cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Vibrational dynamics. Taming CH₅⁺, the "enfant terrible" of chemical structures.

Protonated methane, CH5+, is a quantum dynamical system that challenges our understanding of chemical bonding and structure. The bonding does not lead to a trigonal bipyramid. Instead, the five protons swarm around the central carbon, and this gives rise to an incredibly complex vibration-rotation-tunneling infrared spectrum ( 1 ), making it an “enfant terrible” for spectroscopists. Ab initio theory has found that “there is essentially no barrier to hydrogen scrambling” ( 2 ) and “the very concept of molecular structure becomes problematic for this molecule” ( 3 ). For its parent molecule, CH4, each rotational level corresponds to one quantum state, but for CH5+ it corresponds to 2 × 5! = 240 states. However, on page 1346 of this issue, Asvany et al. ( 4 ) report combination differences (Co-Diffs) of the low-energy levels of CH5+, a first step at “taming” its spectrum.
Pap, Mammography, and Clinical Breast Examination Screening Among Women with Disabilities: A Systematic Review

Abstract Background Research has found some disparities between U.S. women with and without disabilities in receiving clinical preventive services. Substantial differences may also exist within the population of women with disabilities. The current study examined published research on Pap smears, mammography, and clinical breast examinations across disability severity levels among women with disabilities. Methods Informed by an expert panel, we followed guidelines for systematic literature reviews and searched MEDLINE, PsycINFO, and Cinahl databases. We also reviewed in-depth four disability- or preventive service-relevant journals. Two reviewers independently extracted data from all selected articles. Findings Five of 74 reviewed publications of met all our inclusion criteria and all five reported data on Pap smears, mammography, and clinical breast examination. Articles classified disability severity groups by functional and/or activity levels. Associations between disability severity and Pap smear use were inconsistent across the publications. Mammography screening fell as disability level increased according to three of the five studies. Results demonstrated modestly lower screening, but also were inconsistent for clinical breast examinations across studies. Conclusion Evidence is inconsistent concerning disparities in these important cancer screening services with increasing disability levels. Published studies used differing methods and definitions, adding to concerns about the evidence for screening disparities rising along with increasing disability. More focused research is required to determine whether significant disparities exist in cancer screening among women with differing disability levels. This information is essential for national and local public health and health care organizations to target interventions to improve care for women with disabilities.
What Can We Learn From Teacher Dissent Online

Abstract Given the prevailing spirit of teacher frustration regarding current educational policy, the authors perused frequently visited teacher blogs and discussion boards in the summer of 2009 to determine whether teachers are effectively using them to express professionally informed political dissent regarding educational policy. While many teachers are frustrated with educational policies, they are not particularly adept at voicing their dissent against such policies. Many downplay their professional knowledge, avoid overtly political postings, and feel isolated from others who share their views.
The supportive academic environment: ingredients for success

Despite the many dire pronouncements of the moribund status of the academic triple threat, this species is far from extinct. Maintenance and, indeed, expansion of this pool of individuals requires their identification and support early in their careers, and nurturing and mentoring throughout their careers. Increasing demands for clinical service and revenue generation make it all the more critical that institutions and their faculty and administrative personnel in leadership positions support these increasingly rare academicians and that the individuals themselves develop and maintain diligence, superlative organizational skills, the ability to prioritize and the flexibility to reprioritize, perseverance, and above all, a sense of humor. Early in career development, perhaps the most important element in this equation is the mentor. The present article is in large measure a tribute to the mentoring role played by Dr. Michael J. Painter in the careers of his residents, fellows, and faculty throughout more than two decades as Chief of the Division of Child Neurology at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh.
Effect of 5 years long-term frozen storage on sensory quality of Monterey Jack caprine milk cheese

Abstract A study was conducted to evaluate the effect of 5 years long-term extended frozen-storage on sensory quality of Monterey Jack semi-hard goat milk cheeses stored at −20 °C. Three lots of Monterey Jack caprine milk cheeses were manufactured at the university dairy processing plant. Each lot of cheese was placed in 2′ × 4′ × 1.5′ (W × L × H) plastic pouches, vacuum packaged and immediately frozen at −20 °C for 5 years. A trained sensory panel (n = 7, 6 females, 1 male) evaluated the cheeses using a previously published lexicon for cheese flavor adapted for evaluating goat milk cheeses. Flavor and taste intensities were scaled using a 15-point intensity scale using the Spectrum™ descriptive analysis method. Flavor scores of the fresh cheese as the reference standard were compared with those of the 5 years frozen-stored samples. The results of sensory profiling by the trained panel showed that cooked/milk, sweet and milk fat flavors were significantly (P
Stochastic Modeling and Simulation of the Formation of Carbon Molecular Sieves by Carbon Deposition

Molecular sieves, including carbon molecular sieves (CMSs) manufactured from activated carbons, can be variously applied in the purification and separation of gaseous and liquid mixtures and can also serve as catalysts. CMSs are formed by depositing fine particles of carbon on the mouths of pores of such activated carbons. These carbon particles are generated by decomposing a gaseous carbon source. The formation of CMSs proceeds stochastically, which is mainly attributable to the mesoscopic sizes and complex motion of the depositing carbon particles and random distribution of the pores on the activated carbons. In this work, CMS formation is modeled as a pure-birth process with a linear intensity of transition. The resultant model gives rise to the governing equations for the mean and variance. The model is validated by comparing the analytical solutions of these equations with available experimental data. The mean value of the model is in excellent accord with the data. In addition, the kinetic constants...
Inhibition of photosynthetic electron transport by palmitoleic acid is partially correlated to loss of thylakoid membrane proteins

Abstract Palmitoleic acid (16:1Δ9), a monounsaturated fatty acid, is found to inhibit electron transport. Inhibition occurs rapidly (within 30 s). The oxidizing side of photosystem (PS) II is ~ 90% inactivated, whereas no inhibition occurs on the reducing side of the PSII complex. PSI activity is ∼ 65% inhibited. Inhibition of electron transport is not correlated to lipid peroxidation. 16:1 causes the loss of proteins from the thylakoid membrane which is exacerbated by the light. The loss of five proteins, viz. plastocyanin (PC), manganese stabilizing protein (MSP), cytochrome f (Cyt f), D1 and D2 is examined. The proteins are found to be lost in the following order: PC (
Interest rates and monetary policy uncertainty

Abstract This paper analyzes a model in which optimizing households are uncertain about monetary policy and learn about it over time. In this model, the variance of changes in nominal and ex post real interest rates increases with the variance of the household's predictive distribution over money growth. A positive relation between unexpected changes in nominal interest rates and the money stock results from monetary policy uncertainty. Finally, if money growth covaries negatively with real wealth, an increase in monetary policy uncertainty increases the expected real rate of interest and decreases the nominal rate of interest.
The effects of journaling for women with newly diagnosed breast cancer

Forty-three women newly diagnosed with breast cancer participated in this study, which examined the role of expressive journal writing characteristics on mood over the course of a 12-week support group. Writing was analyzed using the linguistic inquiry and word count program. Writing characteristics that were examined included: average word count, number of journal entries, positive and negative emotion words, the ratio of positive to negative words, and the use of cognitive mechanism words (i.e. insight and causal words). Regression analyses revealed that increased levels of anxiety and depression, post-intervention, were predicted by the prevalence of negative emotion in writing. Unique variance in mood (anxiety and depression) was accounted for by expression of negative emotion (7 and 6%, respectively). These relationships were significant (p<0.05) and remained significant even after accounting for pre-intervention levels of distress, and for the quantity and frequency of writing. These findings suggest the need for additional research into the naturalistic application of journaling so that appropriate recommendations for writing (e.g. focus, timing, amount) can be offered to patients who might choose to utilize this approach for coping with the stresses of cancer diagnosis and treatment.
Digital Footprints: Opportunities and Challenges for Online Social Research

Online interaction is now a regular part of daily life for a demographically diverse population of hundreds of millions of people worldwide. These interactions generate fine-grained time-stamped records of human behavior and social interaction at the level of individual events, yet are global in scale, allowing researchers to address fundamental questions about social identity, status, conflict, cooperation, collective action, and diffusion, both by using observational data and by conducting in vivo field experiments. This unprecedented opportunity comes with a number of methodological challenges, including generalizing observations to the offline world, protecting individual privacy, and solving the logistical challenges posed by “big data” and web-based experiments. We review current advances in online social research and critically assess the theoretical and methodological opportunities and limitations. [J]ust as the invention of the telescope revolutionized the study of the heavens, so too by renderin...
A 29.5 GHz radar interferometer for measuring the angular velocity of moving objects

The design of a 29.5 GHz wide field-of-view radar interferometer system for directly measuring the angular velocity of moving objects is presented, along with the first wide field-of-view measurements of the angular velocity of moving point targets. Interferometry allows the direct measurement of the angular velocity of moving objects via a simple frequency analysis, in a manner mathematically analogous to the measurement of the Doppler frequency shift in radar measurements of radial velocity. Following the design of the receiver system, measurements are presented herein that, for the first time, verify theoretical analyses of the wide field-of-view measurement. Measurements consisted of a person walking while holding a metal corner reflector with 10 cm length sides and the resulting time-frequency signature of the reflector is shown to match the corresponding simulation.
Upregulation of Protein Kinase Cδ in Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells Promotes Inflammation in Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm

Background The development of abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs) involves a complex interplay of extracellular matrix degradation, inflammation, and apoptosis. We have previously shown that protein kinase Cδ (PKCδ) plays a critical role in vascular smooth muscle cell (vSMC) apoptosis in the setting of oxidative stresses. Here, we show that PKCδ is also involved in the signaling that draws inflammatory cells to aneurismal tissue. Materials and methods Immunostaining for monocyte chemotactic factor (MCP)-1 and PKCδ was performed on paraffin-fixed arterial sections. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay to detect MCP-1 produced by vSMCs was performed on media from cultured rat A10 cells after cytokine induction with or without the PKCδ-specific inhibitor rottlerin. Migration of isolated lymphocytes was evaluated in response to media from activated A10 cells. Results Human AAAs show widespread and elevated expression of PKCδ that is not seen in normal aortic tissues. Cytokine stimulation of cultured vSMCs induced vigorous production of the key chemotactant MCP-1, the expression of which was PKCδ dependent. Stimulated vSMCs were capable of inducing the migration of leukocytes, and this effect was also dependent on PKCδ activity. Staining of human AAA tissue for MCP-1 showed an expression pattern that was identical to that of PKCδ and smooth muscle specific alpha-actin. Conclusions PKCδ is widely expressed in human AAA vessel walls and mediates MCP-1 expression by vSMCs, which could contribute to the inflammatory process. These findings, coupled with earlier studies of PKCδ, suggest that PKCδ plays a central role in the pathogenesis of AAAs and may be a potential target for future therapies.
Brain mechanisms in cytokine-induced anorexia

Our research focuses on the mechanisms underlying cytokine action in the central nervous system (CNS) using an integrative and multidisciplinary strategy organized through supracellular (behavioral analysis by computerized monitoring systems), cellular (extracellular and intracellular neurophysiological recording), and molecular (patch-clamp recording, and DNA, RNA and protein analyses) approaches. An integrative strategy that combines computerized meal pattern analyses with cellular and molecular biology approaches allows the study of underlying brain mechanisms in cytokine- and disease-associated anorexia. This paper presents a comprehensive discussion of our laboratory's previously published data on brain mechanisms involved in cytokine-induced anorexia including the relevance of meal pattern analysis (meal size, meal duration, meal frequency, intermeal intervals), modulation of hypothalamic neuronal activity, molecular processes involving ionic conductances, cytokine-cytokine and cytokine-peptide interactions, and modulation of cytokine and peptide/neuropeptide system components (ligands, endogenous inhibitors, receptor subtypes, signal transduction molecules, intracellular mediators) and cytokine feedback systems.
Phenotypic plasticity and precipitation response in Sonoran Desert winter annuals.

Temporal environmental variation has profound infl uences on population dynamics and community structure. Examination of functional traits that infl uence resource uptake and allocation can illuminate how co-occurring species translate environmental variation into different demographic outcomes, yet few studies have considered interspecifi c differences in trait plasticity. We experimentally manipulated soil moisture to test the hypothesis that differences in morphological plasticity contribute to species differences in demographic response to unpredictable precipitation in Sonoran Desert winter annual plants. We compared plasticity of leaf traits and biomass allocation between Pectocarya recurvata (Boraginaceae) and Stylocline micropoides (Asteraceae), co-occurring species that differ in long-term demographic patterns. The species with highly variable population dynamics, Stylocline , had striking increases in leaf area and root biomass in response to an experimental increase in soil moisture. In contrast, the species with buffered long-term population dynamics, Pectocarya , did not differ in leaf morphology or biomass allocation between soil moisture treatments. Regardless of water treatment, Pectocarya had earlier reproductive phenology and greater fecundity than Stylocline , suggesting that differences in the timing of the phenological transitions from vegetative to reproductive growth may affect species ’ responses to precipitation pulses. Combining long-term observations with experimental manipulations provides a window into the functional underpinnings and demographic consequences of trait plasticity.
The multiple bottle effect is overridden in male and female rats by simultaneous presentation of two oral nicotine solutions.

Background: Studies on the oral route of nicotine administration in rodents make important contributions to our understanding of human nicotine use, and alternative approaches to smoking cessation. While environmental availability of oral nicotine contributes to voluntary intake and appears to drive consumption initially, solution concentration may exert more control over intake with continued exposure. Further, it is believed that female rodents consume more nicotine and show greater motivation to obtain it than males. Objectives: The purpose of our study was to determine voluntary oral nicotine intake patterns following continuous exposure to relatively high concentrations in male and female rats, employing a multiple bottle approach, and to describe the relationship between oral nicotine consumption and sera cotinine. Methods: Using five bottles, adult Sprague–Dawley rats were given continuous access to water and 15 μg/ml nicotine solutions or water and 15 and 30 μg/ml nicotine solutions for 2 weeks; b...
Decline of violence: Taming the devil within us

We are getting smarter, and as a result the world is becoming a more peaceful place, says Steven Pinker.
Conceptual and Practical Implications of Breast Tissue Geometry: Toward a More Effective, Less Toxic Therapy

Mathematics provides greater understanding of the complex process of tumorigenesis. Based on the Gompertzian phenomenon and the Norton-Simon hypothesis, enhanced cell kill can be obtained through a greater chemotherapy dose rate. Results from the 1995 Bonadonna et al. study and the CALGB/Intergroup C9741 study demonstrated that patients in the dose-dense arms had significantly longer disease-free survival and overall survival. Because of the demonstrated applicability of Gompertzian kinetics, attention has been turned to the etiology of the Gompertzian curve. Breast tumor dimensions, as with all tissue dimensions in biology, can be calculated by fractals. A less cell-dense tissue usually has a lower fractal dimension than a tissue with more cells (i.e., a higher cell density is usually due to a higher fractal dimension). Density is the number of cells divided by the tissue volume. When allowed to grow, the density of a tissue with a lower fractal dimension drops quickly. However, a tumor, since it has a higher fractal mass dimension, maintains a high density as it grows bigger, resulting in a more rapid growth rate and a larger final size. Fractal dimensions of infiltrating ductal adenocarcinomas of the breast are high (i.e., 2.98), which results in a very dense tissue compared with normal breast tissue (with a fractal dimension of about 2.25). As expected, the higher fractal dimension results in a high rate of growth. The reason for this high fractal dimension is that breast cancer can be considered as a conglomerate of many small Gompertzian tumors, each of which has a high cell density and hence ratio of mitosis to apoptosis. In mathematical terms, each component of the conglomerate can be considered a small metastasis in itself. Thus, the primary tumor is composed of multiple self-metastases that form around a seed from the tumor to itself. Conventional thinking is that cancers metastasize because they are large, but in fact it may be that they are large because they are self-metastatic. Many genes are associated with the biology of metastasis; these include: A) obligatory cancer genes (most of which regulate mitosis and mitotic rate); B) genes relating to self-metastasis and growth of tumors at local sites, conferring the ability to invade and grow with high cell density; and C) genes that relate to the ability of the cancer to metastasize to distant areas. Additionally, fibroblasts may send out abnormal growth signals causing abnormal breast tissue growth. Consequently, we are not only dealing with abnormal cancer cells, but also with the tissue that surrounds them, or the microenvironment, that is, the "Smith-Bissell" model. These new insights may lead us to change the thrust of our attack from genes involved in mitosis to those involved in metastasis, including metastasis to self, and to use and further improve dose-dense regimens.
Low Temperature Deformation of Copper and an Austenitic Stainless Steel

The tensile-deformation characteristics and effect of strain rate were studied on relatively pure CDA 102 Cu and solid-solution-strengthened AISI 310. Tensile strain rate was varied between two orders of magnitude (2 × 10-3; 2 × 10-5 s-1) at temperatures ranging from 4 to 295 K. Tensile stress-strain and strain-hardening curves were determined for these temperatures. The effect of strain-rate changes on tensile flow strength was measured from strains near 0.002 (yield strength) to over 0.300. The data reflect three distinct ranges of face-centered cubic, polycrystalline plastic deformation, which have different characteristics depending on solute content.
Challenges Facing Contemporary Associative Approaches to Acquired Behavior

Despite the considerable success of contemporary associative models of learning in stimulating new behavioral research and modest success in providing direction to both neuroscience and psychotherapy, these models are confronted with at least three challenges. The first challenge is to the assumption that animals encode only one or a few summary statistics to capture what has been experienced over many training trials. This assumption is contrary to overwhelming evidence that the brain retains episodic information. The second challenge is that the learning-performance distinction has been largely ignored. Most models erroneously assume that behavior is a nearly perfect reflection of what has been encoded. The third challenge is to account for interactions between stimuli that have been presented separately (e.g., stimulus interference) as well as between stimuli that have been presented together (e.g., stimulus competition).
Modeling human-automation task allocations in lunar landing

Designing a complex vehicle or system for use in human space exploration involves analyzing the dynamic interactions between the crew and the vehicle automation over the course of a mission. Modeling and simulating the varying task allocations between the human and the automation, as well as their individual capabilities, provides the ability to analyze their effects on mission and system performance. Piloted lunar landing was used as the case scenario. A task analysis was performed on the landing phases of Apollo and candidate Autonomous Landing and Hazard Avoidance Technology (ALHAT) trajectories. A closed loop pilot-vehicle simulation was developed which includes models of automation performance and initial abstract representations of human perception, attention, decision making, and action. Simulation results yielded predictions for overall task allocations that optimize system performance along metrics such as fuel usage and landing accuracy, as well as for the sensitivity of such metrics to the allocations of individual tasks.
Resonant mode extraction from scattered noisy data

This paper presents a technique that combines Prony's original approach together with the high resolution eigenstructure based methods to estimate resonant modes from scattered noisy data. The problem is equivalent to obtaining best rational approximations that fit the actual measurements in a least square sense. >
Modification of a Commercial Instrument for Low Temperature Absorption

Many authors have noted the importance of low temperature absorption spectra and have described various attachments to obtain these with commercial instruments. These attachments vary widely in expense, temperature capabilities, construction time, alignment problems, purpose, applicability to specific instruments, ease of use, and in many other ways. The present modification appears to be superior to most of the reported methods for low temperature absorption measurements between room temperature and -180°C. It requires only minor modifications of the Farrand spectrofluorometer (Mark I) with the cryogenic accessories. A modification of this design could be used in other spectrometers.
Journal. Matrix-Grain-Bridging Contributions to the Toughness of Whisker-Reinforced Ceramics

The fracture toughness of whisker-reinforced, noncubic ceramic matrices increases with increases in matrix grain size, d, as well as with increases in whisker content. An analytical description for the grain-bridging toughening contribution is combined with the whisker-bridging contribution to describe the toughness of such composites. Results for SiC-whisker-reinforced alumina composites confirm both the predicted grain-size effect and the coupled toughening response in the presence of these two toughening mechanisms.
The view selection problem for XML content based routing

We consider the view selection problem for XML content based routing: given a network, in which a stream of XML documents is routed and the routing decisions are taken based on results of evaluating XPath predicates on these documents, select a set of views that maximize the throughput of the network. While in view selection for relational queries the speedup comes from eliminating joins, here the speedup is obtained from gaining direct access to data values in an XML packet, without parsing that packet. The views in our context can be seen as a binary representation of the XML document, tailored for the network's workload.In this paper we define formally the view selection problem in the context of XML content based routing, and provide a practical solution for it. First, we formalize the problem; while the exact formulation is too complex to admit practical solutions, we show that it can be simplified to a manageable optimization problem, without loss in precision. Second we show that the simplified problem can be reduced to the Integer Cover problem. The Integer Cover problem is known to be NP-hard, and to admit a log n greedy approximation algorithm. Third, we show that the same greedy approximation algorithm performs much better on a class of work-loads called 'hierarchical workloads', which are typical in XML stream processing. Namely, it returns an optimal solution for hierarchical workloads, and degrades gracefully to the log n general bound as the workload becomes less hierarchical.
Learning from the missed opportunities for HIV testing

In 2006, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommended expanding HIV testing in healthcare settings1 in order to identify the estimated 25% of HIV-infected persons who are unaware of their status and who may be responsible for up to 50% of HIV transmission.2 These recommendations partly attribute the failure of risk-based testing to issues related to access to care and the inability to target testing if individuals do not admit to potentially stigmatising risk behaviours or are unaware of their risk. However, in this issue of Sexually Transmitted Infections , Brown and colleagues3 ( see page 4 ) present data that suggest that the failure of targeted testing may be partly due to missed opportunities for HIV testing in readily identified high-risk populations. Studying men who have sex with men (MSM) attending 15 genitourinary medicine (GUM) clinics in the UK between 1999 and 2002, the authors detected anti-HIV antibodies in 737 (6.7%) of 10 935 specimens obtained during visits when blood was obtained for syphilis testing but HIV testing did not occur (fig 1). These results are consistent with other published studies, including an anonymous serosurvey conducted at 28 US sexually transmitted disease (STD) clinics in 1997. In nearly all clinics HIV prevalence was 1.4 to 18 times higher …
What Are the Parent-Reported Reasons for Unmet Mental Health Needs in Children?.

Parents of children with long-term emotional or behavioral conditions often struggle to access and afford mental health services for their children.This article examines the parent-reported reasons for unmet mental health needs in children using the National Survey of Children with Special Health Care Needs, specifically investigating whether insurance status (insured versus uninsured) and insurance type (private versus public) influences why a child has an unmet mental health need. The sample included children whose parents reported a need for mental health care or counseling in the previous 12 months, focusing on children with long-term emotional/behavioral problems rather than children experiencing episodic events that might only require short-term mental health services. Findings indicate that being uninsured increases the likelihood of parents reporting costs too much as the reason for their child having unmet mental health needs, whereas being insured by public health insurance decreases the likelihood of reporting costs too much as the reason. Policy implications include the need for expansion of health insurance coverage for all children and the need to achieve parity for mental health benefits in private health insurance.
Severe Symptomatic Hyponatremia Induced by Trimethoprim-Sulfamethoxazole

Trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (TMP-SMX) is a fixed-dose antimicrobial agent used in a variety of infections. Hyponatremia secondary to the syndrome of inappropriate secretion of antidiuretic hormone is an uncommon complication of treatment with TMP-SMX. The risk seems to be higher in patients with AIDS, elderly and concomitant use of diuretics. A n 88-year-old female was admitted to the hospital because of malaise and progressive confusion, 3 days after starting TMP-SMX for urinary tract infection. On physical examination the patient was euvolemic and had no evidence of malignancy, renal, cardiac, adrenal, hepatic or thyroid disease. Laboratory tests results revealed hyponatremia, low serum osmolality, urine hyperosmolarity and an elevated urine sodium concentration, leading to the diagnosis of inappropriate secretion of antidiuretic hormone. TMP-SMX was discontinued and fluid restriction was instituted. The patient was discharged after serum sodium increased from 124 mmol/L to 134 mmol/L. Two weeks after discharge the patient denied any malaise or confusion. TMP-SMX is very popular among elderly that presents with UTI. This paper is the first to emphasize this complication and the need of greater awareness among elderly population and suggest the sodium serum levels should be monitored closely during therapy with TMP-SMX. J Med Cases. 2014;5(5):283-284 doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.14740/jmc1547w
Plant establishment on unirrigated green roof modules in a subtropical climate

Background and aims The application of green roof technology has become more common in the central, northwestern and eastern USA, and is now being employed across the southern USA as well. However, there is little research in the literature that evaluated plant survival on unirrigated green roofs in subtropical climates that experience frequent drought and heat stress. Here, we summarize the results of a study of plant establishment on a modular green roof in south-central Texas.
Effectiveness of trimming and/or washing on microbiological quality of beef carcasses

Beef carcass sides (n = 48) were selected randomly on three different days in a commercial processing facility and microbiologically analyzed before being moved to the cooler. Four types of samples were obtained per side from the inside round area: no trim and no wash (NTNW); trim, but no wash (TNW); trim and wash (TW), and no trim but wash (NTW). A flame-sterilized knife, forceps, and scalpel were used for each trimming treatment and sampling. Significant differences (P < 0.05) were observed in mean aerobic plate counts (APCs) between treatments. The greatest reduction in APC (log10 colony forming units [CFU] per cm2) was observed in TNW samples followed by TW and NTW, with the corresponding mean APC reductions relative to NTNW being 3.0, 0.9, and 0.3, respectively, indicating that trimming can be an effective control point in reducing bacterial contamination in the slaughter process. Although TNW samples, had the lowest counts, samples from the same location after wash (TW) had counts 2 log cycles highe...
Sox2 goes beyond stem cell biology

Diversity in neuronal types provides us with the ability to form complex thoughts and functions. The molecular mechanisms used to generate neuronal subtype diversity in the nervous system are still...
Clonidine and Morphine Increase Atrial Natriuretic Peptide Secretion in Anesthetized Rats

In order to determine whether the activity of central a,-adrenergic and opioid receptors influence plasma atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) levels, clonidine and morphine were infused into the lateral cerebral ventricle for 45 min in anesthetized Sprague- Dawley rats. The central administration of a low dose of clonidine (10 ng/min) caused a significant increase in plasma ANP without changing arterial blood pressure or central venous pressure. Pretreatment with yohimbine (5 pg/min) completely blocked the effect of clonidine. Central infusion of morphine (100 ng/min) also elevated plasma ANP levels and naloxone (5 pg/min) blunted this effect. Intravenous infusion of the same dose of clonidine or morphine did not affect plasma ANP levels. Moreover, the effect of clonidine on plasma ANP was partially blocked by pretreatment with naloxone (5 pglmin). These results suggest that central a,-adrenergic and opioid receptors may be involved in ANP secretion. (P.S.E.B.M. 1989, Vol 1911
A morbid case of leg swelling

A 24-year-old man without past medical history complains of left leg swelling and pain. Six weeks ago, he was kicked playing football and developed a non-displaced fracture of his mid-left fibula. He was immobilised and developed normal weight bearing after 4 weeks. Over the last 3 days, he developed pain, swelling, and inability to weight bear with his left leg along with some chills and sweats. On exam, all vital signs were normal but his left leg was warm, indurated, and red without fluctuence or discharge figure 1. The compartments were soft, but pain was illicited with calf compression. His distal neurovascular exam was intact except for a foot drop. Figure 1 Image of the damaged leg on admittance. 1. What is the differential diagnosis? 2. What are the key historical and clinical features of this case? 3. Ultrasound images are attached. Figure 1 is the unaffected leg. Figures 2 and 3 are the middle of the lateral compartment of the left leg. Figure 4 is the lateral compartment of the left leg. What do they demonstrate? 4. What are the stages of pyomyositis? 5. What …
Disproportionate Prevalence Rate of Prisoners With Disabilities: Evidence From a Nationally Representative Sample

Previous research suggests that prisoners have a higher rate of disability than non-institutionalized adults. This study used nationally representative data to update the prevalence rate, identify correlates of disability, and evaluate disability-related disparities in use of prison-based educational services, vocational programs, and work assignments. Data were obtained from 18,185 prisoners interviewed in the 2004 Survey of Inmates in State and Federal Correctional Facilities. Survey logistic regression procedures were conducted using Stata 13. Disability prevalence remained substantially higher among prisoners than among the non-institutionalized population. Prisoners were more likely to report specific learning, sensory, and speech-related disabilities than non-institutionalized adults. Prisoners with at least one type of disability had more criminogenic risk factors and come from a more disadvantaged background than prisoners without disability. Prisoners with disabilities were also less likely to ut...
Abstract 2805: Protein oxidation in pancreatic neoplasia and cancer

Rationale- Peroxiredoxin-1 (Prdx1) is overexpressed in pancreatic cancer patient serum and correlates with worse prognosis. Prdx1 is an important antioxidant protein whose deletion causes the formation of malignant lesions in mice. Prdx19s redox function depends on its reduction by two other Thioredoxin system members, Thioredoxin (Txn) and Sulfiredoxin (Srxn). Prdx1 may also contribute to tumorigenesis by oligomerizing and becoming a nuclear chaperone when it9s overoxidized and its redox function is inhibited. Objective- Our objective was to investigate disruptions in the Txn system during pancreatic neoplasia and to determine how that affects phosphorylation of Kras effectors. Findings- Prdx1 expression was elevated and Srxn expression was reduced in pancreatic lesions of El-Kras, Pdx1-Cre/LSL-Kras (KC-Pdx1), and P48-Cre/LSL-Kras (KC-P48) mice. Txn was absent in lesions of KC-Pdx1 and KC-P48 mice but present and differentially located in EL-Kras lesions. In primary pancreatic acinar cells, oxidation of the Txn system with auranofin increased ERK and AKT phosphorylation in EL-Kras mice, but not in KC-P48 mice, indicating differential regulation of the Txn system in KC-P48 mice. This could be due to the presence of a higher molecular weight Prdx1 being present in KC-p48 mice and not in EL-Kras mice. This suggests that the effect of mutant Kras on the thioredoxin system in these two models may be different. Prdx1 and (p)ERK also interacted in vitro and inhibition of ERK and AKT phosphorylation modified the expression of Txn and Srxn in pancreatic cell lines. We also found that in human pancreatic cancer patient tissue, Prdx1 was overexpressed in pancreatic cancer as compared to adjacent normal tissue. Conclusions- The Txn system is disrupted during pancreatic neoplasia and may be associated with modified ERK and AKT regulation in Kras mutant pancreatic tissue. Citation Format: Michelle Schultz, Andrew Diaz, Sharon Smite, Brian DeCant, David Bentrem, Paul Grippo. Protein oxidation in pancreatic neoplasia and cancer. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 107th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2016 Apr 16-20; New Orleans, LA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2016;76(14 Suppl):Abstract nr 2805.
Aristotle on Political Community

Aristotle's claims that 'man is a political animal' and that political community 'exists for the sake of living well' have frequently been celebrated by thinkers of divergent political persuasions. The details of his political philosophy, however, have often been regarded as outmoded, contradictory, or pernicious. This book takes on the major problems that arise in attempting to understand how the central pieces of Aristotle's political thought fit together: can a conception of politics that seems fundamentally inclusive and egalitarian be reconciled with a vision of justice that seems uncompromisingly hierarchical and authoritarian? Riesbeck argues that Aristotle's ideas about the distinctive nature and value of political community, political authority, and political participation are coherent and consistent with his aristocratic standards of justice. The result is a theory that, while not free of problems, remains a potentially fruitful resource for contemporary thinking about the persistent problems of political life.
Designing a calibration set in spectral space for efficient development of an NIR method for tablet analysis

Designing a calibration set is the first step in developing a multivariate spectroscopic calibration method for quantitative analysis of pharmaceutical tablets. This step is critical because successful model development depends on the suitability of the calibration data. For spectroscopic-based methods, traditional concentration based techniques for designing calibration sets are prone to have redundant information while simultaneously lacking necessary information for a successful calibration model. A method for designing a calibration set in spectral space was developed. The pure component spectra of a tablet formulation were used to define the spectral space of that formulation. This method maximizes the information content of measurements and minimizes sample requirements to provide an efficient means for developing multivariate spectroscopic calibration. A comparative study was conducted between a commonly employed full factorial approach to calibration development and the newly developed technique. The comparison was based on a system to quantify a model drug, acetaminophen, in pharmaceutical compacts using near infrared spectroscopy. A 2-factor full factorial design (acetaminophen with 5 levels and MCC:Lactose with 3 levels) was used for calibration development. Three replicates at each design point resulted in a total of 45 tablets for the calibration set. Using the newly developed spectral based method, 11 tablets were prepared for the calibration set. Partial least square (PLS) models were developed from respective calibration sets. Model performance was comprehensively assessed based on the ability to predict acetaminophen concentrations in multiple prediction sets. One prediction set contained similar information to calibration set while the other prediction sets contained different information from calibration set in order to assess the model accuracy and robustness. Similar prediction performance was achieved using the 11-tablet design (spectral space), compared to the 45-tablet full factorial approach. This work demonstrates that a calibration set designed in spectral space provided an efficient means of developing spectroscopic multivariate calibration.
BDNF signaling: Harnessing stress to battle mood disorder.

The link between the onset of major depressive disorder (MDD) and loss of neurotrophins in the brain is of interest to clinicians and basic scientists. MDD is caused by a combination of genetic, environmental, and psychological factors. Trauma, chronic health problems, and substance abuse are risks (1), as are grief and other purely emotional/cognitive stresses (2, 3). MDD alters the expression of neurotrophins, such as brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). BDNF is required for neuronal development, survival, and plasticity (4, 5). Brain imaging has shown volumetric changes in limbic regions in depression attributed either to reduced numbers of glia and pyramidal neurons or to their reduced cell body size, accompanied by atrophy of pyramidal neuron apical dendrites and decreases in neurogenesis in dentate gyrus (6). These structural alterations most likely contribute to features of depression, including cognitive impairment, helplessness, and anhedonia. Neuronal dysfunction also affects activation of the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis (7). Studies show that structural and functional neuronal alterations in MDD are partially rescued by antidepressant treatment. Antidepressants, in addition to their effects on neurotransmitter levels, also increase BDNF and enhance expression of the receptor for BDNF, tropomyosin-related kinase B (TrkB), in the hippocampus (8). However, the intracellular mechanisms governing the relationship between BDNF, structural changes in limbic system cells, and clinical manifestations of MDD are still unclear. In PNAS, Marshall et al. (9) demonstrate that Gαi1 and Gαi3, members of the GαI subclass of heterotrimeric G proteins, are essential for BDNF/TrkB signaling in hippocampus and are down-regulated by chronic stress. G proteins form membrane-associated heterotrimers consisting of α, β, and γ subunits (10). There are four main subclasses: Gs, Gi/o, Gq, and G12/13. GαI belongs to the Gi/o subclass and inhibits adenylyl cyclase. Marshall et al. report that reductions in … [↵][1]1To whom correspondence should be addressed. Email: elizabeth.jonas{at}yale.edu. [1]: #xref-corresp-1-1
Cortical Brain Abnormalities in 4474 Individuals With Schizophrenia and 5098 Control Subjects via the Enhancing Neuro Imaging Genetics Through Meta Analysis (ENIGMA) Consortium

Background: The profile of cortical neuroanatomical abnormalities in schizophrenia is not fully understood, despite hundreds of published structural brain imaging studies. This study presents the first meta-analysis of cortical thickness and surface area abnormalities in schizophrenia conducted by the ENIGMA (Enhancing Neuro Imaging Genetics through Meta Analysis) Schizophrenia Working Group. Methods: The study included data from 4474 individuals with schizophrenia (mean age, 32.3 years; range, 11–78 years; 66% male) and 5098 healthy volunteers (mean age, 32.8 years; range, 10–87 years; 53% male) assessed with standardized methods at 39 centers worldwide. Results: Compared with healthy volunteers, individuals with schizophrenia have widespread thinner cortex (left/right hemisphere: Cohen's d = −0.530/−0.516) and smaller surface area (left/right hemisphere: Cohen's d = −0.251/−0.254), with the largest effect sizes for both in frontal and temporal lobe regions. Regional group differences in cortical thickness remained significant when statistically controlling for global cortical thickness, suggesting regional specificity. In contrast, effects for cortical surface area appear global. Case-control, negative, cortical thickness effect sizes were two to three times larger in individuals receiving antipsychotic medication relative to unmedicated individuals. Negative correlations between age and bilateral temporal pole thickness were stronger in individuals with schizophrenia than in healthy volunteers. Regional cortical thickness showed significant negative correlations with normalized medication dose, symptom severity, and duration of illness and positive correlations with age at onset. Conclusions: The findings indicate that the ENIGMA meta-analysis approach can achieve robust findings in clinical neuroscience studies; also, medication effects should be taken into account in future genetic association studies of cortical thickness in schizophrenia.
Design and Control of Customer Service Chat Systems

We consider customer service chat (CSC) systems where customers can receive real time service from agents using an instant messaging (IM) application over the Internet. A unique feature of these systems is that agents can serve multiple customers simultaneously. The number of customers that an agent is serving, referred to as the level of that agent, determines the rate at which each customer assigned to that agent receives service. We propose a staffing LP to find the optimal number of agents required to satisfy a service level constraint. The service level is measured in terms of the average time a customer spends in the system in the long run. The staffing LP not only finds the total number of agents needed, but also determines how all the agents should be allocated among different levels in the long run. We provide closed form solutions for the staffing LP and then propose routing policies, both for the cases when the arrival rate is observable and for when the rate is unobservable. We show that these routing policies minimize the expected time in the system and achieve the allocation of agents obtained from the optimal solution of the staffing LP in the long run asymptotically. We also prove that the staffing solution obtained from the staffing LP along with the routing policies we propose is asymptotically optimal for large systems. We illustrate the effectiveness of our solution procedure in moderate to large size systems via numerical and simulation experiments.
Perfusion MRI Assessment of Cerebral Blood Flow and CO2 Reactivity after Controlled Cortical Impact in Rats

Contemporary animal models of traumatic brain injury (TBI)1,2,3 have provided insight into the mechanisms of brain injury by modeling features such as diffuse axonal injury and contusion. These models have also facilitated the study of the cellular and molecular mechanisms of secondary injury3,4,5 and have contributed to the development of clinical trials6.