cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Epidemic situation of hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome in Yunnan Province,China,2005-2012

The recent epidemic situation of hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome(HFRS)in Yunnan Province,China,from 2005 to 2012,was analyzed,which provided a scientific basis for further control and prevention of HFRS in this place.Descriptive epidemiological and statistical methods were applied to analyze the data collected from the Yunnan Provincial Disease Reporting Information System from 2005 to 2012.A total of 260 cases were recorded including 45 clinically diagnosed cases,170 laboratory diagnosed cases,and 45 unconfirmed cases.Four category focus areas were classified according to the case number.The area of the highest incidence was Dali Prefecture,followed by Kunming City,Chuxiong Prefecture,Honghe Prefecture,Lijiang City,Nujiang Prefecture,Qujing City,Yuxi City,Zhaotong City,and Baoshan City,respectively.While Diqing Prefecture,Dehong Prefecture,Lincang City,Puer City,Xishuanbana Prefecture,and Wenshan Prefecture were experiencing no case.The temporal distribution of HFRS didn't show typical seasonality.The highest number of HFRS cases was found in farmers between the ages of 40 and 50years.In addition,male cases were found to be more than female cases.Dali Prefecture and the surrounding areas were identified as the key regions for control and prevention of HFRS.As male farmer over 40 years was the sub-population who was the most susceptible to HFRS,they should be targeted for protection from hantavirus infections.The most appropriate actions in areas of high incidence are improving sanitary conditions and reducing rodent density,and a vaccination program targeting two types of hantavirus should be included.
Temperature of Earth's core constrained from melting of Fe and Fe0.9Ni0.1 at high pressures

The melting points of fcc- and hcp-structured Fe_(0.9)Ni_(0.1) and Fe are measured up to 125 GPa using laser heated diamond anvil cells, synchrotron Mossbauer spectroscopy, and a recently developed fast temperature readout spectrometer. The onset of melting is detected by a characteristic drop in the time-integrated synchrotron Mossbauer signal which is sensitive to atomic motion. The thermal pressure experienced by the samples is constrained by X-ray diffraction measurements under high pressures and temperatures. The obtained best-fit melting curves of fcc-structured Fe and Fe_(0.9)Ni_(0.1) fall within the wide region bounded by previous studies. We are able to derive the γ–ϵ–l triple point of Fe and the quasi triple point of Fe_(0.9)Ni_(0.1) to be 110 ± 5GPa, 3345 ± 120K and 116 ± 5GPa, 3260 ± 120K, respectively. The measured melting temperatures of Fe at similar pressure are slightly higher than those of Fe_(0.9)Ni_(0.1) while their one sigma uncertainties overlap. Using previously measured phonon density of states of hcp-Fe, we calculate melting curves of hcp-structured Fe and Fe_(0.9)Ni_(0.1) using our (quasi) triple points as anchors. The extrapolated Fe_(0.9)Ni_(0.1) melting curve provides an estimate for the upper bound of Earth's inner core–outer core boundary temperature of 5500 ± 200K. The temperature within the liquid outer core is then approximated with an adiabatic model, which constrains the upper bound of the temperature at the core side of the core–mantle boundary to be 4000 ± 200K. We discuss a potential melting point depression caused by light elements and the implications of the presented core–mantle boundary temperature bounds on phase relations in the lowermost part of the mantle.
A Cutting Plane Branch and Bound Algorithm for Solving Nonlinear Integer Programming Problems

For a class of nonlinear integer programming problems,a cutting plane branch-and-bound method is proposed.In this method,the nonlinear feasible region were linearizet by the cutting plane equation.At the same time,the feasible direction of the subproblems was determined and the cutting plane was generated,which can cut off feasible region of no integer solutions and narrow the feasible region.This method can reduce the number of branches.
Generalized smoothing parameters of a multivariate EWMA control chart

ABSTRACTThe Multivariate Exponentially Weighted Moving Average (MEWMA) control chart is effective in detecting a small process mean shift. Its simplicity and generality stem from the assumption that the smoothing parameters of the variables are given constants and equally distributed on the diagonal of the smoothing matrix. Recently, the MEWMA model with the full non-diagonal smoothing matrix (FEWMA) is studied. The model, however, has limited use due to the assumption that the off-diagonal elements are the same; therefore, it would necessarily be sensitive to the correlation structure of observations. In this article, we propose a generalized model for the MEWMA, that uses appropriate non-diagonal elements in the smoothing matrix based on the correlation among variables. We also offer an interpretation of off-diagonal elements of the smoothing matrix and suggest an optimal design for a proposed MEWMA chart. A case study on the automatic monitoring of dimensions of bolts using an imaging processing system...
Time-Varying Risk Factors for Reassault Among Batterer Program Participants

This study uses longitudinal data to identify “risk markers” for reassault among batterer program participants. Data are from 308 men and their partners collected at five, 3-month intervals. Time-varying situational and behavioral risk factors, as well as time-invariant individual characteristics, are examined. The most influential risk markers, in terms of relative risk and level of statistical significance, were time-varying: 2 measures of the man's drunkenness during the follow-up interval in which the reassault occurred (OR: 3.5-16.3; p > .0005). Other included time-varying batterer characteristics had no significant effect on reassault. Two significant time-invariant batterer risk factors were (1) severe psychopathology and (2) a history of non-domestic-violence arrest, both measured at intake. Results suggest that batterers' drinking behavior after program intake may provide an important and easily observed “marker” for risk of reassault and that prediction of reassault with individual risk factors at program intake remains problematical.
Presentation of cryptic peptides by MHC class i is enhanced by inflammatory stimuli

Cytolytic T cells eliminate infected or cancer cells by recognizing peptides presented by MHC class I molecules on the cell surface. The antigenic peptides are derived primarily from newly synthesized proteins including those produced by cryptic translation mechanisms. Previous studies have shown that cryptic translation can be initiated by distinct mechanisms at non-AUG codons in addition to conventional translation initiated at the canonical AUG start codon. In this study, we show that presentation of endogenously translated cryptic peptides is enhanced by TLR signaling pathways involved in pathogen recognition as well as by infection with different viruses. This enhancement of cryptic peptides was caused by proinflammatory cytokines, secreted in response to microbial infection. Furthermore, blocking these cytokines abrogated the enhancement of cryptic peptide presentation in response to infection. Thus, presentation of cryptic peptides is selectively enhanced during inflammation and infection, which could allow the immune system to detect intracellular pathogens that might otherwise escape detection because of inhibition of conventional host translation mechanisms.
Emerging waves of carbapenem resistance among gram negative pathogens at a tertiary center

Carbapenem resistant organisms (CROs) have emerged as a public health crisis because of high rates of mortality and morbidity. Epidemiologic and clinical factors contributing to patient outcomes vary. Objectives included evaluating emergence of CROs, and identifying factors associated with patient mortality at UPMC Presbyterian hospital. Microbiology records were extracted from the most common gram-negative pathogens, E.coli(Ecol), Klebsiella pneumoniae(Klpn), Pseudomonas aeruginosa(Psar), Enterobacter aerogenes/cloacae(Entb), Serratia marcescens(Serm), and Acinetobacter baumannii(Acat) from 2000-2015. We identified 84,597 isolates from 37,823 patients. Among all isolates 9.5% (8,864) were classified as CROs. Standardized by patient, 7.5% of isolates were CR in 2000, 14.6% in 2015 (P
Lysosomal acid lipase deficiency in all siblings of the same parents

We present 4 normal-weight sibling children with lysosomal acid lipase deficiency (LAL-D). LAL-D was considered in the differential diagnosis based on the absence of secondary causes and primary inherited traits for their marked hyperlipidemia, together with unexplained hepatic transaminase elevation. Residual lysosomal acid lipase activity confirmed the diagnosis. DNA sequencing of LIPA indicated that the siblings were compound heterozygotes (c.894G>A and c.428+1G>A). This case describes the unusual occurrence of all offspring from the same nonconsanguineous mother and father inheriting compound heterozygosity of a recessive trait and the identification of an apparently unique LIPA mutation (c.428+1G>A). It highlights the collaborative effort between a lipidologist and gastroenterologist in developing a differential diagnosis leading to the confirmatory diagnosis of this rare, life-threatening disease. With the availability of an effective enzyme replacement therapy (sebelipase alfa), LAL-D should be entertained in the differential diagnosis of children, adolescents, and young adults with idiopathic hyperlipidemia and unexplained hepatic transaminase elevation.
Comparison of a four stage sequentially rotated wideband circularly polarized high gain microstrip patch array antennas at Ku-band

Two sequentially rotated, four stage, wideband circularly polarized high gain microstrip patch array antennas at Ku-band are investigated and compared by incorporating both unequal and equal power division based feeding networks. Four stages of sequential rotation is used to create 16×16 patch array which provides wider common bandwidth between the impedance matching (S 11 < −10dB), 3dB axial ratio and 3dB gain of 12.3% for the equal power divider based feed array and 13.2% for the unequal power divider based feed array in addition to high polarization purity. The high peak gain of 28.5dBic is obtained for the unequal power division feed based array antennas compared to 26.8dBic peak gain in the case of the equal power division based feed array antennas. The additional comparison between two feed networks based arrays reveals that the unequal power divider based array antennas provide better array characteristics than the equal power divider based feed array antennas.
Quantitative Effects of O-Linked Glycans on Protein Folding

Protein O-glycosylation is a diverse, common, and important post-translational modification of both proteins inside the cell and those that are secreted or membrane-bound. Much work has shown that O-glycosylation can alter the structure, function, and physical properties of the proteins to which it is attached. One gap remaining in our understanding of O-glycoproteins is how O-glycans might affect the folding of proteins. Here, we took advantage of synthetic, homogeneous O-glycopeptides to show that certain glycosylation patterns have an intrinsic effect, independent of any cellular folding machinery, on the folding pathway of a model O-glycoprotein, a carbohydrate binding module (CBM) derived from the Trichoderma reesei cellulase TrCel7A. The strongest effect, a 6-fold increase in overall folding rate, was observed when a single O-mannose was the glycan, and the glycosylation site was near the N-terminus of the peptide sequence. We were also able to show that glycosylation patterns affected the kinetics ...
Receptivity’s Construction in Public Schools: a Component of Immigrant Integration in an Emerging Gateway

Community receptivity, a critical component in integration processes, is a place’s collective response to newcomers. It is a constructed context in which the experiences of settlement and adjustment for both immigrants and non-immigrants occur. Receptivity is fluid, shaped by multi-scalar components of a community’s political, economic, social, and cultural spheres. In traditional gateways, the evolving interplay of long-established forces guides receptivity. But in new gateways, front line providers that encounter the initial settlement needs of immigrants are the vanguard of constructing the broader community’s warmth of immigrant welcome. This case study of three elementary schools in Charlotte, NC demonstrates the role of public schools as a site of receptivity’s early construction within an emerging gateway. We argue that teachers are creating receptivity building blocks within their classrooms, guiding the construction of receptivity within their schools, among the school board, the school district, and the city as a whole.
North American Microtektites, Radiolarian Extinctions and the Age of the Eocene-Oligocene Boundary

Abstract North American microtektites have been found in one Gulf of Mexico and two Caribbean cores. The microtektite layer occurs in upper Eocene sediment and coincides with the apparent extinction of five radiolarian species. Based on fission-track dating of the microtektites and K-Ar and fission-track dating of North American tektites, the North American microtektites have an absolute age of ∼34 m.y., indicating an age of less than 35 m.y. for the Eocene-Oligocene boundary.
Reconstructing cancer drug response networks using multitask learning

Translating in vitro results to clinical tests is a major challenge in systems biology. Here we present a new Multi-Task learning framework which integrates thousands of cell line expression experiments to reconstruct drug specific response networks in cancer. The reconstructed networks correctly identify several shared key proteins and pathways while simultaneously highlighting many cell type specific proteins. We used top proteins from each drug network to predict survival for patients prescribed the drug. Predictions based on proteins from the in-vitro derived networks significantly outperformed predictions based on known cancer genes indicating that Multi-Task learning can indeed identify accurate drug response networks.
Pharmacokinetics and Pharmacodynamics of the Triterpenoid Ursolic Acid in Regulating the Antioxidant, Anti-inflammatory, and Epigenetic Gene Responses in Rat Leukocytes

The triterpenoid ursolic acid (UA) has been proposed as a potential cancer chemopreventive agent in many preclinical and clinical studies. In the present work, we aimed to characterize the pharmacokinetics (PK) of UA and to quantitatively assess the antioxidative and anti-inflammatory effects of UA, which are potentially linked to its chemopreventive efficacy. UA was administered intravenously (i.v., 20 mg/kg) or by oral gavage (100 mg/kg) to male Sprague–Dawley rats, and blood samples were collected at a series of designated time points. The plasma concentration of UA was determined using a validated liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (LC-MS) approach. A biexponential decline in the UA plasma concentration was observed after i.v. dosing and was fitted to a two-compartmental model. The expression levels of phase II drug metabolism (DM)/antioxidant genes and the inflammatory iNos gene in corresponding treatment arms were measured using qPCR as a pharmacodynamic (PD) marker. The expression of phase II ...
Endocrine Effects of Opioid Antagonists

The hypothalamic—pituitary—gonadal (HPG) axis and the hypothalamic\— pituitary— adrenal (HPA) axis are regulated in part by endogenous opioid peptides. The endogenous opioid system has primarily inhibitory actions on the HPG and the HPA axis hormones. Exogenous opioid antagonists block endogenous opioid inhibition, usually resulting in stimulation of hormone release. This chapter summarizes the effects of a series of opioid antagonists (naltrexone, naloxone, nalmefene, and nalbuphine) on HPG and HPA axis hormones and on prolactin. Clinical studies and preclinical studies in nonhuman primates are discussed. Interestingly, stimulation of hormone release by opioid antagonists has been useful for the treatment of a number of endocrine disorders including infertility, hypotha-lamic amenorrhea, and male impotence and as tests of HPA axis function.
Robustness of interdependent geometric networks under inhomogeneous failures

Complex systems such as smart cities and smart power grids rely heavily on their interdependent components. The failure of a component in one network may lead to the failure of the supported component in another network. Components which support a large number of interdependent components may be more vulnerable to attacks and failures. In this paper, we study the robustness of two interdependent networks under node failures. By modeling each network using a random geometric graph (RGG), we study conditions for the percolation of two interdependent RGGs after in-homogeneous node failures. We derive analytical bounds on the interdependent degree thresholds (k 1 ,k 2 ), such that the interdependent RGGs percolate after removing nodes in G i that support more than k j nodes in Gj (Vi, j є {1,2},i ≠ j). We verify the bounds using numerical simulation, and show that there is a tradeoff between k 1 and k 2 for maintaining percolation after the failures.
The State of Journalism and Press Freedom in Postgenocide Rwanda

News media played a prominent role in perpetuating the 1994 Rwandan genocide. Since then, Rwanda has undergone impressive social and economic growth, but the media landscape during this redevelopme...
RARE EARTH AND ACTINIDE INTERMETALLICS AS HYDROGENATION CATALYSTS

Rare earth intermetallics (e.g., RNi 5 ) and certain actinide internetallics (e.g., ThNi 5 ) have been found to be catalytically active for the formation of methane from CO and H 2 . The rare earth intermetallics have also been found to be active as synthetic ammonia catalysts. Specific activities exceed those of good commercial catalysts by an order of magnitude or more. Examinations of the used catalyst have been made by surface area determinations, x-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive analysis by x-rays (EDAX) and Auger Electron Spectroscopy (AES). These studies indicate that the original intermetallic has been transformed during reaction into a substrate of rare earth or actinide oxides supporting nodules of the transition element, the nodules being ∼ 0.5 micrometer in diameter. These nodules are probably the active catalyst. However, the rare earth (or actinide) plays a role since the observed activation energies vary substantially, depending upon the nature of the specific rare earth involved. AES results indicate that the variation in activity is ascribable to the extent of carbon buildup on the surface of the nodules. This buildup is absent for ThNi 5 which is an excellent methanation catalyst, and ia extensive for ZrNi 5 , which'is a poor methanation catalyst. The hydrogenation of C 2 H 4 with LaNi 5 H 2.4 , studied by Soga et al. in Tokyo, is found to be diffusion controlled with an activation energy of 5.7 kcal/mole.
Abstract IA06: Molecular mechanisms of lung cancer development: Between metabolic reprogramming and genomic instability in the field of cancerization

Airway epithelial cells are prone to assault by risk factors and considered to be the primary cell type involved in the field of cancerization. To investigate risk-associated changes in the bronchial epithelium proteome that may offer new insights into molecular pathogenesis of lung cancer, proteins were identified in the airway epithelial cells of bronchial brushings specimens from risk-stratified individuals by shotgun proteomics. Differential expression of selected proteins was validated by parallel reaction monitoring mass spectrometry in an independent set of individual bronchial brushings. We identified over 300 proteins with a significant trend in expression. Pathway analysis revealed enrichment of carbohydrate metabolic enzymes in high-risk individuals. Glucose consumption and lactate production were increased in human bronchial epithelial BEAS2B cells treated with cigarette smoke condensate for seven months. Increased lipid biosynthetic capacity and net reductive carboxylation were revealed by metabolic flux analyses of [U-13C5] glutamine in this in vitro model, suggesting profound metabolic reprogramming in the airway epithelium of high-risk individuals. These results also pointed towards a fundamental role of glutamine and cysteine metabolism in lung cancer progression. Two amino acid transporters, specifically SLC1A5 and SLC7A11, captured our attention for their high level of expression in lung cancer. These transporters are associated with worse survival in lung cancer. A small-molecular inhibitor of SLC1A5 prevents tumor progression in nude mice, and a glutaminase inhibitor CB-839 exhibits radiosensitization to lung cancer cells, an effect that may be mediated by decreased GSH production. Taken together, these studies provide a rationale for new chemopreventive strategies, selection of patients for surveillance programs, and determining how metabolic reprogramming may contribute genomic instability a requirement to cancer development. Further investigation into how glutamine and cystine metabolism contribute to lung cancer development and progression may lead to novel early-interception strategies in lung cancer. This work is supported by NCI CA186145, CA152662, and DoD W81XWH-11-2-0161. Citation Format: Jamshed Rahman, Xiangming Ji, Chirayu Patel, Jamey Young, Pierre P. Massion. Molecular mechanisms of lung cancer development: Between metabolic reprogramming and genomic instability in the field of cancerization [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Fifth AACR-IASLC International Joint Conference: Lung Cancer Translational Science from the Bench to the Clinic; Jan 8-11, 2018; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Clin Cancer Res 2018;24(17_Suppl):Abstract nr IA06.
Electrochemical Properties and Theoretical Capacity for Sodium Storage in Hard Carbon: Insights from First Principles Calculations

This paper utilizes density functional theory calculations to explore amorphous carbon materials, and concludes that the theoretical capacity is between 300 and 400 mAh g–1, depending on the degree...
Variation in Perso-Arabic and Devanāgarī Sindhī orthographies: An overview

Abstract The Sindhī language has been written in numerous scripts throughout its history. However, in the twentieth century, Perso-Arabic and Devanāgarī emerged as the dominant scripts for the language. Today, Perso-Arabic is the sole official script for Sindhī in Pakistan, while both Perso-Arabic and Devanāgarī are in concurrent use for the language in India. This paper identifies and analyses areas of orthographic standardisation and variation in the Perso-Arabic and Devanāgarī scripts for Sindhī, focusing primarily on practices in the Indian context. It first classifies orthographic variation into that stemming from phonological ambiguity, and that which is purely graphematic. The former includes the representation of reduced vowels, gemination, vocalic endings, loanwords, consonant clusters and sounds of unclear phonemic status. The latter includes the shapes and positioning of diacritics, allographs, derivative graphemes and collation orders. The paper concludes by summarising the possible pedagogical implications of such orthographic standardisation and variation.
Message Heard: Insights for Doctoral Program Design From Community Partners

Developing a nursing doctoral program requires, among other considerations, thoughtful reflection on opportunities for graduates, and needs of the health-care community. To educate nurse clinicians, scientists, and leaders prepared to address complex health-care issues, colleges of nursing must engage with community stakeholders during program development. One college embraced this opportunity to dialogue through a series of semistructured focus groups and surveys to inform community partners of the developing doctoral program plan and to hear their related ideas and opinions. Themes arising from qualitative data analysis included driving forces, the value of education, and differing doctoral roles. The findings were far more enlightening than anticipated and ultimately guided the direction of program development. This study affirmed the power of meaningful dialogue with community partners to ensure a well-educated nursing workforce with the skills needed to advance nursing practice in the changing health-care environment.
The Progression and regression of slave morality in Nietzsche's Genealogy: The moralization of bad conscience and indebtedness

With the advent of slave morality and the belief system it entails, human beings alone begin to advance to a level beyond that of simple, brute, animal nature. While Christianity and its belief system generate a progression, however, allowing human beings to become interesting for the first time, Nietzsche also maintains in the Genealogy that slave morality is a regression, somehow lowering or bringing them down from a possible higher level. In this paper I will argue that this is not a mere inconsistency in Nietzsche's writing, but is instead an important clue to a correct interpretation of the Genealogy.
Molecular profiling of clear cell adenocarcinoma of the urinary tract

Clear cell adenocarcinoma (CCA) of the urinary tract is a rare type of malignancy whose molecular profiles remain undefined. Here we reported an integrated clinicopathologic and molecular profiling analysis of four cases of clear cell adenocarcinoma arising in the urethra or the bladder. Utilizing a clinically validated 130-gene exon-sequencing assay, we identified recurrent pathogenic PIK3CA (p. E545K) and KRAS (p.G12D) variants in three of four (75%) of the cases. In addition, an APC variant (P.S2310X), a TP53 variant (p.R273C), and a MYC amplification event were identified. The only CCA case without either PIK3CA or KRAS variants has a distinct pathogenesis through BK virus, demonstrated by positive BK virus PCR and SV40 immunohistochemistry. The novel finding of recurrent variants in the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway provides not only insights into oncogenesis but also potential clinical therapeutic targets for patients with clear cell adenocarcinoma of the urinary tract.
Modernizing Population Sciences in the Digital Age.

This article is featured in Highlights of This Issue, [p. 697][1] The era of “big data” has been transformative for many disciplines, particularly for the health sciences with increased access to electronic health records and other personal information. The proliferation of genome-wide
Chapter 4 – SCATTERPLOTS

Publisher Summary This chapter focuses on scatterplots, which are simple and often valuable graphic techniques used for discovering trends, patterns, and relationships in data. Scatterplots are also called scattergrams or scatter diagrams. Scatterplots are graphic representations of two variables. One variable is measured on the y (vertical) axis and the second variable is measured on the x (horizontal) axis. Scatterplots assume that both variables are measured on an interval or ratio scale. Scatterplots may be modified to include additional information. Scatterplots are strongly recommended before doing any tests for associations or relationships between variables. A scatterplot can help to determine whether two variables are related. The graphic techniques are used as the first step to prepare a scatterplot to determine whether noise levels and use of the parks are related. The scatterplot reveals information about the distribution of the data. In using statistical tests to determine whether there is a relationship between variables, it is important to know about the distribution of the data. The scatterplot helps identify outliers. Any data point on a scatterplot that is far removed from the rest of the data points should be investigated.
Lung Epithelial Protein Expression and the Use of Volatile Anesthetics in Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome

Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is a potentially fatal lung injury that can present with divergent underlying cause across cases. Current treatment options are limited by an incomplete understanding of the disease sequelae, undefined unifying pathology, and lack of reliable diagnostic tools. ARDS is defined as respiratory failure not caused by fluid overload or cardiac failure within one week of a known clinical insult with bilateral opacities on chest imaging, and diagnosis is based on these parameters. Increased understanding of the inflammatory cascade associated with ARDS progression shows promise for identifying potential diagnostic biomarkers and additional treatment options. Here, we review recent studies that point to the unifying inflammatory element(s) of the disease process and the use of agents that decrease inflammation as potentially powerful treatments for ARDS patients.
Word2vec Conjecture and A Limitative Result.

Being inspired by the success of \texttt{word2vec} \citep{mikolov2013distributed} in capturing analogies, we study the conjecture that analogical relations can be represented by vector spaces. Unlike many previous works that focus on the distributional semantic aspect of \texttt{word2vec}, we study the purely \emph{representational} question: can \emph{all} semantic word-word relations be represented by differences (or directions) of vectors? We call this the word2vec conjecture and point out some of its desirable implications. However, we will exhibit a class of relations that cannot be represented in this way, thus falsifying the conjecture and establishing a limitative result for the representability of semantic relations by vector spaces over fields of characteristic 0, e.g., real or complex numbers.
Selective pre-enrichment method to lessen time needed to recover Salmonella from commercial poultry processing samples.

Abstract Conventional Salmonella detection is time consuming, often employing a 24-h pre-enrichment step in buffered peptone water (BPW), followed by a 24-h selective enrichment in either Rappaport Vassiliadis (RV) or tetrathionate (TT) broths before streaking onto selective indicator agar. To reduce this time, we sought to optimize pre-enrichment for Salmonella recovery by evaluating the addition of selective chemicals to BPW. Duplicate samples each representative of 500 carcasses were collected by catching processing water drip under moving carcass shackle lines immediately after feather removal in each of nine commercial processing plants. Carcass drip samples were cultured under selective pre-enrichment conditions in parallel with BPW pre-enrichment followed by RV and TT selective enrichment. Addition of bile salts (1 g/L) and novobiocin (0.015 g/L) resulted in Salmonella recovery from 89% samples when plated directly after pre-enrichment compared to 67% recovery in non-selective BPW alone. Salmonella serovar identities were determined using CRISPR-SeroSeq. Overall, serovars matched between selective pre-enrichment and traditional enrichment methods. These data suggest that increasing the selectivity of Salmonella pre-enrichment step may lessen the need for a separate selective enrichment step thereby reducing time required for Salmonella isolation by 24 h.
Chapter 2 Mutational Analysis of the Structure and Function of the Influenza Virus Hemagglutinin

Publisher Summary Hemagglutinin (HA) glycoprotein of influenza virus is considered the best characterized of all integral membrane proteins. HA is regarded as an ideal candidate for site-specific mutagenesis experiments aimed at elucidating the function of the various domains of the molecule. The structure of the HA molecule is characteristic of the major class of cellular integral membrane proteins, having typical amino and carboxy-terminal hydrophobic regions. Essentially, HA provides a useful model system for the study of the structure, function, and biosynthesis of eukaryotic membrane proteins. The HA protein is naturally encoded by an RNA genome that is not amenable to in vitro mutagenesis. When the HA cDNA is introduced into eukaryotic cells using vectors derived from SV40, it is expressed with high efficiency into a fully glycosylated protein that is displayed on the infected cell's surface in an antigenically and biologically active form. The cloned, expressing copies of the HA gene provide the material to analyze the effect of mutations on the structure and function of the protein. This chapter presents the expression of wild-type HA and analysis of the expression of mutant HA proteins.
Systemic Immune Activation and HIV Shedding in the Female Genital Tract.

BACKGROUND Plasma HIV RNA is the most significant determinant of cervical HIV shedding. However, shedding is also associated with sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and cervical inflammation. The mechanism by which this occurs is poorly understood. There is evidence that systemic immune activation promotes viral entry, replication, and HIV disease progression. We hypothesized that systemic immune activation would be associated with an increase in HIV genital shedding. METHODS Clinical assessments, HIV RNA in plasma and genital secretions, and markers of immune activation (CD38(+)DR(+) and CD38(-)DR(-)) on CD4(+) and CD8(+) T cells in blood were evaluated in 226 HIV+ women enrolled in the Women's Interagency HIV Study. There were 569 genital evaluations of which 159 (28%) exhibited HIV RNA shedding, defined as HIV viral load >80 copies per milliliter. We tested associations between immune activation and shedding using generalized estimating equations with logit link function. RESULTS In the univariate model, higher levels of CD4(+) and CD8(+) T-cell activation in blood were significantly associated with genital tract shedding. However, in the multivariate model adjusting for plasma HIV RNA, STIs, and genital tract infections, only higher levels of resting CD8(+) T cells (CD38(-)DR(-)) were significantly inversely associated with HIV shedding in the genital tract (odds ratios = 0.44, 95% confidence interval: 0.21 to 0.9, P = 0.02). CONCLUSIONS The association of systemic immune activation with genital HIV shedding is multifactorial. Systemic T-cell activation is associated with genital tract shedding in univariate analysis but not when adjusting for plasma HIV RNA, STIs, and genital tract infections. In addition, women with high percentage of resting T cells are less likely to have HIV shedding compared with those with lower percentages. These findings suggest that a higher percentage of resting cells, as a result of maximal viral suppression with treatment, may decrease local genital activation, HIV shedding, and transmission.
On-demand index for efficient structural joins

A structural join finds all occurrences of structural, or containment, relationship between two sets of XML node elements: ancestor and descendant. Prior approaches to structural joins mostly focus on maintaining offline indexes on disks or requiring the elements in both sets to be sorted. However, either one can be expensive. More important, not all node elements are beforehand indexed or sorted. We present an on-demand, in-memory indexing approach to performing structural joins. There is no need to sort the elements. We discover that there are similarities between the problems of structural joins and stabbing queries. However, previous work on stabbing queries, although efficient in search time, is not directly applicable to structural joins because of high storage costs. We develop two storage reduction techniques to alleviate the problem of high storage costs. Simulations show that our new method outperforms prior approaches.
Body-worn fully-passive wireless analog sensors for biopotential measurement through load modulation

Fully-passive wireless and disposable bodysensors are promising for unobtrusive monitoring of physiological signals at natural settings. We present a new type of wireless analog passive sensor (WAPS) based on resistive damping, which can be used for biopotential sensing. The resistive WAPS operates by modulating the amplitudes of the incident RF signal, and composes of a loop antenna, a tuning capacitor, and a MOSFET (an additional biasing resistance is used in one variation). The scanner transmits carrier RF signal at 13:34MHz and the load modulated signal is captured with the signal analyzer. The envelope of the modulated signal correlates with the biopotential being sensed. Both enhancement and depletion MOSFETs are demonstrated, where the earlier demonstrated superior performance. The sensitivity can be as low as 10 mV, suitable for ECG and EMG physiological signal capture. The transmission power were 0 dBm while the co-axial separation between antennas were 21.5 mm. The results show that the proposed WAPS can be used to develop disposable biopotential sensor suitable for body-worn physiological signal monitoring system.
A system to measure the Optokinetic and Optomotor response in mice

Abstract Background Visually evoked compensatory head movements (Optomotor responses) or eye movements (Optokinetic responses) are extensively used in experimental mouse models for developmental defects, pathological conditions, and testing the efficacy of therapeutic manipulations. New method We present an automated system to measure Optomotor and Optokinetic responses under identical stimulation conditions, enabling a direct comparison of the two reflexes. A semi-automated calibration procedure and a commercial eye tracker are used to record angular eye velocity in the restrained animal. Novel video tracking algorithms determine the location of the mouse head in real time and allow repositioning of the stimulus relative to the mouse head. Results Optomotor and Optokinetic responses yield comparable results with respect to determining visual acuity in mice. Our new head tracking algorithms enable a far more accurate analysis of head angle determination, and reveal individual head retractions, analogous to saccadic eye movements observed during Optokinetic Nystagmus. Comparison with existing methods To our knowledge this is the first apparatus allowing the direct comparison of Optomotor and Optokinetic responses in mice. Our tracking algorithms, which allow an objective determination of head movements are a significant increment over existing systems which rely on subjective human observation. The increased accuracy of the novel algorithms increases the robustness of automated Optomotor response determinations and reveals novel aspects of this reflex. Conclusions We provide the blueprints for inexpensive hardware, and release open source software for our system, and describe an accurate and accessible method for Optomotor and Optokinetic response determination in mice.
Blind synchronization of m-sequences with even span

The problem of recovering the phase on a known binary m-sequence that is corrupted by a binary noise source is considered. This problem arises in the cryptanalysis of stream ciphers formed from a nonlinear combination of m-sequences. A synchronization procedure is developed for even span n. The procedure obtains a reliable estimate of the phase of an m-sequence of span n from unreliable estimates of the phases of a small number of shifts of a fixed m-sequence of span n/2. These latter estimates can be obtained from a variety of methods available in the literature. The procedure results in a reduction of complexity but requires observing on the order of the square root of the m-sequence's period.
Effect of fetal metabolic acidosis upon oxygen environment.

Abstract The occurrence of metabolic acidosis in the fetus is usually secondary to one occurring in the mother or is accompanied by fetal hypoxia. Pure fetal metabolic acidosis was produced in a series of lambs in utero at term by the infusion of hydrochloric acid. The uterine and umbilical blood flows were measured. By the simultaneous measurement of a variety of gaseous parameters in maternal and fetal blood, the oxygen consumption of the fetus was calculated. A consistent increase in umbilical vein oxygen tension was found, not explained on the basis of consistent alterations in uterine or umbilical blood flows. An umbilical vein and umbilical artery hydrostatic pressure increase was found, for which at present no explanation is at hand. It is suggested that the change in oxygen affinity of the fetal blood, produced by the Bohr effect, is the most likely explanation for the increase in oxygen tension found in the umbilical vein.
Multitributary OFDM optical transmitter using carrier-suppressed optical single-sideband modulation

A multitributary optical transmitter is reported using carrier-suppressed OSSB modulation. A number of OFDM-channels can be generated by a single optical modulator. Duobinary modulation has also been demonstrated in this transmitter using RF signal processing.
Healing of severe perineal and cutaneous Crohn's disease with hyperbaric oxygen

Recurrent perineal Crohn's disease can be an extremely debilitating complication that may be difficult to treat. We report a patient with progressively worsening perineal and biopsy-proven cutaneous Crohn's disease that had been refractory to surgery and medical treatment (sulfasalazine, steroids, 6-mercaptopurine, metronidazole, antibiotics). As the lesions were reminiscent of problem wounds occurring in other situations, hyperbaric oxygen treatment was instituted while the patient was continued on metronidazole. Response was dramatic with almost immediate relief of symptoms and regression within 2.5 mo of wounds that had previously defied therapy for 8 yr. Clinical remission has not been sustained as four subsequent courses of hyperbaric oxygen have been given over a period of 11 mo. However, the patient has been essentially asymptomatic since her initial course and the extent of her cutaneous disease has been minimal compared with that before hyperbaric oxygen. Hyperbaric oxygen treatment is costly and should not be routinely used in every patient with perineal Crohn's disease. However, this case report may herald an advance in the understanding of the pathogenesis of this complication and ultimately, its therapy.
On sensitivity of ocean circulation to sea surface salinity

Abstract Sensitivity of global ocean circulation to details of sea surface boundary conditions has been revisited in a set of numerical experiments. The focus is on the role of sea surface salinity (SSS) asymmetries between different ocean basins. The results indicate that the basin-wide inter-basin salinity contrasts are the key elements of success for many idealized ocean models that have realistically mirrored ocean circulation despite strongly simplified sea surface conditions. We suggest that exact knowledge of the spatial distribution of sea surface salinity may not be crucial to the simulation of the thermohaline ocean circulation (THC) in many process-oriented climate studies. Therefore, simulations based on limited sea surface data, for example in paleoclimate studies, can yield acceptable circulation patterns, as long as the inter-basin surface salinity contrasts are retained. Possible feedbacks of both concurrent northern and southern freshwater impacts and the building up of inter-basin sea surface salinity contrasts are discussed.
Discrete dynamical modeling and analysis of the R–S flip-flop circuit

Abstract A simple discrete planar dynamical model for the ideal (logical) R–S flip-flop circuit is developed with an eye toward mimicking the dynamical behavior observed for actual physical realizations of this circuit. It is shown that the model exhibits most of the qualitative features ascribed to the R–S flip-flop circuit, such as an intrinsic instability associated with unit set and reset inputs, manifested in a chaotic sequence of output states that tend to oscillate among all possible output states, and the existence of periodic orbits of arbitrarily high period that depend on the various intrinsic system parameters. The investigation involves a combination of analytical methods from the modern theory of discrete dynamical systems, and numerical simulations that illustrate the dazzling array of dynamics that can be generated by the model. Validation of the discrete model is accomplished by comparison with certain Poincare map like representations of the dynamics corresponding to three-dimensional differential equation models of electrical circuits that produce R–S flip-flop behavior.
Statistical analysis of measures of arousal in ovariectomized female mice.

In preparation for evaluating hormone effects and hormone receptor gene influences on fundamental processes of behavioral arousal, we subjected 48 ovariectomized female mice to a rigid protocol of several tests bearing on arousal concepts. The central hypothesis was that results would organize themselves according to capacities for sensory alertness, motor activity, and emotional reactivity. The large table of across-mouse correlation was subjected to factor analysis and cluster analysis. Results provided evidence for a general arousal (one-factor solution) which, however, accounted for only 29.72% of the variance. Four-factor (72.03%) matched four-cluster and six-factor (84.38%) matched six-cluster lineups of behavior components quite well, but did not conform to the main hypothesis; e.g., home cage exploration frequency and duration variables did not covary, and locomotor wheel activity grouped with fear indices. Besides providing a baseline for ongoing estrogen/thyroid and related genetic experiments, this statistical approach should be useful for a variety of hormonal studies of complex behaviors in mice.
Methylation on the mind

A study now reports the genome-wide profiling of 5-hydroxymethylcytosine, an alternate epigenetic state of DNA modification, of the mouse brain across development, aging and in a neurodevelopmental disease model.
AICAR-dependent AMPK activation improves scar formation in the aged heart in a murine model of reperfused myocardial infarction

We have demonstrated that scar formation after myocardial infarction (MI) is associated with an endogenous pool of CD44(pos)CD45(neg) multipotential mesenchymal stem cells (MSC). MSC differentiate into fibroblasts secreting collagen that forms a scar and mature into myofibroblasts that express alpha smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) that stabilizes the scar. In the aging mouse, cardiac repair after MI is associated with impaired differentiation of MSC; MSC derived from the aged hearts form dysfunctional fibroblasts that deposit less collagen in response to transforming growth factor beta-1 (TGF-β1) and poorly mature into myofibroblasts. We found in vitro that the defect in myofibroblast maturation can be remedied by AICAR, which activates non-canonical TGF-β signaling through AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK). In the present study, we injected aged mice with AICAR and subjected them to 1h occlusion of the left anterior descending artery (LAD) and then reperfusion for up to 30days. AICAR-dependent AMPK signaling led to mobilization of an endogenous CD44(pos)CD45(neg) MSC and its differentiation towards fibroblasts and myofibroblasts in the infarct. This was accompanied by enhanced collagen deposition and collagen fiber maturation in the scar. The AICAR-treated group has demonstrated reduced adverse remodeling as indicated by improved apical end diastolic dimension but no changes in ejection fraction and cardiac output were observed. We concluded that these data indicate the novel, previously not described role of AMPK in the post-MI scar formation. These findings can potentially lead to a new therapeutic strategy for prevention of adverse remodeling in the aging heart.
Considerations on Temperature, Longevity and Aging

A modest reduction in body temperature prolongs longevity and may retard aging in both poikilotherm and homeotherm animals. Some of the possible mechanisms mediating these effects are considered here with respect to major aging models and theories.