important mammalian nuclear RNA decay pathway for the removal of poorly spliced and nuclear-retained transcripts.
Coping with conflicts in an optimistically replicated file system

Coda is a scalable distributed Unix file system that provides high availability through the use of two distinct but complementary mechanisms. One mechanism, server replication, stores copies of a file at multiple servers. The other mechanism, disconnected operation, is a mode of execution in which a caching site temporarily assumes the role of a replication site. Disconnected operation is particularly useful for supporting portable workstations. Both mechanisms are forms of optimistic replication. Coda allows potentially conflicting updates to be made in each network partition during failures. This strategy is acceptable for two reasons. First, sequential write-sharing of data within a short period of time is relatively infrequent in Unix. Second, Coda provides mechanisms to minimize the inconvenience caused by conflicting updates. The author focuses on the mechanisms in Coda to cope with conflicts and describes experience in implementing them. >
The Milk-Free Zone: Federal and Local Interests in Regulating Recombinant bST

The Milk Free Zone: Federal and Local Interests in Regulating Recombinant bST* Dan L. Burk** Science: But the Food and Drug Administration says it's safe. Noitall: Who believes them? Obviously a branch of the CIA. The people are rallying to the slogan, No hormone-produced milk. Science: But all milk is hormone-produced. Noitall: Just what I planned. As the conspiracy theory grows, we will be in a position to demand a non-hormone-induced milk. We already have public interest groups rallying for a milk-free zone. I. INTRODUCTION It was supposed to be a blockbuster product. It was supposed to be a boon to consumers. It was supposed to be a godsend to the dairy farmer, and a shining example of American technology and ingenuity at its best. Yet from its inception, recombinant bovine somatotropin (rbST) has been vilified as an industrial boondoggle, a threat to the pastoral nostalgia of the traditional family farm, and * Copyright 1995 by Dan L. Burk. All rights reserved. The author wishes to thank Michael Risinger and Mark Poirier for helpful discussion in the formulation of this article. Portions of this paper were presented at the symposium on Issues at the Interface of Science and Law sponsored by the American Chemical Society Division of Chemistry and the Law at the 201st National Meeting of the American Chemical Society, in Chicago, Illinois, August 21, ** Assistant Professor of Law, Seton Hall University. B.S. (Microbiology), Brigham Young University, 1985; M.S. (Molecular Biology and Biochemistry), Northwestern University, 1987; J.D., Arizona State University, 1990; J.S.M., Stanford University 1994. 1. Daniel E. Koshland, Jr., Editorial: A Milk-Free Zone, 264 SCIENCE 11 (1994). Cf Lori A. Martin, Comment, The Legality of Nuclear-Free Zones, 55 U. CHI. L. REv. 965 (1988) (describing the creation of Nuclear-Free Zones in various communities attempting to exclude military and civilian nuclear technologies). In some instances, municipalities have considered or en- acted legislation to make themselves biotechnology free zones. See, e.g., UNnED STATES CONGRESS OFFICE OF TECHNOLOGY ASSESSMENT, THE REGULATORY ENVIRONMENT FOR SCIENCE: A TECHNICAL MEMORANDUM 99-101 (1986) (describing adoption of a biotechnology morato- rium and eventual regulation in Cambridge, Massachusetts).
Amniotic fluid proteins in normal and Rh-sensitized pregnancies☆

Abstract Amniotic fluid proteins (481) were determined for 221 normal and Rh-sensitized pregnancies. The normal range and mean values are shown for various stages of gestation. Determination of normal values for amniotic fluid proteins during early gestation are important as a unit of reference in the prenatal diagnosis of genetically related defects. In general, the larger the birth weight of the normal infant, the lower the amniotic fluid protein value prior to delivery. In normal pregnancies the values decrease with increasing gestation. In pregnancies with mild and moderate erythroblastosis fetalis the values are essentially the same. With severe disease, the protein range is greater and the trend not always downward with increasing gestation. With hydrops fetalis, the values rise and a value of 0.800 Gm. per 100 ml. with an elevated bilirubin level is diagnostic of hydrops fetalis.
Ground State Conditions Induce Rapid Reorganization of Core Pluripotency Factor Binding before Global Epigenetic Reprogramming

Mouse embryonic stem cells (mESCs) cultured under serum/LIF conditions exhibit heterogeneous expression of pluripotency-associated factors that can be overcome by two inhibitors (2i) of the MEK and GSK3 pathways. Several studies have shown that the "ground state" induced by 2i is characterized by global hypomethylation and specific transcriptional profiles, but little is known about the contributing effectors. Here we show that 2i conditions rapidly alter the global binding landscape of OCT4, SOX2, and NANOG. The dynamic binding influences enhancer activity and shows enrichment for regulators linked to Wnt and Erk signaling. Epigenomic characterization provided limited insights to the immediate transcriptional dynamics, suggesting that these are likely more secondary effects. Likewise, loss of the PRC2 component EED to prevent H3K27me3 deposition had minimal effect on the transcriptome, implying that it is largely dispensable for continued repression of bivalent genes and de novo silencing in 2i.
Stochastic modeling of calibration drift in electrical meters

The drift in the calibration bias in an instrument can be modeled as a stochastic process, specifically, as the Wiener process. The probability distribution of this Wiener model can be found conditioned upon calibration at some time t/sub 1/. Bounds on the drift of the bias after calibration can be found as a function of time based upon an estimate of the parameter alpha , of the Wiener process. This parameter can be easily estimated based upon the collection of data calibration bias as a function of time. The statistical bounds on the calibration drift allow an instrument user to make his or her own choices as to the calibration interval based on the desired accuracy of the measurement. >
Effects of [Sar1]angiotensin II on proenkephalin gene expression and secretion of [Met5]enkephalin in bovine adrenal medullary chromaffin cells

We have studied the effect of [Sar1]angiotensin II [S1-AII; a degradation-resistant analogue of angiotensin II (AII) on the release of [Met5]enkephalin (ME) and proenkephalin A (proENK) gene expression. Short-term (15-min to 1-h) stimulation of bovine adrenal medullary chromaffin (BAMC) cells with S1-AII at concentrations from 0.1 to 100 nM had no significant effect on secretion of ME, whereas high concentrations of S1-AII (3 to 100 microM) produced a concentration-dependent increase in the concentration of ME in the incubation media. In contrast, long-term (3- to 24-h) stimulation with low concentrations (0.1 nM-1 microM) of S1-AII increased the secretion of ME in a concentration-dependent manner (EC50 = 1 nM). The intracellular level of ME was not changed by long-term treatment with S1-AII (100 nM). In addition to increased ME secretion, long-term (24-h) stimulation with S1-AII increased the expression of proENK mRNA in a concentration-dependent manner (EC50 = 4 nM). Losartan (2-n-butyl-4 chloro-5-hydroxymethyl-1-[(2'-(1 H-tetrazol-5-yl)biphenyl-4-yl)- methyl]imidazole potassium salt, a type 1 AII receptor antagonist) inhibited these effects, whereas PD123319 (50 microM, a type 2 AII receptor antagonist) was inactive. Our results suggest that AII in BAMC cells exerts a major effect on the long-term regulation of expression of proENK mRNA and secretion of ME. These effects appear to be mediated by type 1-like AII receptors.
Effect of Properdin on Whole Body Irradiated Mice and Rats.

Under conditions employed, postirradiation treatment of mice and rats with partially purified bovine properdin and purified human properdin administered intraperitoneally or intravenously did not afford prntection against the effects of whole-body x irradiation. There appeared to be a relationship between delayed mortality and time of injection. (auth)
Motion artifact and background noise suppression on optical microangiography frames using a Naïve Bayes mask

Optical coherence tomography (OCT) is a technique that allows for the three-dimensional (3D) imaging of small volumes of tissue (a few millimeters) with high resolution (∼10 μm). Optical microangiography (OMAG) is a method of processing OCT data, which allows for the extraction of the tissue vasculature with capillary resolution from the OCT images. Cross-sectional B-frame OMAG images present the location of the patent blood vessels; however, the signal-to-noise-ratio of these images can be affected by several factors such as the quality of the OCT system and the tissue motion artifact. This background noise can appear in the en face projection view image. In this work we propose to develop a binary mask that can be applied on the cross-sectional B-frame OMAG images, which will reduce the background noise while leaving the signal from the blood vessels intact. The mask is created by using a naive Bayes (NB) classification algorithm trained with a gold standard image which is manually segmented by an expert. The masked OMAG images present better contrast for binarizing the image and quantifying the result without the influence of noise. The results are compared with a previously developed frequency rejection filter (FRF) method which is applied on the en face projection view image. It is demonstrated that both the NB and FRF methods provide similar vessel length fractions. The advantage of the NB method is that the results are applicable in 3D and that its use is not limited to periodic motion artifacts.
A novel four-drug ablative regimen with hemopoietic stem cell rescue for patients with breast cancer: A phase II study

Abstract High-dose chemotherapy and autologous hemopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) may provide durable progression-free survival in some patients with stage IV breast cancer (S4Brca). We have studied a new four-drug intensive preparative regimen with HSCT in a group of 158 women with S4Brca to define the risk and potential benefit of this regimen in this patient population. From May 1988 through May 1997, 158 women with S4Brca at a single center were treated with cisplatin, etoposide, thiotepa, and cyclophosphamide (PETCy) plus autologous HSCT Eligible patients were also treated with posttransplant involved-field radiation therapy. Patients with estrogen-receptor positive tumors not previously treated with tamoxifen also received this therapy for 5 years following transplantation. All patients experienced significant toxicity requiring blood-product support and parenteral nutrition. Eighteen patients (11%) died of regimen-related toxic events. With a median follow-up of 540 days for surviving patients, a retrospective Kaplan-Meier analysis projects an overall survival of 38+/-8.5% (95% CI) at 890 days with a maximum follow-up of 8.8 years. For 52 patients in sensitive relapse, the median event-free survival time is 767 days, with 46.2+/-15.3% (95% CI) predicted to be alive at 884 days with a maximal follow-up of almost 9 years. Nearly one-half of patients in this study with S4Brca in sensitive relapse have experienced durable remissions following PETCy ablation and HSCT. Although toxicity is significant, the PETCy regimen produces a favorable balance between efficacy (event-free survival) and treatment failure (relapse + regimen-related toxic death) compared with published results. These data suggest that within the high-dose range for preparative therapy, a steep dose-response may exist for breast cancer. Trials comparing the dose intensity of preparative regimens are warranted. Biol Blood Marrow Transplant 1999;5(2):86-93.
AcMNPV enhances infection by ThorNPV in Sf21 cells and SeMNPV in Hi5 cells

An expression cassette containing the DsRed2 gene, which encodes the red fluorescent protein (RFP), was inserted into the wide-host-range Autographa californica M nucleopolyhedrovirus (AcMNPV) at the polyhedrin locus (vAcDsRed2). An expression cassette containing the enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) gene was inserted at the gp37 locus of the narrow-host-range Thysanoplusia orichalcea MNPV (ThorMNPV) and the p10 locus of Spodoptera exigua MNPV (SeMNPV) to produce vThGFP and vSeGFP, respectively. vThGFP and vSeGFP are poor at infecting Sf21 and Hi5 cells, respectively, whereas vAcDsRed2 is highly infectious to both cell lines. During co-infection, vAcDsRed2 enhanced vThGFP infection in Sf21 cells by approximately 20-fold, and it enhanced vSeGFP infection in Hi5 cells by more than 300-fold, as detected by fluorescence measurements. In contrast, vThGFP reduced vAcDsRed2 infection by 5.4-fold in Sf21 cells, while vSeGFP reduced vAcDsRed2 by 3.2-fold in Hi5 cells. Plaque assay data did not suggest viral recombination, but vThGFP plaques surrounded by vAcDsRed2 plaques were observed. A viral DNA replication assay performed by real-time quantitative PCR suggested that the detected fluorescence correlated with virus replication. Sf21 cells infected with vAcDsRed2 were resistant to superinfection by viruses of the same type expressing EGFP (vAcGFP). These results demonstrated that AcMNPV could enhance replication of ThorMNPV and SeMNPV in non-permissive cells without recombination.
Optimal Matching for Observational Studies

Abstract Matching is a common method of adjustment in observational studies. Currently, matched samples are constructed using greedy heuristics (or “stepwise” procedures) that produce, in general, suboptimal matchings. With respect to a particular criterion, a matched sample is suboptimal if it could be improved by changing the controls assigned to specific treated units, that is, if it could be improved with the data at hand. Here, optimal matched samples are obtained using network flow theory. In addition to providing optimal matched-pair samples, this approach yields optimal constructions for several statistical matching problems that have not been studied previously, including the construction of matched samples with multiple controls, with a variable number of controls, and the construction of balanced matched samples that combine features of pair matching and frequency matching. Computational efficiency is discussed. Extensive use is made of ideas from two essentially disjoint literatures, namely st...
2-Ethyl-3-methylpyrazine in the subauricular and median glands of pronghorn, Antilocapra americana

2-Ethyl-3-methylpyrazine was identified as a major component in the subauricular and median gland secretions from rutting, male, pronghorn, Antilocapra americana . <div class=" textboxdefault "> Figure options Download full-size image Download as PowerPoint slide
Storm-Generated Coquinoid Sandstone: Genesis of High-Energy Marine Sediments from the Upper Jurassic of Wyoming and Montana: Reply

Study of the Upper Jurassic (Oxfordian) sedimentary rocks of Wyoming and Montana indicates that intense storms raked this part of the continent often enough to play a major role in the redistribution of siliciclastic and bioclastic materials within an elongate seaway. These storms are evidenced by the widespread occurrence of three distinctly different types of coquinoid sandstone: channel lags, storm lags, and swell lags. Channel lags occur as basal concentrates of shell fragments and coarse siliciclastic materials in surge channels cutting marine bar sequences. Storm lags are sheetlike lenses of fragmented shells and coarse siliciclastics interbedded with mudrocks or very fine-grained sandstone. They result from the flushing of surge channels during storms and the deposition of storm-transported debris on the leeward flanks of bars and in muddy platform areas. Swell lags consist of concentrations of whole, or nearly whole thin-walled shells set in a dominantly clayey or silty matrix. Swell lags are interbedded with mudrocks and owe their origin to concentration mechanisms resulting from the passage of storm swells over muddy platform areas developed between marine bar ridges. Combinations of both storm and swell lags are not uncommon. A model is proposed to explain the sedimentary motif of the central portion of the Upper Jurassic seaway during late Oxfordian time. The model consists of marine bar ridges formed and shaped predominantly by tidal currents. Surge channels were cut through the bar ridges during intense storms. Coquinoid sand formed channel and sheetlike lags in response to to the storm-generated currents acting both on marine bar ridges and interridge platform areas. The model implies that individual beds of coquinoid sandstone in Wyoming and Montana cannot be correlated over large areas. Therefore, stratigraphic interpretations based solely on bed-for-bed lithologic correlation over large portions of the Oxfordian seaway may not be valid.
Design and reliability of mesa-etched InP-based Geiger-mode avalanche photodiodes

Design modifications to InP-based Geiger-mode avalanche photodiodes are described that improve reliability. Geiger-mode aging at multiple conditions can cause significant degradation in some design variants while linear mode (below breakdown) aging does not.
Parents of Children with High Functioning Autism: How Well Do They Cope and Adjust?

This study investigated the coping differences in relation to the psychosocial adjustment (depression, anxiety, and marital adjustment) between mothers and fathers of children with and without High Functioning Autism Spectrum Disorders (HFASDs). Forty-eight parents of children with HFASDs and 26 parents of children without any disability completed a packet of psychological survey. Statistically significant differences were found between the HFASDs and control groups in depression, anxiety, one subscale of the marital adjustment measure and four subscales of the coping measures. When compared across gender within the HFASDs group, depression, anxiety, one subscale of the marital adjustment, and four subscales of coping were found to be statistically significant. Parents of children with HFASDs exhibited less adaptive coping skills as compared to parents of children without any disability. Mothers of children with HFASDs exhibited more adaptive coping skills as compared to their father counterparts. Interaction effect of disability and gender, however, was not significant.
Fecal incontinence in the elderly patient

Fecal incontinence is an underreported problem in the general population; it is especially common in elderly persons (aged ≥65 years) residing in the community or in long-term care settings. It affects more women than men during younger years, but this differential narrows with age. Physiological changes such as sphincter muscle and sensory abnormalities in the anorectal region contribute to this problem, as do factors such as dementia, physical disability, and fecal impaction. Treatment with biofeedback is feasible in many elderly patients. Those with advanced dementia or physical disability may benefit from a bowel habit training program. Selected patients may require surgical sphincter repair. Minimally invasive techniques such as radiofrequency energy application offer promising future treatment options. The purpose of this review is to provide current information on fecal incontinence and its management in the elderly.
A comparison of the effects of continuous ketamine infusion and halothane on oxygenation during one-lung anaesthesia in dogs

It has been shown that a continuous infusion of ketamine during one-lung anaesthesia combined with a 50 per cent oxygen-curare anaesthetic technique will provide consistently lower shunt fraction and higher $$Pa_{o_2 } $$ compared with halo-thane under the same experimental conditions. Because no additional factor was observed which could account for these changes and because the responses of the animals to the two anaesthetic agents were similar — the only difference being a different initial set point — the experimental model may be considered adequate. In the authors’ view the difference in shunt fractions may be attributed to a more stable hypoxic reflex during ketamine anaesthesia. Further experimentation will be necessary to fully exclude the possibility of sequence-related changes affecting some of these results and to determine whether or not certain groups of dogs respond in a qualitatively different fashion.
Anomalous cross-linking by mechlorethamine of DNA duplexes containing C-C mismatch pairs.

Nitrogen mustards such as mechlorethamine have previously been shown to covalently cross-link DNA through the N7 position of the two guanine bases of a d[GXC].d[GYC] duplex sequence, a so-called 1,3 G-G-cross-link, when X-Y = C-G or T-A. Here, we report the formation of a new mechlorethamine cross-link with the d[GXC].d[GYC] fragment when X-Y is a C-C mismatch pair. Mechlorethamine cross-links this fragment preferentially between the two mismatched cytosine bases, rather than between the guanine bases. The cross-link also forms when one or both of the guanine bases of the d[GCC].d[GCC] fragment are replaced by N7-deazaguanine, and, more generally, forms with any C-C mismatch, regardless of the flanking base pairs. Piperidine cleavage of the cross-link species containing the d[GCC].d[GCC] sequence gives DNA fragments consistent with alkylation at the mismatched cytosine bases. We also provide evidence that the cross-link reaction occurs between the N3 atoms of the two cytosine bases by showing that the formation of the C-C cross-link is pH dependent for both mechlorethamine and chlorambucil. Dimethyl sulfate (DMS) probing of the cross-linked d[GCC].d[GCC] fragment showed that the major groove of the guanine adjacent to the C-C mismatch is still accessible to DMS. In contrast, the known minor groove binder Hoechst 33258 inhibits the cross-link formation with a C-C mismatch pair flanked by A-T base pairs. These results suggest that the C-C mismatch is cross-linked by mechlorethamine in the minor groove. Since C-C pairs may be involved in unusual secondary structures formed by the trinucleotide repeat sequence d[CCG]n, and associated with triplet repeat expansion diseases, mechlorethamine may serve as a useful probe for these structures.
Whose City Hall Is It? Architecture and Identity in New Orleans

New Orleans has had three city halls, all still standing. Built in 1795, 1845, and 1957, these city halls represent different facets of the public image of the city as a modern world metropolis, reflecting cosmopolitan French, Spanish, English, and American fashions. In the wake of Hurricane Katrina in 2005, a proposal emerged in 2006 to demolish the third city hall, an International Style office tower, and replace it with a National Jazz Center designed by Santa Monica-based Morphosis. A culturally and historically situated discussion of how each of the three city halls reflects New Orleans's cultural identity can provide a context for debating the present desire to replace public civic architecture with an architecture of private entertainment.
Calibration of the STS-1 seismometer; preliminary results

Abstract The cross-spectrum method has been applied to the random binary calibration of the STS-1 seismometers (VBB option) installed at the Incorporated Research Institutions for Seismology/Internal Deployment of Accelerometers (IRIS/IDA) stations. It proves to be highly efficient at reducing the effect upon the derived response of the ground noise present in the output signal. The residual noise is smaller than 0.5% in amplitude and 0.5° in phase, for frequencies ranging from 0.5 to 100 mHz, provided that data series as long as 12 h are available. Except for a few cases, we observe that the actual transfer function remains within 2% in amplitude and 1.2° in phase relative to the generally accepted model, also referred to as the ‘nominal’ transfer function. The deviations are attributed essentially to inaccurate values of the low-frequency corner of the response. We also have evidence of other small deviations owing to the setting of the mechanical free period of the seismometer upon installation in the field, and to the approximations introduced in the nominal model. We propose a corrected model which better describes the behavior of the instrument in the low-frequency range. The results presented here involve a relative calibration of the sensors; the determination of the absolute value of the sensitivity factor must be obtained from a different procedure.