cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
High-Resolution Magnetic Resonance Microscopy and Diffusion Tensor Imaging to Assess Brain Structural Abnormalities in the Murine Mucopolysaccharidosis VII Model

High-resolution microscopic magnetic resonance imaging (μMRI) and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) were performed to characterize brain structural abnormalities in a mouse model of mucopolysaccharidosis type VII (MPS VII). Microscopic magnetic resonance imaging demonstrated a decrease in the volume of anterior commissure and corpus callosum and a slight increase in the volume of the hippocampus in MPS VII versus wild-type mice. Diffusion tensor imaging indices were analyzed in gray and white matter. In vivo and ex vivo DTI demonstrated significantly reduced fractional anisotropy in the anterior commissure, corpus callosum, external capsule, and hippocampus in MPS VII versus control brains. Significantly increased mean diffusivity was also found in the anterior commissure and corpus callosum from ex vivo DTI. Significantly reduced linear anisotropy was observed from the hippocampus from in vivo DTI, whereas significantly decreased planar anisotropy and spherical anisotropy were observed in the external capsule from only ex vivo DTI. There were corresponding morphologic differences in the brains of MPS VII mice by hematoxylin and eosin staining. Luxol fast blue staining demonstrated less intense staining of the corpus callosum and external capsule; myelin abnormalities in the corpus callosum were also demonstrated quantitatively in toluidine blue-stained sections and confirmed by electron microscopy. These results demonstrate the potential for μMRI and DTI for quantitative assessment of brain pathology in murine models of brain diseases.
Human Integrin α3β1 Regulates TLR2 Recognition of Lipopeptides from Endosomal Compartments

Background: Toll-like receptor (TLR)-2/TLR1 heterodimers recognize bacterial lipopeptides and initiate the production of inflammatory mediators. Adaptors and co-receptors that mediate this process, as well as the mechanisms by which these adaptors and co-receptors function, are still being discovered. Methodology/Principal Findings: Using shRNA, blocking antibodies, and fluorescent microscopy, we show that U937 macrophage responses to the TLR2/1 ligand, Pam3CSK4, are dependent upon an integrin, a3b1. The mechanism for integrin a3b1 involvement in TLR2/1 signaling is through its role in endocytosis of lipopeptides. Using inhibitors of endosomal acidification/maturation and physical tethering of the ligand, we show that the endocytosis of Pam3CSK4 is necessary for the complete TLR2/1-mediated pro-inflammatory cytokine response. We also show that TLR2/1 signaling from the endosome results in the induction of different inflammatory mediators than TLR2/1 signaling from the plasma membrane. Conclusion/Significance: Here we identify integrin a3b1 as a novel regulator for the recognition of bacterial lipopeptides. We demonstrate that induction of a specific subset of cytokines is dependent upon integrin a3b1-mediated endocytosis of the ligand. In addition, we address an ongoing controversy regarding endosomal recognition of bacterial lipopeptides by demonstrating that TLR2/1 signals from within endosomal compartments as well as the plasma membrane, and that downstream responses may differ depending upon receptor localization. We propose that the regulation of endosomal TLR2/1 signaling by integrin a3b1 serves as a mechanism for modulating inflammatory responses.
Xenobiotics Shape the Physiology and Gene Expression of the Active Human Gut Microbiome

The human gut contains trillions of microorganisms that influence our health by metabolizing xenobiotics, including host-targeted drugs and antibiotics. Recent efforts have characterized the diversity of this host-associated community, but it remains unclear which microorganisms are active and what perturbations influence this activity. Here, we combine flow cytometry, 16S rRNA gene sequencing, and metatranscriptomics to demonstrate that the gut contains a distinctive set of active microorganisms, primarily Firmicutes. Short-term exposure to a panel of xenobiotics significantly affected the physiology, structure, and gene expression of this active gut microbiome. Xenobiotic-responsive genes were found across multiple bacterial phyla, encoding antibiotic resistance, drug metabolism, and stress response pathways. These results demonstrate the power of moving beyond surveys of microbial diversity to better understand metabolic activity, highlight the unintended consequences of xenobiotics, and suggest that attempts at personalized medicine should consider interindividual variations in the active human gut microbiome.
Adsorption Energies of Mercury-Containing Species on CaO and Temperature Effects on Equilibrium Constants Predicted by Density Functional Theory Calculations

The adsorption of Hg, HgCl, and HgCl2 on the CaO surface was investigated theoretically so the fundamental interactions between Hg species and this potential sorbent can be explored. Surface models of a 4 x 4 x 2 cluster, a 5 x 5 x 2 cluster, and a periodic structure using density functional theory calculations with LDA/PWC and GGA/BLYP functionals, as employed in the present work, offer a useful description for the thermodynamic properties of adsorption on metal oxides. The effect of temperature on the equilibrium constant for the adsorption of mercury-containing species on the CaO (0 0 1) surface was investigated with GGA/BLYP calculations in the temperature range of 250-600 K. Results show that, at low coverage of elemental mercury, adsorption on the surface is physisorption while the two forms of oxidized mercury adsorption undergo stronger adsorption. The adsorption energies decrease with increasing coverage for elemental mercury on the surfaces. The chlorine atom enhances the adsorption capacity and adsorbs mercury to the CaO surface more strongly. The adsorption energy is changed as the oxidation state varies, and the equilibrium constant decreases as the temperature increases, in good agreement with data for exothermic adsorption systems.
MOLECULAR CHAPERONES IN CELLULAR PROTEIN FOLDING

The discovery of “molecular chaperones” has dramatically changed our concept of cellular protein folding. Rather than folding spontaneously, most newly synthesized polypeptide chains seem to acquire their native conformation in a reaction mediated by these versatile helper proteins. Understanding the structure and function of molecular chaperones is likely to yield useful applications for medicine and biotechnology in the future.
Smiling, body position, and interpersonal attraction

Two experiments were conducted. In Experiment 1, regardless of her body position, a woman who smiled the majority of the time (70%) was seen as more interpersonally attractive than a woman who seldom smiled (20%). When the woman seldom smiled, she was rated as more interpersonally attractive when she displayed open body positions than when she displayed closed body positions. In Experiment 2, the closed body position/smiling and nonsmiling effect was replicated. Subjects’ eye gazes were monitored while they viewed the slides of the woman. Regardless of the smiling condition, subjects looked at the woman’s face about 55% of their total looking time.
Parallel workflows for data-driven structural equation modeling in functional neuroimaging.

We present a computational framework suitable for a data-driven approach to structural equation modeling (SEM) and describe several workflows for modeling functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data within this framework. The Computational Neuroscience Applications Research Infrastructure (CNARI) employs a high-level scripting language called Swift, which is capable of spawning hundreds of thousands of simultaneous R processes (R Core Development Team, 2008), consisting of self-contained structural equation models, on a high performance computing system (HPC). These self-contained R processing jobs are data objects generated by OpenMx, a plug-in for R, which can generate a single model object containing the matrices and algebraic information necessary to estimate parameters of the model. With such an infrastructure in place a structural modeler may begin to investigate exhaustive searches of the model space. Specific applications of the infrastructure, statistics related to model fit, and limitations are discussed in relation to exhaustive SEM. In particular, we discuss how workflow management techniques can help to solve large computational problems in neuroimaging.
Synaptotagmin I and Ca2+ promote half fusion more than full fusion in SNARE-mediated bilayer fusion

Synaptic membrane fusion, which is necessary for neurotransmitter release, may be mediated by SNAREs and regulated by synaptotagmin (Syt) and Ca(2+). Fusion of liposomes mediated by reconstituted SNAREs produces full fusion and hemifusion, a membrane structure in which outer leaflets are mixed but the inner leaflets remain intact. Here, using the liposome fusion assay, it is shown that Syt promoted both hemifusion and full fusion in a Ca(2+)-dependent manner. Syt.Ca(2+) increased hemifusion more than full fusion, modulating the ratio of hemifusion to full fusion. Unlike the case of neuronal SNAREs, stimulation of fusion by Syt.Ca(2+) was not seen for other SNAREs involved in trafficking in yeast, indicating that the Syt.Ca(2+) stimulation was SNARE-specific. We constructed hybrid SNAREs in which transmembrane domains were swapped between neuronal and yeast SNAREs. With these hybrid SNAREs, we demonstrated that the interaction between the SNARE motifs of neuronal proteins and Syt.Ca(2+) was required for the stimulation of fusion.
Measurement of the Dependence of Interfacial Charge-Transfer Rate Constants on the Reorganization Energy of Redox Species at n-ZnO/H2O Interfaces

The interfacial energetic and kinetics behavior of n-ZnO/H2O contacts have been determined for a series of compounds, cobalt trisbipyridine (Co(bpy)33+/2+), ruthenium pentaamine pyridine (Ru(NH3)5py3+/2+), cobalt bis-1,4,7-trithiacyclononane (Co(TTCN)23+/2+), and osmium bis-dimethyl bipyridine bis-imidazole (Os(Me2bpy)2(Im)23+/2+), which have similar formal reduction potentials yet which have reorganization energies that span approximately 1 eV. Differential capacitance vs potential and current density vs potential measurements were used to measure the interfacial electron-transfer rate constants for this series of one-electron outer-sphere redox couples. Each interface displayed a first-order dependence on the concentration of redox acceptor species and a first-order dependence on the concentration of electrons in the conduction band at the semiconductor surface, in accord with expectations for the ideal model of a semiconductor/liquid contact. Rate constants varied from 1 × 10-19 to 6 × 10-17 cm4 s-1. T...
Navigation with noncoherent data - A demonstration for VEGA Venus flyby phase

Deep Space navigation with noncoherent (one-way) data types is demonstrated for the VEGA Venus flyby phase under extreme conditions. Estimates and statistics are computed using one-way Doppler and wideband Very Long Baseline Interferometry (VLBI) data. The behavior of the onboard oscillator is modeled for both spacecraft to obtain useful orbit determination results. Even with this limitation, it is demonstrated that one-way data solutions are comparable with the solutions using both Soviet sparse coherent (two-way) and wideband VLBI data. During the useful life time of VEGA balloons, the two solutions differ by a maximum of 4.7 km in position and 7.6 cm/sec in velocity for VEGA 1 and by a maximum of 8 km and 42 cm/sec for VEGA 2.
Studies of steam‐oxidized WSi2 by Auger sputter profiling

We have studied steam‐oxidized WSi2 films sputter deposited upon Si and SiO2 substrates using Auger sputter profiling. As previously reported, steam oxidation produces an SiO2 surface layer. Silicon is supplied to the growing SiO2 layer by the conversion of the WSi2 to W5Si3, and additional Si is supplied by diffusion through the WSi2 layer only for the case of a Si substrate. The W5Si3 is distributed throughout the silicide layer, but with slightly higher concentration at the SiO2‐silicide interface. This interface also contains an oxidized tungsten phase possibily is the form of a WxSiyOz compound.
Intracranial anomalies and cloacal exstrophy — Is there a role for screening?

Abstract Background/Purpose Cloacal exstrophy (CE) is a severe multi-system congenital defect. While spina bifida is a defining feature of cloacal exstrophy, patients are not routinely screened for intracranial anomalies (ICAs). We sought to better characterize this risk of ICA in the CE patient. Methods We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 81 children with CE treated at our institution, identifying intracranial pathology, including hydrocephalus, Chiari malformation and craniosynostosis. Data points included ICA, neural tube defect, surgical procedures, and ambulatory status. Results Of the 39 patients with cranial imaging, 31% had an ICA: 6 hydrocephalus, 3 Chiari malformation, 1 craniosynostosis, 1 hydrocephalus and craniosynostosis, and 1 Chiari malformation and craniosynostosis. All patients with ICAs had spina bifida. Patients with ICAs underwent more neurosurgical procedures, including more spinal procedures. Patients with ICAs were much more likely to be wheelchair-bound or ambulate minimally when compared to patients without anomalies. Conclusion In our population of CE patients with available head imaging, 31% had an ICA, thus screening would seem prudent. As all patients with ICAs had spina bifida, it may be less important to screen those rare CE patients without spinal pathology. Patients with ICAs were more likely to be wheelchair-bound, suggesting worse neurologic outcomes.
Generalizations of the Warehousing Model

(1955). Generalizations of the Warehousing Model. Journal of the Operational Research Society: Vol. 6, No. 4, pp. 131-172.
Standing Equatorial Wave Modes in Bounded Ocean Basins

Abstract A new type of standing equatorial wave mode is described that exists in the semi-infinite ocean 0 ⩽ x ⩽ L, −∞ ⩽ y ⩽ ∞. It consists of a finite sum of the meridionally trapped equatorial waves in an infinite x domain. The new mode is thus itself equatorially trapped and requires no energy sources or sinks at |y| = ∞. However, it exists only for a discrete, countable set of pairs of values of the frequency ω and the ocean zonal width L. Previously described standing modes exist for any ocean width, but are infinite sums of trapped equatorial waves and require a continuous energy source in the west at |y| = ∞ to balance the continuous energy sink in the east at |y| = ∞. Several examples of the new type of standing mode are given, and it is shown that as the standing mode period becomes very long, so the zonal scale becomes very short. The effect on the standing modes of bounding the basin meridionally is also described; energy is recycled round the basin by boundary-trapped Kelvin waves along the zo...
Preparation of some fatty glycolic acid derivatives and screening for antimicrobial activity

Nine glycolic acid derivatives were prepared and screened as primary plasticizers for polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and for antimicrobial activity. Two types of compounds were represented: (a) those with a methyl or ethyl ester grouping at the carboxyl function of glycolic acid and a fatty acyl group at the hydroxyl function; and (b) those with three acyl groups attached at the hydroxyl functions of the amide, resulting from the reaction of glycolic acid and diethanolamine. None of the compounds was compatible with PVC at the 35% level of incorporation, and the compounds were not further evaluated as plasticizers. They were screened for antimicrobial activity against a gram-positive bacterium,Staphylococcus aureus; a gram-negative bacterium,Escherichia coli; a yeast,Candida utilis; and a mold,Penicillium sp. Six of the compounds inhibited two or more of the test organisms suggesting some of these materials merit further testing as biostatic agents.
Homogeneous and inhomogeneous distributions of correlation times. Lineshapes for chemical exchange

Abstract Molecular motions, especially in polymers, can be described in terms of a broad distribution of correlation times. In principle, these distributions can arise in two fundamentally different ways. There may be an inhomogeneous spatial distribution of processes individually characterized by a single correlation time and each with an exponentially decaying autocorrelation function. Alternatively one can imagine an autocorrelation function identical for all common molecular processes but one which is inherently nonexponential. This nonexponential autocorrelation function can also be expressed mathematically as a probability distribution of exponential autocorrelation functions. The latter is called a homogeneous distribution. It is shown that NMR lineshape analysis can distinguish between the two forms of distributions. For simplicity the lineshape expected for two-site chemical exchange driven by homogeneous and inhomogeneous distributions is treated theoretically. Computer simulations of the expected lineshapes are presented for a distribution whose autocorrelation function is exp[ −( t τ p ) α ], where 0
Diminished natriuretic response to dopamine D1 receptor agonist, SKF-38393 in obese Zucker rats.

Dopamine causes natriuresis and diuresis via activation of D1 receptors located on the renal proximal tubules and subsequent inhibition of the sodium transporters, Na‐H exchanger and Na+/K+ ATPase. We have reported that dopamine fails to inhibit the activities of these two transporters in the obese Zucker rats (OZR). The present study was designed to examine the functional consequence of this phenomenon by determining the natriuretic and diuretic response to D1 receptor activation in lean Zucker rats (LZR) and OZR. In 11–12 week‐old OZR and LZR, natriuretic and diuretic responses to intravenously administered D1 receptor agonist, SKF 38393 (3 µg/kg/min for 30 min) were measured under Inactin® anesthesia. Plasma insulin and glucose levels were significantly higher in the obese rats as compared to the lean rats. Intravenous infusion of SKF 38393 caused significant increases in urine flow, urinary sodium excretion (UNaV), fractional excretion of sodium (FENa), and glomerular filtration rate (GFR) in the lean...
A comparison of figural after-effects from the perception of real and of apparent movement.

(1958). A Comparison of Figural After-Effects from the Perception of Real and of Apparent Movement. The Journal of General Psychology: Vol. 59, No. 2, pp. 157-166.
Acid-Induced Activation of the Periplasmic Chaperone HdeA

Enteric bacterial pathogens like Escherichia coli are able to survive passage through extremely acidic environments like the human stomach. This acid-resistance strongly depends on the activity of the small periplasmic chaperone HdeA. Inactive as a dimer at neutral pH, HdeA elegantly uses its own acid-induced unfolding and monomerization to become rapidly activated upon shift to low pH. In its active and intrinsically disordered monomeric state, HdeA tightly binds to acid-unfolded client proteins. Upon pH neutralization, HdeA slowly releases its client proteins, allowing them to refold.To better understand the acid-induced activation of HdeA, we sought to identify which of HdeA's acid-titratable residues were the key players in sensing environmental pH changes, and which residues' protonation would trigger HdeA's monomerization and unfolding.Using protein sequence alignments, constant pH molecular dynamics calculations and predictions of pKa values, we identified several residues that are likely involved in maintaining the inactive dimer conformation at neutral pH and causing the unfolding and monomerization events upon shift to low pH. We substituted these residues with alanines and examined their dimer stabilities at neutral pH, their pH midpoints of monomer-dimer transitions and unfolding, and their pH-dependent activities. We identified several HdeA variants that are activated at higher pH values compared to the wild-type protein and are significantly destabilized already at neutral pH. By combining two mutations, we were further able to generate an HdeA variant that shows chaperone activity at neutral pH (where wild-type HdeA is completely inactive), making it a constitutively active variant of a normally acid-activated chaperone.These mutants will help us to understand on a structural level which regions of HdeA need to be flexible or unstable for the protein to function, and will help to determine how pH-driven changes in HdeA flexibility drive its activation.
Lithium cobalt oxide (LiCoO2) nanocoatings by sol-gel methods

Lithium cobalt oxide (LiCoO2) was synthesized using two different sol−gel processes. The first method used stoichiometric molar ratios of cobalt 2-methoxyethoxide and lithium nitrate in alcoholic solutions; the second method used aqueous equimolar ratios of precursors of lithium nitrate and cobalt acetate with poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) 200 as the chelating agent. Lithium cobalt oxide films were deposited on Si wafers and silica−soda−lime glass using a dipping technique. Based on differential thermal analysis/thermogravimetric analysis results, densification of the films was achieved by thermal treatment at both 500 and 800 °C in the case of silicon wafer substrates and at 500 °C for the silica−soda−lime glass. X-ray diffraction, spectroellipsometry, and atomic force microscopy were used to characterize the films. The correlation between the preparation procedure and the type of support on the structure and morphology of LiCoO2 compound films is discussed. Uniform ultrathin films were obtained on the gla...
Multiway wideband power dividers

In this article, we propose a new design methodology to broaden the bandwidth of a multiway Bagley power divider BPD. Single-frequency matching uniform quarter-wave-length microstrip lines in the conventional design are replaced with impedance-varying transmission lines of broadband matching characteristics. The equivalent transmission line model is used for profiling impedance variations, which are governed by a truncated Fourier series. Such variations are determined by finding the optimum series coefficients that result in a wideband matching nature. The proposed technique leads to flexible spectrum allocation and matching level. Furthermore, the resulting structures are compact and planar. First, analytical results of three 3-way BPDs of different fractional bandwidths are presented and discussed to validate the proposed approach. Then, two examples of 3- and 5-way BPDs with bandwidths of 4-10 GHz and 5-9 GHz, respectively, are simulated, fabricated, and measured. Simulated and measured results are in a good agreement, with input port matching of below -15 dB and -12.5 dB for the 3- and 5-way dividers, respectively, over the bands of interest. The obtained transmission parameters of the 3- and 5-way dividers are -4.77±1 dB and -7±1 dB, respectively, over the design bands. The proposed wideband dividers find many applications in microwave front-end circuitry, especially in only-transmitting antenna subsystems, such as broad- and multicast communication links. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J RF and Microwave CAE 25:730-738, 2015.
The Differentiative Effects of Age upon Human Learning

Resume Selon les theories courantes de la neurologie de l'apprentissage, de l'un cote, et la conception biologique de la senescence comme une perte de la plasticite du tissu vivant, de l'autre cote, l'auteur a fait l'hypothese que les vieux individus devraient montrer des pertes de la capacite d'apprendre quand on les compare aux plus jeunes et que ces pertes devraient varier avec la nature de la tâche a apprendre. Les tâches qui exigent un minimum de la reorganisation de vieilles habitudes devraient etre moins difficiles pour le vieux qui apprend que les tâches qui exigent une quantite considerable de reorganisation des habitudes. Quelques experiences qui ont employe deux types de l'apprentissage moteur et trois types de l'apprentissage verbal avec 120 sujets variant entre l'âge de douze et celui de quatrevingt-deux ans ont donne des resultats qui soutiennent cette hypothese.
Domain oriented analysis of PDE splitting algorithms

Abstract We consider the performance of Schwarz splitting algorithms for PDE problems on the hypothetical Multi- flex machine. The particular multi- flex considered consists of eight clusters of flex /32 multiprocessors. We introduce the concept of execution domains to model the three levels of memory on these machines: local, locally shared, and global. We apply the method of stochastic high level Petri nets (SHLPN) to model the performance of these PDE splitting algorithms on a Multi- flex machine. For very large, but realistic, applications we project potential speedup of 300 for 2D problems and more for 3D problems along with processor utilization of over 99 percent. Real computations on real machines can fall far short of this potential and still be very successful.
Effect of corticosteroids on the biomechanical strength of rat rotator cuff tendon.

Background: The effect of corticosteroids on tendon properties is poorly understood, and current data are contradictory and diverse. The biomechanical effect of steroids on rotator cuff tendon has not been studied, to our knowledge. The current study was undertaken to characterize the biomechanical effects of corticosteroid exposure on both uninjured and injured rat rotator cuff tendon. Methods: One hundred and twenty-three male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly assigned to four groups: control (C), tendon injury (I), steroid exposure (S), and tendon injury plus steroid exposure (I+S). Unilateral tendon injuries consisting of a full-thickness defect across 50% of the total width of the infraspinatus tendon were created. Steroid treatment consisted of a single dose of methylprednisolone placed into the subacromial space. At one, three, and five weeks postoperatively, the shoulders were harvested and the infraspinatus tendon was subjected to biomechanical testing. Two specimens from each group were used for histological analysis. Results: At one week, maximum load, maximum stress, and stiffness were all significantly decreased in Group S compared with the values in Group C. Mean maximum load decreased from 37.9 N in Group C to 27.5 N in Group S (p < 0.0005). Mean maximum stress decreased from 18.1 MPa in Group C to 13.6 MPa in Group S (p < 0.0005). Mean stiffness decreased from 26.3 N/mm in Group C to 17.8 N/mm in Group S (p < 0.0005). At one week, mean maximum stress in Group I+S (17.0 MPa) was significantly decreased compared with the value in Group I (19.5 MPa) (p < 0.0005). At both the three-week and the five-week time point, there were no significant differences between Group C and Group S or between Group I and Group I+S with regard to mean maximum load, maximum stress, or stiffness. Histological analysis showed fat cells and collagen attenuation in Groups S and I+S. These changes appeared to be transient. Conclusions: A single dose of corticosteroids significantly weakens both intact and injured rat rotator cuff tendons at one week. This effect is transient as the biomechanical properties of the steroid-exposed groups returned to control levels by three weeks. Clinical Relevance: Our findings in this rat model suggest that a single corticosteroid dose has significant short-term effects on the biomechanical properties of both injured and uninjured rotator cuff tendon. These effects should be weighed against any potential benefit prior to administering a subacromial corticosteroid injection.
Evidence for decline in stature of American ginseng plants from herbarium specimens

American ginseng (Panax quinquefolius L.) has been harvested from the wild to supply the Asian herbal market for more than 200 years. As a CITES Appendix II listed species, ginseng trade has been monitored since 1975 and evidence for no detrimental effects of harvest is required annually by the US government. One kind of evidence gathered to gauge harvest effects has been mean root size and age, however the short-term nature of the data set limits possible inferences. In this study, 915 herbarium specimens from 17 herbaria were aged and measured to extend the time-transect to 186 years. Nine of 11 size-related traits showed statistically significant declines, most of this change occurring since ca. 1900. Multivariate analyses confirmed the overall decline in plant size. Age of herbarium specimens did not significantly decline during the same interval. Plants collected from northern populations did not decline in size, while plants from midwestern, Appalachian and southern states showed sharp declines in stature. Assuming herbarium specimens are representative of a consistent portion of natural populations, either direct or indirect effects of environmental change or human harvest could explain the rapid change in ginseng stature. Understanding the implications of such plant stature changes will require examining the effects of size on harvest probability and reproduction in the context of population viability analyses.
Feeding lactose increases ruminal butyrate and plasma β-hydroxybutyrate in lactating dairy cows

Abstract Ruminal fermentation of lactose increases molar proportions of butyrate, which is metabolized by the ruminal epithelium to β -hydroxybutyrate (BHBA). To determine the effects of dietary whey, and specifically lactose, on concentrations of ruminal and blood volatile fatty acids (VFA) and blood BHBA, 8 Holstein and 4 Brown Swiss multiparous cows (210±33 d in milk) were blocked by breed and randomly assigned to one of three 4×4 Latin squares. Treatments were control (CON; 7.1% of dietary dry matter [DM] as cornstarch), liquid whey (WHEY; 9.4% of diet DM) containing 70% lactose on a DM basis, low lactose (LOLAC; 7.1% lactose), or high lactose (HILAC; 14.3% lactose). Diets contained 53% forage as corn silage, alfalfa hay, and grass hay (DM basis) and a corn and soybean meal-based concentrate. Average dietary percentage of crude protein and energy density (Mcal/kg net energy for lactation) were 16.8 and 1.47, respectively. Feeding lactose increased DM intake. Milk production and composition were not affected by diet with the exception of decreased urea nitrogen in milk from cows fed lactose. Greater proportions of ruminal propionate were observed in cows fed CON relative to those fed WHEY and LOLAC. Increasing dietary lactose increased proportions of ruminal butyrate and decreased acetate and branched-chain VFA. Concurrent with the increase in ruminal butyrate concentrations, there was an increase in plasma BHBA as lactose in the diet increased. Concentrations of VFA in plasma were not affected by diet with the exception of the branched-chain VFA, which were increased in cows fed LOLAC compared with WHEY. These data indicate lactose fermentation increases proportions of ruminal butyrate and plasma BHBA in lactating dairy cows; however, the observed increase in plasma BHBA is not sufficient to subject cows to ketosis.
Beneficial Effects of Statins in Coronary Artery Disease — Beyond Lowering Cholesterol:

OBJECTIVE:To review the benefits of statins in coronary artery disease management beyond their cholesterol-lowering effects.DATA SOURCES:A MEDLINE search (1966–May 2000) was conducted using the following terms: lovastatin, pravastatin, simvastatin, atorvastatin, fluvastatin, cerivastatin, endothelium, plaque stabilization, antithrombotic effects.STUDY SELECTION:English-language human studies and case reports.DATA EXTRACTION:Studies published demonstrating other mechanisms of statins' clinical beneficial effects were evaluated and reviewed.DATA SYNTHESIS:The understanding of the pharmacologic effects of statins has led to the realization that the benefits of these agents extend beyond simply lowering cholesterol. These properties include beneficial effects on vessel endothelial tissue; decreased low-density lipoprotein oxidation and inflammation; ability to stabilize atherosclerotic plaques and perhaps promote regression; proliferative effects on smooth-muscle growths, possibly strengthening atheroscleroti...
Analysis of 13 Fentanils, Including Sufentanil and Carfentanil, in Human Urine by Liquid Chromatography-Atmospheric-Pressure Ionization-Tandem Mass Spectrometry

A sensitive, semiautomated method for the analysis of several fentanils and fentanil metabolites in human urine is described. This method uses solid-phase extraction of urine samples followed by liquid chromatography-atmospheric pressure ionization-tandem mass spectrometry. Isotopically labeled internal standards were included for 6 of the 13 analytes in this study. Estimated detection limits ranged from 3 to 27 pg/mL, and good accuracy and long-term precision were observed in most cases. This method should be useful for the rapid and sensitive screening of human urine samples for a number of fentanils and their metabolites as indicators of exposure.
The electrophysiology of propranolol in man.

Abstract The effects of intravenous propranolol (0.1 mg. per kilogram) on the electrophysiologic properties of the A-V conducting system were studied in 16 patients using His-bundle electrograms and the extrastimulus method. The drug was infused at a rate of 1 mg. per minute without significant side effects. Sinus cycle length was slowed in 15 out of 16 patients (average, 128 msec.). AVN conduction time was increased in 13 out of 16 patients (average, 10 msec.) during sinus rhythm and in all patients during atrial pacing. AVN Wenckebach block occurred at slower paced rates in 14 patients. Corrected QT interval was shortened in 9 out of 16 patients (average, 24 msec.). The functional and effective refractory periods (ERP) of the AVN were prolonged in 14 out of 14 patients (average, 29 msec.) and 9 out of 9 patients (average, 24 msec.), respectively. No significant changes were seen in His-Purkinje system (HPS) conduction time, ERP of the atrium, relative refractory period or ERP of the HPS, or ERP of the ventricle in all patients in whom these variables could be muasured. Mean end-study blood level was 13.6 ng. per milliliter. Effects on the AVN explain the efficacy of propranolol in (1) controlling the ventricular rate in atrial fibrillation and flutter and (2) the treatment and prophylaxis of re-entrant supraventricular tachycardias. Its lack of effects on the HPS make its use relatively safe in patients with infra-His conduction disturbances.
Comparison of laparoendoscopic single-site donor nephrectomy and conventional laparoscopic donor nephrectomy: donor and recipient outcomes.

Objective To present a comparison of perioperative donor outcomes and recipient graft function in a series of patients undergoing laparoendoscopic single-site donor nephrectomy (LESS-DN) versus conventional laparoscopic donor nephrectomy (LDN). Methods Data were collected for 50 consecutive LESS-DN patients and a matched cohort of 50 LDN patients. The donor outcomes analyzed included operative time, estimated blood loss, complications, visual analog pain scores, and recovery time. The recipient outcomes analyzed included serum creatinine at discharge and follow-up and the incidence of delayed graft function. Results The mean total operative time was shorter in the LDN group than in the LESS-DN group ( P r 2 = 0.19, P = .002). No statistically significant differences were found in estimated blood loss, warm ischemia time, length of stay, or visual analog pain scores between the 2 groups. However, the surgical incision was significantly smaller in the LESS-DN group ( P P = .01). The incidence of complications was similar in both groups; however, major complications only occurred in the LDN group. No differences were found in the recipient serum creatinine values or the incidence of delayed graft function. Conclusion Our initial experience with LESS-DN is encouraging. This retrospective matched-pair comparison between LESS-DN and LDN suggests that the single-port approach might be associated with quicker convalescence. Longer operative times in the LESS-DN group could simply represent the learning curve of a novel procedure.
Investigation of Gender Role Behaviors in Boys With Hypospadias: Comparative Study With Unaffected Boys and Girls

The purpose of the study was (1) to investigate gender role behaviors of boys with hypospadias compared with groups of unaffected boys and girls using parental reports and direct observations; and (2) to directly observe effects of socialization (mothers’ presence) on children’s gender role behaviors. Ages of 19 children with hypospadias ranged from 3 to 7 years, and each of them were matched to controls of unaffected boys and girls by age. All the children participated with their mothers. Children’s gender role behaviors and their mothers’ behaviors were evaluated using an observation coding system. Mothers also completed questionnaires regarding their children’s gender role behaviors. Results indicated no atypical gender role behavior for the boys with hypospadias and no direct effects of socialization on their gender role behaviors. However, differences were found in negative communicative behaviors between boys with hypospadias and unaffected boys, suggesting a possible role of socialization.
Overhauling Cardiovascular Risk Prediction in Primary Prevention: Difficult Journey Worth the Destination.

The 2013 American College of Cardiology and the American Heart Association (ACC–AHA) Prevention guidelines offers a refreshing approach to cardiovascular risk management.1 The guidelines part the emphasis on cholesterol concentrations and target goals, instead accentuate the importance of absolute risk in guiding treatment decisions.1 This conceptual shift tempered the dogma of relentlessly chasing low-density lipoprotein targets, a goal often achieved by prescribing additional drugs with uncertain impact on cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk reduction. With lipid control, no longer a particular focus, the role of statin medication is elevated as a proven risk reduction agent rather than merely a driver of reduced surrogate numbers. In addition, the guidelines underscore the matching of statin intensity with increasing individualized risk and support flexible goals for those with lower risk. Most importantly, it firmly placed the patient in driver seat to make informed choices based on their preferences, values, understanding of risk, and whether estimated benefit is worth considering decades of statin therapy.1 Article see p 501 Although the guidelines deserve credit for simplifying the decision-making framework, at the same time, we must be pragmatic to recognize that there is no such thing as too much of a good thing. Although there seems to be a consensus that the current guidelines point in the right direction as far as management approaches are concerned, criticism about miscalculation with guidelines proposed atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease risk-estimates and consequential impact cannot be overlooked.2 The underlying fundamental disagreement is not what and how we lower cardiovascular risk, but how we choose the target patient population. First, current guidelines based on the ASCVD risk calculator have considerably broadened the scope of statin candidates. Among 101 million people aged 40 to 79 years in the US population without established CVD, 33% are expected to receive strong recommendation …
Global Structural Changes in Hepatitis B Virus Capsids Induced by the Assembly Effector HAP1

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) is a leading cause of liver disease and hepatocellular carcinoma; over 400 million people are chronically infected with HBV. Specific anti-HBV treatments, like most antivirals, target enzymes that are similar to host proteins. Virus capsid protein has no human homolog, making its assembly a promising but undeveloped therapeutic target. HAP1 [methyl 4-(2-chloro-4-fluorophenyl)-6-methyl-2-(pyridin-2-yl)-1,4-dihydropyrimidine-5-carboxylate], a heteroaryldihydropyrimidine, is a potent HBV capsid assembly activator and misdirector. Knowledge of the structural basis for this activity would directly benefit the development of capsid-targeting therapeutic strategies. This report details the crystal structures of icosahedral HBV capsids with and without HAP1. We show that HAP1 leads to global structural changes by movements of subunits as connected rigid bodies. The observed movements cause the fivefold vertices to protrude from the liganded capsid, the threefold vertices to open, and the quasi-sixfold vertices to flatten, explaining the effects of HAP1 on assembled capsids and on the assembly process. We have identified a likely HAP1-binding site that bridges elements of secondary structure within a capsid-bound monomer, offering explanation for assembly activation. This site also interferes with interactions between capsid proteins, leading to quaternary changes and presumably assembly misdirection. These results demonstrate the plasticity of HBV capsids and the molecular basis for a tenable antiviral strategy.
Olefin copolymerization with metallocene catalysts. IV. Metallocene/methylaluminoxane catalyzed olefin teropolymerization

Ethylene, propylene, and ethylidene norbornene (D) were terpolymerized by Et [Ind]2ZrCl2/MAO in solution and supported on silica. The presence of D decreases the rate of polymerization. EPDM containing between 3 and 22 wt % of D were synthesized which have narrow MW distribution. The supported catalyst produces EPDM with E/P ratio which are similar to the ratio in the feed.
Community Carrying Capacity: A Network Perspective

Scholars have explored the idea of the determinants of the size of the nonprofit sector as a linear relationship between supply of resources and the demand for nonprofit services. This in turn has ...
Vulnerability: New Essays in Ethics and Feminist Philosophy, edited by Mackenzie, Catriona, Rogers, Wendy, and Dodds, Susan

All humans are vulnerable, so the current consensus on this subject goes. Nevertheless, traditional wisdom counters, some people are more vulnerable than others. Who are the most vulnerable? And wh...
Burden of Sexual Dysfunction

Similar to the burden of other diseases, the burden of sexual dysfunction has not been systematically studied. However, there is growing evidence of various burdens (e.g., economic, symptomatic, humanistic) among patients suffering from sexual dysfunctions.The burden of sexual dysfunction has been studied a bit more often in men, namely the burden of erectile dysfunction (ED), premature ejaculation (PE) and testosterone deficiency syndrome (TDS). Erectile dysfunction is frequently associated with chronic conditions such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and depression. These conditions could go undiagnosed, and ED could be a marker of those diseases. The only available report from the United Kingdom estimated the total economic burden of ED at £53 million annually in terms of direct costs and lost productivity.The burden of PE includes significant psychological distress: anxiety, depression, lack of sexual confidence, poor self-esteem, impaired quality of life, and interpersonal difficulties. Some sugg...
Nuclear Proteins And The Cell Cycle

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the biochemistry of the cell cycle in continuously dividing cells and the biochemical events that are described in G0 cells stimulated to proliferate. It also focuses on the proteins of the mammalian nucleus and the role that they may play in the control of cellular proliferation. The cell cycle is defined as the interval between the midpoint of mitosis in the parent cell and the midpoint of the subsequent mitosis in one or both daughter cells. The cell cycle is divided into four phases—namely, (1) G1, the period between completion of mitosis and the onset of DNA synthesis; (2) S, the period during which DNA is replicated; (3) G2, the period between the completion of DNA synthesis and the onset of mitosis; and (4) mitosis, the period during which the chromosomes condense, segregate, and are equally distributed to the two daughter cells. Some of the biochemical events that occur during the G0 to S transition in the isoproterenol-stimulated mouse salivary gland and in serum stimulated WI-38 cells are summarized in the chapter. It demonstrates that in continuously dividing cells, as well as in G0 cells that are stimulated to proliferate, a complex and interdependent series of biochemical events precedes the onset of DNA synthesis and mitosis, and a substantial amount of data supports the hypothesis that gene activation is intimately involved in the process.
On the Edge of Memory: Uneasy Legacies of Dissent, Terror, and Violence in the American Landscape

Objective The Oklahoma City bombing of 1995 has had a major impact on public memory and commemoration in the United States. My aim here is to set this bombing in the broader context of how other events of violence and terror have been remembered. Method That many of the examples I mention are now largely forgotten speaks to their equivocal meanings and their relatively faint imprint on the American landscape. Using a comparative case-study methodology, I examine the tension that often arises between remembering and forgetting these events because honoring the victims necessarily calls attention to the killer and the killer's motives. Results Tensions over the meaning of violence tend to be particularly acute when the killer's motives involve unpopular or unpalatable causes or particularly brutal crimes. In these cases, communities may try to distance themselves as far as possible from the killer and the crime. Conclusion I argue that such efforts, successful or not, lead to a certain forgetfulness about the roles violence, terror, and political dissent play in American society.
The time frames of new venture teams.

v LIST OF TABLES ix CHAPTER 1 – INTRODUCTION 1 Motivations Detailed 3 Entrepreneurial Teams 3 Perception of Time 5 Research Question 6 Boundary Conditions: Assumptions and Scope 7 Contributions and Implications 8 Organization of Dissertation 8 CHAPTER 2 – THEORY AND HYPOTHESES 10 Chapter Overview 10 New Venture Teams 11 Perception of Time 17
Urban Households in Beijing Housing Affordability Analysis

This paper researches on the subject of household housing affordability,investigates the factors affecting housing affordability and the evaluation criteria of housing affordability.Then,this paper uses several criteria,including monthly housing property to income ratio,balance of monthly expenditure on estate and balance of monthly expenditure on rental house,to measure the household housing affordability of all income levels of urban residents in Beijing.
Lifelong Ambiguous Loss: The Case of Cuban American Exiles

Using Cuban Americans who immigrated to the United States between 1959 and 1971 as an example, this article demonstrates the chronic nature of ambiguous loss in the context of loss of homeland. Ambiguous loss theory provides a framework for understanding the pain experienced by this cohort of Cuban Americans and their families who cope with a traumatic loss that defies closure. While keeping their homeland ever present psychologically, this cohort of Cuban Americans has experienced unique identity and relationship challenges rooted in the tensions between the United States and Cuba. They emigrated because of societal changes that followed the 1959 revolution launched by Fidel Castro against the regime of Fulgencio Batista. Contact with their homeland has been limited while they harbor hope that Cuba's government will change for the better. The utility of the ambiguous loss model is supported and suggestions for future research directions are suggested.