cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Cyber Weapons and Cyber Warfare

A cyber attack is any type of offensive action employed by nation-states, individuals, groups, or organizations that targets computer information systems, infrastructures, computer networks, or personal computer devices by various means of malicious acts. Cyber attacks typically originate from an anonymous source that steals, alters, or destroys a specified target by hacking into a vulnerable system (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyberattack). Cyber warfare involves the actions by a nation-state to attack and attempt to damage another nation’s computers or information infrastructure through, for example, computer viruses, worms, or denial-of-service attacks. In this chapter we’ll look at various types of cryptologic techniques used in cyber attacks and discuss the possibilities of using cryptology in cyber warfare; the chapter does not go deeply into system vulnerabilities and attacks or into cyber attack prevention, mitigation, or response.
Higher education in austerity Europe

Ten years since the financial crisis, Higher Education in Austerity Europe, provides a unique view into austerity’s impacts on higher education institutions across distinct national contexts. The g...
New Pieces to the Lanthanide Puzzle

Recently, rare-earth elements lanthanides (Ln3+ ) have emerged as enzyme cofactors of methanol dehydrogenases of the XoxF type. It is now understood that XoxF enzymes can functionally replace the alternative, calcium-dependent, MxaFI-type methanol dehydrogenases, when Ln3+ are available. These rare-earth metals are not only essential for XoxF activity, but they also regulate gene expression, in a reverse fashion, activating the expression of XoxF and repressing the expression of MxaFI. This type of regulation has created multiple conundrums, including the details of the solubility, transport, sensing and selection mechanisms for Ln3+ by the bacterial cells, as well as the questions relevant to the evolution of the alternative enzymes and their potentially different redox properties. Overall, the newly discovered biological activity of Ln3+ presents a big puzzle. Ochsner et al. add several pieces to this puzzle, utilizing a model phyllosphere colonizer Methylobacterium extorquens PA1. They determine that Ln3+ sensing by this organism can take place via both XoxF-dependent and XoxF-independent mechanisms. They also identify genes for a TonB-dependent transporter and an ABC-type transporter and demonstrate that both are essential for Ln3+ -dependent methanol metabolism. The puzzle still requires multiple additional pieces for completion, but great strides have been made toward the goal of solving it.
Toward Simple & Scalable 3D Cell Tracking

Toxoplasma gondii is an obligate intracellular parasitic that is the causative agent of disseminated toxoplasmosis. Roughly, one third of the worlds population will test positive for T. gondii. Its virulence is linked to its lytic cycle and is predicated on its motility and ability to enter and exit nucleated cells; therefore, studies elucidating its mechanism of motility and in particular, its motility patterns in the context of its lytic cycle, are critical to the eventual development of therapeutic strategies. Here, we present an end-to-end computational pipeline for detection and tracking of T. gondii cells in 3D videos. Our pipeline consists of four different modules including: Preprocessing, Sparsification, Cell Detection, and Cell Tracking. By identifying key bottlenecks in object tracking and leveraging domain-specific heuristics, we developed a lightweight and highly parallel tracking procedure. Our results indicate that the parallel version of our pipeline performs remarkably faster than the serial one, and lays the groundwork for a novel, large-scale tracking algorithm.
History of skin thickness assessment and the Rodnan skin thickness scoring method in systemic sclerosis

The pathology of skin involvement in systemic sclerosis (or scleroderma) was first described in detail in 1892. In this article, we trace the history of cutaneous scleroderma and the evolution of t...
Early-Stage Alzheimer's Disease Is Associated with Simultaneous Systemic and Central Nervous System Dysregulation of Insulin-Linked Metabolic Pathways.

Background Brain insulin resistance is a well-recognized abnormality in Alzheimer's disease (AD) and the likely mediator of impaired glucose utilization that emerges early and progresses with disease severity. Moreover, the rates of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) or AD are significantly greater in people with diabetes mellitus or obesity. Objective This study was designed to determine whether systemic and central nervous system (CNS) insulin resistant disease states emerge together and thus may be integrally related. Methods Insulin-related molecules were measured in paired human serum and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples from 19 with MCI or early AD, and 21 controls using a multiplex ELISA platform. Results In MCI/AD, both the CSF and serum samples had significantly elevated mean levels of C-peptide and an incretin, and reduced expression of Visfatin, whereas only CSF showed significant reductions in insulin and leptin and only serum had increased glucagon, PAI-1, and ghrelin. Although the overall CSF and serum responses reflected insulin resistance together with insulin deficiency, the specific alterations measured in CSF and serum were different. Conclusion In MCI and early-stage AD, CNS and systemic insulin-related metabolic dysfunctions, including insulin resistance, occur simultaneously, suggesting that they are integrally related and possibly mediated similar pathogenic factors.
Seekers, Providers, Welcomers, and Storytellers: Modeling Social Roles in Online Health Communities

Participants in online communities often enact different roles when participating in their communities. For example, some in cancer support communities specialize in providing disease-related information or socializing new members. This work clusters the behavioral patterns of users of a cancer support community into specific functional roles. Based on a series of quantitative and qualitative evaluations, this research identified eleven roles that members occupy, such as welcomer and story sharer. We investigated role dynamics, including how roles change over members' lifecycles, and how roles predict long-term participation in the community. We found that members frequently change roles over their history, from ones that seek resources to ones offering help, while the distribution of roles is stable over the community's history. Adopting certain roles early on predicts members' continued participation in the community. Our methodology will be useful for facilitating better use of members' skills and interests in support of community-building efforts.
Pan-cancer genomic analysis links 3’UTR DNA methylation with increased gene expression in T cells

Background: Investigations into the function of non-promoter DNA methylation have yielded new insights into the epigenetic regulation of gene expression. However, integrated genome-wide non-promoter DNA methylation and gene expression analyses across a wide number of tumour types and corresponding normal tissues have not been performed.Methods: To investigate the impact of non-promoter DNA methylation on cancer pathogenesis, we performed a large-scale analysis of gene expression and DNA methylation profiles, finding enrichment in the 3'UTR DNA methylation positively correlated with gene expression. Filtering for genes in which 3'UTR DNA methylation strongly correlated with gene expression yielded a list of genes enriched for functions involving T cell activation.Findings: The important immune checkpoint gene Havcr2 showed a substantial increase in 3'UTR DNA methylation upon T cell activation and subsequent upregulation of gene expression in mice. Furthermore, this increase in Havcr2 gene expression was abrogated by treatment with decitabine.Interpretation: These findings indicate that the 3'UTR is a functionally relevant DNA methylation site. Additionally, we show a potential novel mechanism of HAVCR2 regulation in T cells, providing new insights for modulating immune checkpoint blockade. (C) 2019 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V.
Secure Controls for Smart Cities; Applications in Intelligent Transportation Systems and Smart Buildings

Internet of Things (IoT) is an emerging concept in smart infrastructures describing a wide ecosystem where interconnected devices and services collect, exchange and process data in order to adapt dynamically to a context. IoT is tightly bound to cyber-physical systems and in this respect is an enabler of Smart Infrastructures by enhancing their quality of service provisioning. Smart infrastructure, enabled by technologies like IoT, offer numerous of advantages bringing serious cost savings and efficiencies. These kinds of data-driven environments, fueled by connected devices and network connectivity, become a new attack surface for cyber threats. Cyber security approaches develop guidance to secure IoT and Smart Infrastructures from cyber threats, by highlighting good security practices and proposing recommendations to operators, manufacturers and decision makers. In this paper, cyber security approaches are analyzed in a smart city infrastructure.
High-mannose intercellular adhesion molecule-1 enhances CD16+ monocyte adhesion to the endothelium.

Monocyte subsets have been associated with cardiovascular disease, yet it is unknown how different subsets are recruited to the endothelium. This study demonstrates the formation of distinct ICAM-1...
Ocean color measurements

Ocean color observations by the Coastal Zone color scanner (CZCS) aboard the Nimbus-7 satellite are discussed, together with the factors contributing to the 'apparent' color of the ocean. The CZCS optical systems and the tecniques for extraction of the phytoplankton pigment concentration and the diffuse attenuation coefficient K from the 'apparent' water color are described in detail. Special consideration is given to the use of biooptical algorithms and the development of the K algorithm for the CZCS imagery. It is shown that under typical atmospheric conditions, the pigment concentration can be extracted from the satellite imagery to within + or - 30 percent over concentration ranges from 0 to 5 mg/cu m for the Morel case 1 water (Morel and Prieur, 1977), to which the oceanic waters belong as a rule.
Utilization of intensive behavioural treatment for obesity in patients with diabetes.

Obesity is a leading public health concern. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services implemented a healthcare procedure code for intensive behavioural therapy (IBT) in 2012 to facilitate payment for addressing obesity in primary care settings, followed by universal coverage by insurers for all adults. Our objective was to understand utilization of IBT from 2009 to 2017 in patients with a diabetes diagnosis. Leveraging electronic health record data from the PaTH Clinical Data Research Network (CDRN), a partnership of six health systems, utilization of IBT was summarized at a yearly basis. The trend of IBT prevalence was examined for patients with diabetes by gender, race, age (>=65 vs <65) and rurality. A total of 205, 913 patients were included. While utilization of IBT is low (0.24% in 2017), use of IBT increased among patients with commercial insurance and Medicaid (codes S9449 and S9470) in 2011, and among patients with Medicare (code G0447) in 2012. IBT users tended to be less than 65 years of age, female, non-White (Black or Hispanic), and reside in urban areas. Overall, use of IBT in patients with diabetes remains low. Future work is necessary to understand the impact of IBT and, if effective, how to increase use within primary care.
Anterior Axillary Arch: An Anatomic Variant Every Surgeon Operating in the Axilla Should Be Aware of.

Background Anterior axillary arch (AAA) is a slip of latissimus dorsi muscle, of variable thickness, which crosses anterior to the axillary vessels and brachial plexus. It is the most common anatomic variant in the axilla and surgeons operating in this area should be familiar with this finding to prevent confusion and complications. The aim of this study is to enhance surgeon's awareness of AAA, report the prevalence, and to describe our experience with this anomaly. Methods An institutionally maintained database was used to identify patients with AAA in a single surgeon's experience, from 2008 to 2019. Patient characteristics, including tumor type, laterality, and pathologic node counts were determined and compared with patients undergoing axillary lymph node dissection (ALND) without this anatomic anomaly. Results Nineteen patients with AAA were identified (13 on ALND and 6 during sentinel lymph node biopsy). Indications for ALND included breast cancer (12), melanoma (5), and Merkel cell carcinoma (2). In patients with AAA undergoing an ALND, the median number of lymph nodes pathologically identified was 23 and similar to those without AAA (27, P = 0.14). The prevalence of AAA in patients who underwent ALND was 3.1% (13/422). Conclusions Surgeons who operate in the axilla are likely to encounter an AAA. Knowledge of this variant should improve operative efficiency and may prevent technical errors during an ALND or sentinel lymph node biopsy.
Pinning down the problems and influences: Disordered eating and body satisfaction in male wrestlers

Abstract Objectives Disordered eating and body dissatisfaction are common concerns among athletes. However, these variables have been minimally explored in male wrestlers. Sociocultural influences can impact drive for muscularity, body satisfaction, and disordered eating, but it is unclear which influences are most prominent in this population. The present study had two aims: 1) examine the nature of drive for muscularity, body satisfaction, and disordered eating in collegiate wrestlers, and 2) investigate which sociocultural influence (general, coach/teammate, sport appearance pressures) most strongly predicts drive for muscularity, body satisfaction, and disordered eating. Methods and design This study was cross-sectional. Participants included 103 National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I male collegiate wrestlers in the U.S. who completed surveys in season on sociocultural influences, drive for muscularity, body satisfaction, and disordered eating. Results Wrestlers had a high drive for muscularity and engaged in many unhealthy behaviors to lose weight; however, they had relatively high body satisfaction. Relative weight analyses showed that sport appearance pressures were the strongest predictor of drive for muscularity while general pressures were the strongest predictor of body satisfaction and restricting eating behaviors. Conclusions Findings suggests that disordered eating needs to be addressed among wrestlers and potential influences to target.
Acoustic-Perceptual Correlates of Voice Among Steam Train Engineers: Effects of Noise and Hearing Protection

Occupational voice users are at a higher risk for developing voice disorders due to their vocal demands, such as prolonged periods of work-related voice use and nonideal environmental factors, such as speaking above background noise. The current study focused on the effects of background noise and hearing protection on acoustic-perceptual correlates of voice among steam train engineers. Fourteen participants phonated vowel /a/, read a phrase, and described a map under different noise and hearing protection conditions. Relative sound pressure level, relative fundamental frequency, and perceived vocal effort and disturbance decreased in the presence of hearing protection for all noise conditions. In contrast, these acoustic measures increased in the absence of hearing protection supporting Lombard effect. Overall, results of the current study provide insight into possible risks to vocal health in workers exposed to high levels of background noise and use hearing protection.
QUANTIFYING EVAPOTRANSPIRATION AND BIOPHYSICAL REGULATIONS OF A POPLAR PLANTATION ASSESSED BY EDDY COVARIANCE AND SAP-FLOW METHODS

Aims Using field data from an eddy-covariance (EC) flux tower and sap-flow sensors installed in a poplar (Populus euramericana) plantation, we investigated the magnitudes and changes of evapotranspiration (ET) under different soil moisture and climatic conditions. Our objectives were to quantify the energy partitioning and energy balance, explore the dynamic process and regulatory mechanisms on ET, and understand primary biophysical regulations, especially soil moisture. Methods An open path EC system, sap-flow sensors, soil water balance monitoring system, and microclimatic station were installed to record various components of energy fluxes and water budget at an 11-year-old poplar plantation in Daxing District, Beijing, China. We used data collected at 30-min intervals in the growing season of 2006 in this study. Important findings The overall energy closure of the study site was high (86%) during the growing season, but with notable dependence on soil water conditions. The ratio between sensible heat and net radiation (Hs:Rn) was much higher during dry conditions than that during moist conditions. With dry soils, net radiation and soil physical properties played important roles in transpiration, which was less than evaporation prior to rain events. In contrast, transpiration exceeded evaporation when the soil water content in the deep layers was more abundant following rain events. The total ET rates quantified by the soil water balance and sap-flow methods were comparable and lower than that determined by the EC method. The ratio between transpiration and ET appeared to be more dependent on net radiation and vapor pressure deficit (VPD) during wet periods than that during dry periods.
Molecular basis of MAP kinase regulation

Mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs; ERK1/2, p38, JNK, and ERK5) have evolved to transduce environmental and developmental signals (growth factors, stress) into adaptive and programmed responses (differentiation, inflammation, apoptosis). Almost 20 years ago, it was discovered that MAPKs contain a docking site in the C-terminal lobe that binds a conserved 13-16 amino acid sequence known as the D- or KIM-motif (kinase interaction motif). Recent crystal structures of MAPK:KIM-peptide complexes are leading to a precise understanding of how KIM sequences contribute to MAPK selectivity. In addition, new crystal and especially NMR studies are revealing how residues outside the canonical KIM motif interact with specific MAPKs and contribute further to MAPK selectivity and signaling pathway fidelity. In this review, we focus on these recent studies, with an emphasis on the use of NMR spectroscopy, isothermal titration calorimetry and small angle X-ray scattering to investigate these processes.
Magnetic Logic: Fundamentals, Devices, and Applications

A new class of integrated digital electronic devices uses conduction electron spin (magnetic moment) as the state variable. Devices incorporate a ferromagnetic material for at least one component and memory of the device state is intrinsically nonvolatile. These magnetoelectronic devices have become commercially successful as high-performance, low-power nonvolatile magnetic random access memory (MRAM), and their utilization in a variety of memory applications is increasing rapidly. A motivation of research in this field is to further broaden areas of implementation and an important focus has been the development of high-speed, low-power digital logic. This article reviews the most common techniques for performing Boolean logic operations with magnetoelectronic devices, and gives a discussion of the benefits and limitations of this novel approach to information processing. As the size and complexity of magnetic memories increase, there will be advantages to performing some logic functions using cells comprised of the same class of devices. Keywords: Boolean logic; magnetoelectronics; nonvolatile computing; reconfigurable logic; spintronics
Design and performance analysis of a phase-monopulse radar altimeter for continental ice sheet measurement

Current radar altimeter technology can be applied to the design of a phase-monopulse radar altimeter that provides an angle as well as a range measurement for the point of first reflection from the reflecting surface. Such an instrument is capable of removing the slope induced errors that occur when existing altimeters are applied to surfaces such as the continental ice sheets. The concepts and capabilities of such an altimeter are described.
Temperature dependence of effective exchange coupling in NiCu/IrMn bilayer

In this paper, temperature dependence of effective exchange coupling in NiCu/IrMn bilayer was studied.
Semi-Lagrangian Methods

Most of the fundamental equations in fluid dynamics can be derived from first principles in either a Lagrangian form or an Eulerian form. Lagrangian equations describe the evolution of the flow that would be observed following the motion of an individual parcel of fluid. Eulerian equations describe the evolution that would be observed at a fixed point in space (or at least at a fixed point in a coordinate system such as the rotating Earth whose motion is independent of the fluid). If S(x, t) represents the sources and sinks of a chemical tracer Ψ(x, t) the evolution of the tracer in a one-dimensional flow field may be alternatively expressed in Lagrangian form as $$\frac{{d\Psi }}{{dt}} = S$$ (6.1) , or in Eulerian form as $$\frac{{\partial \Psi }}{{\partial t}} + u\frac{{\partial \Psi }}{{\partial x}} = S$$ .
Raman spectroscopic characterization of the magnesium content in amorphous calcium carbonates

A series of Mg-bearing synthetic amorphous calcium carbonates (ACC) were characterized by Raman spectroscopy. The spectra showed a systematic increase in the carbonate n1 peak position from the control samples that contained 0.0mol % MgCO3 to samples that contained up to 43mol % MgCO3. The relationship is best described by the function: mol % MgCO3=(n1 – 1079.66) / 0.2017. The Mg content is equally well-predicted by a correlation with the instrumentally corrected n1 full width at half maximum that is quantified by: mol % MgCO3=(n1 – 23.26) / 0.1969. An analysis of the Raman data collected for ACC combined with insights from crystalline materials suggests that compositional dependencies arise from changes in the local metal–oxygen bonds as Mg substitutes for Ca. The calibrations described here provide a rapid and nondestructive means of determining the Mg content of ACC, with additional advantages of minimal sample preparation and a high degree of lateral spatial resolution (approximately 1mm). This method may be appropriate for investigations of heterogeneous samples such as biominerals. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Supporting information can be found in the online version of this article.
A simple, rapid atmospheric pressure chemical ionization liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry method for the determination of 25-hydroxyvitamin D2 and D3.

Vitamin D plays a vital role not only in bone health but also in pathophysiology of many other body functions. In recent years, there has been significant increase in testing of 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25-OH vitamin D), a marker of vitamin D deficiency. The most commonly used methods for the measurement of 25-OH vitamin D are immunoassays and liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS-MS). Since immunoassays suffer from inaccuracies and interferences, LC-MS-MS is a preferred method. In LC-MS-MS methods, 25-OH vitamin D is extracted from serum or plasma by solid-phase or liquid-phase extraction. Because these extraction methods are time consuming, we developed an easy method that uses simple protein precipitation followed by injection of the supernatant to LC-MS-MS. Several mass-to-charge (m/z) ratio transitions, including commonly used transitions based on water loss, were evaluated and several tube types were tested. The optimal transitions for 25-OH vitamin D2 and D3 were 395.5 > 269.5 and 383.4 > 257.3, respectively. The reportable range of the method was 1–100 ng/mL, and repeatability (within-run) and within-laboratory imprecision were <4% and <6%, respectively. The method agreed well with the solid-phase extraction methods. J. Clin. Lab. Anal. 26:349-357, 2012. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Effects of Volume Fraction and Composition on the Rheological Properties of Polyacrylic Acid/Polyacrylamide Hydrogels

Polyacrylamide-based hydrogels are popular materials that have been extensively studied for their applications in the field of biomaterials due to their permeability and biological compatibility. A major limitation of this polymeric material, however, in biological applications stems from their limited mechanical stiffness. The current study examines the mechanical properties of polyacrylamide-polyacrylic acid-based hydrogels at varying volume fractions and compositions using oscillatory rheology. For a fixed chemical cross-linker concentration, an increase in the volume fraction of hydrogel resulted in an increase in the shear elastic modulus of the hydrogel. Additionally, varying the relative ratio of polyacrylamide to polyacrylic acid resulted in modest changes in the shear elastic modulus.
Minimizing Social Contagion in Adolescents Who Self-Injure: Considerations for Group Work, Residential Treatment, and the Internet

Social contagion among adolescents is a growing concern as the numbers of youth who self-injure increases. Mental health counselors face challenges in treating self-injurers in settings that are prone to social contagion. This article describes social contagion as one factor motivating self-harm in group settings, residential facilities, and audiences for social and electronic media. It reviews possible benefits and pitfalls of self-injury treatment in these environments and presents approaches to minimize social contagion. Responses to self-injury and social contagion are explored.
Chlorphentermine suppresses the phosphatidylinositol pathway in concanavalin A-activated mouse splenic lymphocytes.

AbstractWe have previously demonstrated that the chlorphentermine (CP)1-induced impairment in lymphocyte blastogenesis involves drug-induced inhibition of an event which occurs very early during lymphocyte activation. An early event, which is associated with mitogen-induced lymphocyte activation, involves the hydrolysis of phosphatidylinositol by phospholipase C to yield inositol phosphates and diacylglycerol as products. Inositol phosphates and diacylglycerol then function as mediators of a trans-membrane signal for the continuation of the cellular response. It was the purpose of the present study to determine the effects of CP on this phosphatidylinositol pathway. We demonstrated that formation of inositol phosphates in lymphocytes increases progressively above control over a 2 hour period following concanavalin A (Con A)-stimulation. In contrast, lymphocytes pre-incubated with 10−5M CP for 60 min, then stimulated with Con A for 2 hours in the presence of 10−5M CP, exhibit a significantly depressed inos...
Age and Cohort Effects: An Examination of Older Japanese Travelers

Summary The older travel market will make up a larger proportion of the travel market in the near future with profound impact on market size and potential. This research addressed the issue whether travelers’ behavior changes over time through longitudinal and cohort comparisons of older Japanese outbound travelers in terms of travel propensity, destination activity participation and travel philosophy. Both the age effect and generation cohort effect were tested and the underlining patterns of the destination activity participation patterns relative to other age groups and previous generation cohorts were identified. The findings indicated that the older travel market is becoming more active compared to 10 years before. Travel characteristics of this market also change over time.
Characterizing fiber dispersion in cement composites using AC-Impedance Spectroscopy

A novel method is developed to evaluate fiber dispersion issues in short (or discontinuous) fiber-reinforced cement composites. Fiber orientation, global segregation (i.e., as a result of gravitational settling or improper mixing), and local aggregation (i.e., small fiber agglomerates distributed uniformly throughout the matrix) are quantified using an electrical measurement technique. The method is based on AC-Impedance Spectroscopy (AC-IS) and uses the intrinsic conductivity approach to characterize fiber dispersion through a process that is able to isolate some of the effects. A flow chart is developed to describe the method, which consists of 3D AC-IS measurements, a point probe technique, and a dispersion factor (DF) analysis.
Network analysis reveals centrally connected genes and pathways involved in CD8+ T cell exhaustion versus memory.

Summary Exhausted CD8 + T cells function poorly and are negatively regulated by inhibitory receptors. Transcriptional profiling has identified gene expression changes associated with exhaustion. However, the transcriptional pathways critical to the differences between exhausted and functional memory CD8 + T cells are unclear. We thus defined transcriptional coexpression networks to define pathways centrally involved in exhaustion versus memory. These studies revealed differences between exhausted and memory CD8 + T cells including the following: lack of coordinated transcriptional modules of quiescence during exhaustion, centrally connected hub genes, pathways such as transcription factors, genes involved in regulation of immune responses, and DNA repair genes, as well as differential connectivity for genes including T-bet, Eomes, and other transcription factors. These data identify pathways involved in CD8 + T cell exhaustion, and highlight the context-dependent nature of transcription factors in exhaustion versus memory.
Success of DNA fingerprinting after failure of biotyping, antimicrobial susceptibility testing, and plasmid analysis to reveal clonality of multiple blood and urine isolates from a patient with Escherichia coli urosepsis

Multiple isolates of Escherichia coli from the blood and urine of a 60-year-old woman with acute pyelonephritis exhibited different biotypes, antimicrobial susceptibility patterns, and plasmid profiles, suggesting the presence of polymicrobial bacteriuria and leaving in question the origin of the bacteremia. Only after bacterial restriction endonuclease analysis of total bacterial DNA was it discovered that all isolates represented the same strain, with plasmid instability possibly accounting for the varied antimicrobial susceptibility patterns observed. We conclude that the biotype, antimicrobial susceptibility profile, and plasmid profile are sometimes inadequate to clarify the relationships between different clinical isolates of E. coli from a single patient and can lead to erroneous epidemiologic conclusions. DNA fingerprinting can resolve dilemmas these less precise techniques leave unresolved.
Effect of platelet-derived growth factor on DNA and protein synthesis in cultured rat calvaria

Platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF), a peptide isolated from human platelets, was studied for its effects on bone formation by examining the synthesis of DNA, collagen and noncollagen protein in cultures of 21 day fetal rat calvaria. PDGF, at concentrations of 0.6-200 ng/ml, increased the incorporation of 3H-thymidine into acid insoluble residues in calvaria cultured for 24-96 hr; PDGF also increased the bone DNA content. After 24 hr of culture, PDGF caused a dose-dependent stimulation of 3H-proline incorporation into noncollagen protein (NCP) and a small stimulation of its incorporation into collagenase-digestible protein (CDP). After 96 hr of culture, PDGF did not affect NCP but inhibited the labeling of CDP. The PDGF stimulatory effect on the incorporation of 3H-thymidine was seen in both the periosteum and periosteum-free calvarium while that on the labeling of NCP was seen in the central nonperiosteal bone. Histological sections showed a threefold increase in the mitotic index after colcemid arrest in PDGF-treated bones. The stimulatory effect of PDGF on the incorporation of 3H-thymidine was enhanced by cortisol. These studies indicate that PDGF stimulates bone DNA synthesis and has a no specific stimulatory effect on protein synthesis in short-term cultures.
The piedmont Virginia community college experience in general education

The authors address the institutional context, goals, philosophy,external constraints, and assessment implications of the general education program at Piedmont Virginia Community College. They offer four pieces of advice for institutions beginning their work in general education– namely, owneship, turf, larger external connections, and curricular restructuring.
The efficacy of telephone counseling for health promotion in people with multiple sclerosis: a randomized controlled trial

Abstract Bombardier CH, Cunniffe M, Wadhwani R, Gibbons LE, Blake KD, Kraft GH. The efficacy of telephone counseling for health promotion in people with multiple sclerosis: a randomized controlled trial. Objective To determine if motivational interviewing-based telephone counseling increases health promotion activities and improves other health outcomes in people with multiple sclerosis (MS). Design Randomized controlled trial with wait-list controls and single-blinded outcome assessments conducted at baseline and at 12 weeks. Setting MS research and training center in the Pacific Northwest. Participants Community-residing persons (N=130) with physician confirmed MS aged 18 or older who were able to walk unassisted at least 90m (300ft). Intervention A single in-person motivational interview followed by 5 scheduled telephone counseling sessions to facilitate improvement in 1 of 6 health promotion areas: exercise, fatigue management, communication and/or social support, anxiety and/or stress management, and reducing alcohol or other drug use. Main Outcome Measures Health Promotion Lifestyle Profile II plus fatigue impact, subjective health, and objective measures of strength, fitness, and cognition. Intent-to-treat analyses of change scores were analyzed using nonparametric tests. Results Seventy persons were randomized to treatment and 60 to the control condition. The treatment group reported significantly greater improvement in health promotion activities, including physical activity, spiritual growth, and stress management as well as in fatigue impact and mental health compared with controls. In addition, the exerciser subgroup showed greater improvement than controls in self-selected walking speed. Conclusions A less intensive, more accessible approach to health promotion based on telephone counseling and motivational interviewing shows promise and merits further study.
FATTY ACID OXIDATION BY DEVELOPING RAT INTESTINE IS CONTROLLED BY CHANGES IN MITOCHONDRIAL [NADH]/[NAD]

At the time of weaning there is an eight-fold increase in palmitate oxidation to CO2 by rat intestinal mitochondria. Oxidation of acetyl-CoA also increases indicating that the tricarboxyylic acid (TCA) cycle may be rate-limiting during the suckling period. An increase in mitochondrial (mito) [NADH]/[NAD] inhibits isocitrate dehydrogenase, a control enzyme in the TCA cycle. In the suckling rat mito [NADH]/[NAD] is five-fold greater than postwean ratios. If the increase in mito [NADH]/[NAD] during the suckling period regulates TCA cycle activity, decreasing the mito [NADH]/[NAD] should increase TCA cycle activity and fatty acid oxidation. We have determined that high concentrations of potassium inhibit ketone oxidation which results in a decrease in mito [NADH/NAD] by altering the equilibrium of β-hydroxybutyrate dehydrogenase. The oxidation of palmitate and acetate by mitochondria of suckling rat small intestine is activated by the addition of high concentrations of potassium (100 mM) to the mitochondrial isolation mixture. These data suggest that the fatty acid oxidative mechanism is present during the suckling period and an increased mito [NADH]/[NAD] during this period decreases TCA cycle activity and fatty acid oxidation.
Electronic Spectroscopy of the Titanium Centers in Titanium Silicalite

Studies of the electronic structure of titanium centers in titanium silicalite (TS-1) catalytic materials were carried out using electronic absorption and emission spectroscopy. A long-lived phosph...
A 10-year single-institutional study of the biofragmentable anastomosis ring

Abstract Background The biofragmentable anastomosis ring (BAR) was introduced by Hardy in 1985 as a simple alternative to sutured or stapled intestinal anastomosis. Methods The aim of this study was to analyze complications related to the use of the BAR in elective intraperitoneal intestinal anastomosis to identify technical aspects important in the safe use of the device. The BAR was used by a single surgeon over a 10-year period. Three hundred fifty sequential intraperitoneal anastomoses were performed in 346 patients. There were 12 enteroenteric, 2 gastrojejunal, 199 enterocolic, and 137 colocolic anastomoses. Results There was 1 suture line recurrent carcinoma but no strictures. There were 11 complications that appeared related to construction of the anastomosis, 2 of them resulting in death. The 2 patients who died both had cirrhosis with ascites. Eight patients required re-exploration for suspected anastomotic complications. Six of them recovered and were discharged. Conclusion The BAR appears to be a safe alternative to sutured or stapled bowel anastomosis provided certain precautions are taken in its use.
Race, Self-Evaluation and The Protestant Ethic

Many recent studies have indicated that blacks maintain higher self-esteem than whites; theoretical accounts of this finding, however, are insufficient. The present research extends the finding to a sample of two hundred twenty-five imprisoned black and white youths and suggests that not only the content, but the very process, of self-evaluation may be distributed by race. When levels of perceived effectiveness in goal attainment are held constant, higher aspirations lower self-esteem for whites, but raise it for blacks. The finding for whites thus appears consistent with the instrumental model of self-evaluation proposed by William James (1890) and, it is argued, with the Protestant Ethic. The finding for blacks, however, is interpreted as a response to the Mertonian dilemma of free access to the American Dream, but limited access to the dominant market place which consensually validates its attainment.
Recurrence of ovarian cancer as a delayed solitary parenchymal splenic metastasis

Isolated recurrent splenic metastasis of epithelial ovarian cancer is extremely rare in the absence of apparent disease at other sites. There are only five case reports of isolated spleen parenchymal metastasis of epithelial ovarian cancer. Among gynecologic malignancies, the most common indication for splenectomy is ovarian cancer. Secondary debulking may improve survival in a few subsets of patients including isolated splenic metastasis. We present the case of a patient who developed an isolated recurrent solitary tumor in the spleen 5 1/2 years after undergoing initial therapy for a stage IIIC papillary serous adenocarcinoma of the ovary. Outcome and treatment of this condition are discussed.
The phylogenetic status ofPasteurella pestis

Yersinia pestis has been characterized in terms of fingerprints of digests (pancreatic and/or T1 ribonuclease) of its 16S and 5S ribosomal RNAs. These show clearly thatY. pestis is a member of the Enterobacteriaceae and suggest that within the Family it is most closely related to Serratia and/or Proteus.
Binomial posets, Möbius inversion, and permutation enumeration☆

Abstract A unified method is presented for enumerating permutations of sets and multisets with various conditions on their descents, inversions, etc. We first prove several formal identities involving Mobius functions associated with binomial posets. We then show that for certain binomial posets these Mobius functions are related to problems in permutation enumeration. Thus, for instance, we can explain “why” the exponential generating function for alternating permutations has the simple form ( 1 + sin x) ( cos x) . We can also clarify the reason for the ubiquitous appearance of ex in connection with permutations of sets, and of ξ(s) in connection with permutations of multisets.
Determination of long-lived actinides in soil leachates by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry

Inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) was used to concurrently determine multiple long-lived (t1/2>104 y) actinide isotopes in soil leachates. Ultrasonic nebulization was found to maximize instrument sensitivity. Instrument detection limits for actinides in solution ranged from 50 mBq L−1 (239Pu) to 2μBq L−1 (235U). Hydride adducts of232Th and238U interfered with the determinations of233U and239Pu; thus, extraction chromatography was used to concentrate the analytes and separate uranium from the other actinides in advance of mass spectrometric determination. Alpha spectrometric determinations of230Th,239Pu, and the234U/238U activity ratio in soil leachates compared well with ICP-MS determinations; however, there were some small systematic differences (ca. 10%) between ICP-MS and α-spectrometric determinations of234U and238U activities. These differences were attributed to the use of different isotope dilution spikes for ICP-MS and α-spectrometry.
Assessing the stochastic intermittency of single quantum dot luminescence for robust quantification of biomolecules.

Single molecule detection schemes promise that one has the ability to reach the ultimate limit of detection: one molecule. In this paper, we use the stochastic luminescence of single semiconductor nanocrystals (quantum dots, QDs) to detect and localize particles as digital counts. These digital counts can be correlated to the concentration of analytes in solution. Here, we use total internal reflection fluorescence (TIRF) microscopy to probe individual QDs immobilized on a functionalized substrate. QDs have found their niche in the bioanalytical community due to their remarkable brightness and stability. Despite their numerous outstanding photophysical properties, QDs at the single particle level display a pronounced intermittent luminescence, posing a challenge for the detection of individual particles. In this paper, we demonstrate a reliable method for detecting QDs that takes advantage of these signal fluctuations by comparing the variations in the QD’s fluorescence signals against variations of the b...
How Facts Make Law and the nature of moral facts

This paper is a reply to Ken Himma’s article on How Facts Make Law. In his thoughtful and thought-provoking paper, Himma claims that the argument of HFML must go wrong somewhere because, if successful, the argument shows too much with too little. In particular, he claims that my argument, with very limited resources, reaches a conclusion that entails that subjectivist and non-cognitivist theories of morality are false. Himma insists that I should not be able to resolve such controversial debates in meta-ethics with no meta-ethical or even normative resources. My basic response has two parts. First, it is not correct that my conclusion entails that subjectivist and non-cognitivist theories of morality are false. My conclusion itself is neutral as to the metaphysics of morality. Second, it is not even true that my argument, if successful, shows that there must be moral facts. The reason is that I rely on the plausibility of the existence of moral facts (whatever their metaphysics) in arguing for my conclusion. In sum, my argument’s conclusion doesn’t get us nearly as far as Himma thinks. Nor are my argument’s resources as meager as he claims.
Chromism of soluble polythienylenes

Thermochromism and solvatochromism of solutions of poly(3-alkylthienylenes) are reported. The experimental results indicate the presence of two coexisting phases: polymer in solution and polymer in microcrystalline aggregates. From the concentration independence of the thermochromism, it is concluded that the transition is fundamentally driven by a single chain mechanism, and that the aggregation (microcrystallization) of the poly(3-alkylthienylene) macromolecules can occur only after the single chain conformational change has occurred.
Managerial Incentives, Investment and Aggregate Implications: Scale Effects

We explore a managerial model of investment behaviour in which an incentive problem arises because one input factor (managerial effort) is not publicly observed. We show that an optimal incentive contract leads to investment levels which are below first-best in low states and that this phenomenon can account for greater cyclical variability in aggregate production and investment. From the perspective of incentive scheme design, a special feature of the model is that screening takes place over two variables (investment and output) rather than one as is customary.
Thyroxine and yeast metabolism: uncoupling of phosphorylation.

Abstract A subcellular particulate fraction isolated from baking yeast and having the properties of mitochondria, was found to oxidize succinate simultaneously with the esterification of inorganic phosphate. l -Thyroxine was found to depress the P O ratio significantly. Attempts were made to establish optimum conditions for a demonstration of this action of the hormone. The osmolarity of the pretreatment medium, the concentrations of sucrose, Mg, and albumin, and the pH of the incubation mixture were varied; the effects of these modifications on the uptake of oxygen and inorganic phosphate were determined, as influenced by l -thyroxine. It was observed that conditions producing a maximal rate of phosphorylation were not the most favorable ones for a demonstration of the uncoupling action of the hormone. Under conditions which produced a low rate of phosphorylation, l -thyroxine stimulated the oxidation of succinate markedly.
A technique for combined hypogastric artery bypass and endovascular repair of complex aortoiliac aneurysms

Endovascular repair of complex aortoiliac aneurysms may necessitate distal fixation of the endograft to the external iliac artery and percutaneous embolization of the hypogastric artery for prevention of a retrograde endoleak. However, acute interruption of hypogastric perfusion can result in symptoms of pelvic ischemia. We describe a technique in which a prosthetic graft is used as an external iliac artery conduit to facilitate the passage of the endograft delivery catheter/sheath and after completion of the endovascular portion of the procedure, a surgical bypass is completed with anastomosis of the graft to the hypogastric artery.
Hemodynamic effects of elevation and stabilization of the heart during off-pump coronary surgery.

Background: Coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) surgery is now being performed without the use of cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB). To achieve complete myocardial revascularization off-CPB, a technique has been developed to expose target coronary arteries while hemodynamics are maintained. Methods: Complete myocardial revascularization was performed in 18 consecutive patients. Exposure of target coronary arteries was achieved by a “single-suture” technique, placed in the oblique sinus of the pericardium. Traction on the suture elevates and rotates the heart, thereby exposing all target coronary arteries. Cardiac index (CI) and intracardiac pressures were measured with a Swan-Ganz catheter during the different phases of the operation. Results: All patients were successfully operated on without CPB. There were no postoperative complications or deaths. There were no major hemodynamic changes during the different stages of the operation; in other words, CI was unchanged during elevation of the heart and snaring of the main coronary branches. Pulmonary artery wedge pressure (PAWP) increased markedly during occlusion and stabilization of the circumflex coronary artery (p < 0.05). A marked increase in CI and cardiac output (CO) from baseline values was also recorded before chest closure (p < 0.05). Conclusion: Complete myocardial revascularization can be achieved safely without CPB. The single-suture technique allows for exposure of all target coronary arteries without hemodynamic compromise.