cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Potential Role of the Gut Microbiome in ALS: A Systematic Review:

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) etiology and pathophysiology are not well understood. Recent data suggest that dysbiosis of gut microbiota may contribute to ALS etiology and progression. This review aims to explore evidence of associations between gut microbiota and ALS etiology and pathophysiology. Databases were searched for publications relevant to the gut microbiome in ALS. Three publications provided primary evidence of changes in microbiome profiles in ALS. An ALS mouse model revealed damaged tight junction structure and increased permeability in the intestine versus controls along with a shifted microbiome profile, including decreased levels of butyrate-producing bacteria. In a subsequent publication, again using an ALS mouse model, researchers showed that dietary supplementation with butyrate relieved symptoms and lengthened both time to onset of weight loss and survival time. In a small study of ALS patients and healthy controls, investigators also found decreased levels of butyrate-producing bacteria. Essential for maintaining gut barrier integrity, butyrate is the preferred energy source of intestinal epithelial cells. Ten other articles were reviews and commentaries providing indirect support for a role of gut microbiota in ALS pathophysiology. Thus, these studies provide a modicum of evidence implicating gut microbiota in ALS disease, although more research is needed to confirm the connection and determine pathophysiologic mechanisms. Nurses caring for these patients need to understand the gut microbiome and its potential role in ALS in order to effectively counsel patients and their families about emerging therapies (e.g., prebiotics, probiotics, and fecal microbial transplant) and their off-label uses.
Phase-field simulation of irradiated metals: Part II: Gas bubble kinetics

The phase-field model developed in Part I of this work is expanded to include fission gas generation, diffusion, and segregation within bubbles nucleated both homogeneously and heterogeneously along grain boundaries. Illustrative results are presented that characterize bubble growth and shrinkage, as well as the bubble density, size and nucleation rate as a function of the irradiation conditions. Finally, intergranular bubble characteristics such as shape, pinning energy and bubble density are investigated.
Clinical experience with talimogene laherparepvec in a melanoma population at a university based cancer center.

e21547Background: Talimogene laherparepvec (Imlygic or T-VEC) is a first-in-class oncolytic virus that received FDA approval for recurrent unresectable melanoma based on the OPTiM trial. Since its ...
Redundancy in the central tachykinin systems safeguards puberty onset and fertility

The tachykinin neurokinin B (NKB, Tac2) is critical for GnRH release. NKB signaling deficiency leads to infertility in humans. However, some patients reverse this hypogonadism resembling the fertile phenotype of Tac2KO and Tacr3KO (encoding NKB receptor, NK3R) mice despite the absence of NKB signaling. Here, we demonstrate that in the absence of NKB signaling, other tachykinins (substance P and neurokinin A [NKA], encoded by Tac1) may take over to preserve fertility. The complete absence of tachykinins in Tac1/Tac2KO mice leads to delayed puberty onset in both sexes and infertility in 80% of females (but not males), in contrast to the 100% fertile phenotype of Tac1KO and Tac2KO mice separately. Furthermore, we demonstrate that NKA controls puberty onset and LH release through NKB-independent mechanisms in the presence of sex steroids and NKB-dependent mechanisms in their absence. In summary, tachykinins interact in a coordinated manner to ensure reproductive success in female mice.
Review of Jin, Tinghe & Fred Dervin (2017) Interculturality in Chinese Language Education

This article reviews Interculturality in Chinese Language Education by Tinghe Jin, Fred Dervin 978-1-137-58321-5
An analytical model for the design of Peano-HASEL actuators with drastically improved performance

Abstract The emerging field of soft robotics promises applications in areas such as human–machineinteraction, industrial automation, and biomedical devices. Electrohydraulic Peano-HASEL (hydraulically amplified self-healing electrostatic) actuators feature muscle-like linear contraction on activation, fast operation, and direct electrical control, which makes them a versatile actuator for soft robotics. To better understand the impact of geometry and materials on actuator performance, we develop an analytical model – based on minimizing the total energy of the actuator system – that accurately predicts the quasi-static behavior of the actuators without relying on fitting parameters. We present extensive experimental validation of this model for actuators with varying geometries, as well as actuators made from shell materials with different electrical and mechanical properties. Using these results, we identify design rules for the development of actuators with tunable force-strain characteristics. As a key result of this paper, we lay out a roadmap for creating Peano-HASELs with drastically improved specific energies. Specifically, we identify a combination of pouch geometry and an existing high-performance shell material for which the model predicts actuators that achieve a specific energy of over 10,000 J/kg, far exceeding maximum values reported for natural muscle ( ∼ 40 J/kg).
Agreement Between 2 Segmental Bioimpedance Devices, BOD POD, and DXA in Obese Adults.

Abstract This study examined the agreement between 2 segmental bioimpedance analysis (BIA) devices, air displacement plethysmography (BOD POD), and dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) for estimating body composition in obese adults. Fifty obese adults (25 men and 25 women; age = 34.20 ± 11.19 years; BMI = 36.14 ± 5.33 kg/m2) had their body fat percentage (BF%) and fat-free mass (FFM) evaluated with 2 segmental BIA devices (InBody 230 and InBody 720), BOD POD, and DXA (Lunar iDXA). Body composition via the BOD POD was determined using the Siri equation whereas manufacturer-based equations generated metrics (ie, BF% and FFM) for the InBody devices. The effect size of the mean differences for all BF% and FFM comparisons were trivial (Cohen's d
Dynamic location of modular manufacturing facilities with relocation of individual modules

Abstract Meeting highly variable product demands in a cost-efficient manner is an essential task for the chemical industry. Small-scale, modular, and mobile production units allow for a more agile response to spacial and temporal changes in demand while reducing the need of building new units. In this work, we present a generic mixed-integer linear programming (MILP) framework for determining optimal location and relocation of mobile production modules given time-varying demands. We introduce a new metric, the value of module mobility, to quantify the economic benefits of mobile production modules, and we demonstrate how it changes as a function of various economic parameters. Moreover, multiple different solution methods are developed to solve large instances of this dynamic modular and mobile facility location problem. First, we reformulate the original MILP by adding auxiliary variables which track the numbers of modules active at each site at any given time. This augmented formulation can be solved either directly using an off-the-shelf MILP solver, using the same solver but with priority branching on the auxiliary variables, or applying a branch-and-price algorithm. In the proposed branch-and-price algorithm, pricing subproblems for different time periods are solved separately and in parallel to generate new columns for the restricted master problem. Results from an extensive computational study show that solving the full-space augmented formulation is best when the number of time periods is small; however, the branch-and-price algorithm becomes superior for instances with a large number of time periods.
The Effect of Complexity of the Surgical Field on Perioperative Outcomes of Robot-Assisted Radical Cystectomy.

Abstract Objective To report the outcomes of patients who underwent robot-assisted radical cystectomy (RARC) and have a history of previous pelvic surgery and/or radiation. Methods Retrospective review of our prospectively maintained database between 2005 and 2018. Patients were divided into 3 groups based on surgical complexity; Complexity grade 1 included patients who did not have any history of prior pelvic surgery or radiation (n = 323); Complexity grade 2 included those who had history of a single pelvic surgery or radiation (n = 186); and Complexity grade 3 included those who had history of 2 or more pelvic surgeries, or one or more pelvic surgery and radiation (n = 80). All groups were compared in terms of perioperative outcomes. Multivariate linear and logistic regression models were used to depict the predictors of operative time, ≥500 ml blood loss, 90-day complications, high grade complications, and readmissions. Results Complexity grades 2 and 3 exhibited higher 90-day complications compared to CG1 (CG3: 74%, CG1: 59%, CG2: 68%, P = .02), and high grade complications (CG3: 24%, CG1: 13%, CG2 18%, P = .03). On multivariate linear and logistic regression models, CG 3 was significantly associated with higher 90-day complications (OR 2.18, 95% CI 1.21-3.94, P Conclusion Patients with higher complexity of the surgical field exhibited more complications after robot-assisted radical cystectomy, but not readmissions.
Neurotoxicity assessment of triazole fungicides on mitochondrial oxidative respiration and lipids in differentiated human SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells

Indiscriminate overuse or occupational exposure to agricultural chemicals can lead to neurotoxicity. Many pesticides act to impair mitochondrial function which can lead to exacerbation of neurodegeneration. Triazole fungicides are applied to grain, fruit, and vegetable crops to combat mold and fungi and their use is increasing worldwide. Here, we assessed the in vitro toxicity of two widely used triazole fungicides, propiconazole and tebuconazole, to mitochondria using differentiated SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells as an in vitro cell model used in Parkinson's disease research. Cell viability (based on ATP levels), mitochondrial membrane potential, oxidative respiration, and reactive oxygen species (ROS) were measured following fungicide treatments. Cell viability was decreased with 100 μM propiconazole after 24 and 48 h, while tebuconazole required higher doses to affect viability (-200 μM at 24 h). Mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) was reduced with 50 μM propiconazole after 24 h while 200 μM tebuconazole reduced MMP. Oxidative respiration of SH-SY5Y cells was then measured using a XFe24 Flux analyzer and 100 μM propiconazole reduced basal respiration, oligomycin-induced ATP production, and FCCP-induced maximum respiration by -40-50%, while tebuconazole did not affect mitochondrial bioenergetics at the concentrations tested. Acute exposure to 100 μM propiconazole over 4 h did not immediately affect oxidative respiration in SH-SY5Y cells. ROS were not induced by propiconazole and tebuconazole up to 100 and 300 μM respectively. Based on these results, we focused our lipidomics investigations on SH-SY5Y exposed only to propiconazole, as lipid dysregulation is associated with mitochondrial dysfunction. Both 50 and 100 μM propiconazole altered the abundance of some ceramides, specifically reducing glucosylceramide non-hydroxyfatty acid-sphingosine (HexCer-NS) and increasing N-stearoyl-phytosphingosine (CerNP). Moreover, a recently discovered bioactive lipid called fatty acid ester of hydroxy fatty acid (FAHFA) was increased 5-fold, hypothesized to be a neuroprotective mechanism that has been demonstrated in other studies of human diseases. Additional lipids reduced in abundance included oxidized phosphatidylcholine (OxPC) and oxidized phosphatidylethanolamine (OxPE). There were no changes in cellular triacylglycerols nor total lipids with exposure to propiconazole. Taken together, this study provides insight into the toxicity of triazole fungicides in neuronal cells, which has implications for neurodegenerative diseases that involve the mitochondria such as Parkinson's disease.
Procedural competency for ultrasound-guided peripheral intravenous catheter insertion for nurses in a pediatric emergency department.

Objectives:To evaluate if nurses can reliably perform ultrasound-guided peripheral intravenous catheter placement in children with a high success rate after an initial training period. A secondary ...
How Trauma, Depression, and Gender Roles Lead to Intimate Partner Violence Perpetration Among a Sample of Predominately Low-Income Black, Indigenous, Men of Color: A Mixed Methods Study.

Despite decades of research and significant efforts by practitioners and advocates, intimate partner violence (IPV) in the United States remains a public health issue that disproportionately affect...
Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children.

BACKGROUND: As the number of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases increases globally, more cases of a rare COVID-19-associated disease process are being identified in the pediatric population. This syndrome is referred to as multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C). Clinical manifestations of the syndrome vary and include one or a combination of the following: vasodilatory shock, cardiogenic shock, Kawasaki-like disease, cytokine storming, coronary artery dilatation, and aneurysms. CASE REPORT: This case report describes the presentation, findings, workup, and treatment for a 9-year-old boy diagnosed with MIS-C. WHY SHOULD AN EMERGENCY PHYSICIAN BE AWARE OF THIS?: It is important to recognize MIS-C, as it shares many of the same features as other disease processes, for example, Kawasaki disease and toxic shock syndrome, but has different complications if left untreated.
Lifelike Neuromorphic Learning Networks (LNLN)

Artificial Neural Network (ANN) has been known and used extensively to solve the demanding tasks of Machine Learning (ML) and Artificial Intelligence (AI). These networks have proven to be exceedingly successful with challenging tasks but only at the cost of doing massive amounts of computations. Spiking Neural Network (SNN) are known to be able to perform the same tasks but potentially with less power and computations. The proposed research develops an application on Spiking Neural Networks Simulators using various algorithms and input encoding to achieve accuracy that is at par with Analog Artificial Neural Network (AANN). Backpropagation approach is used on a pre-trained neural network and it is converted to SNN for rate coding. To add further Spike-timing-dependent plasticity (STDP) is used for training a rate encoded network. Using the above settings significant accuracy is achieved proving its uniqueness amongst the state-of-the-art algorithms. A detailed profiling of current literature is included. These findings underlie a huge potential and may locate the stage for further thrilling novel advances that drives key applications in neuromorphic engineering.
Low-Power Optical Traps using Anisotropic Metasurfaces: Asymmetric Potential Barriers and Broadband Response

We propose lateral optical trapping of Rayleigh particles using tailored anisotropic and hyperbolic metasurfaces illuminated with a linearly polarized Gaussian beam. This platform permits optical traps to be engineered at the beam axis with a response governed by nonconservative and giant lateral recoil force coming from the directional excitation of confined surface plasmons during the light-scattering process. Compared to optical traps set over uniform metals, either in bulk or thin-layer configurations, the proposed traps are broadband in the sense that they can be set with beams oscillating at any frequency within a wide range in which the metasurface supports surface plasmons. Over that range, the metasurface dispersion evolves from an anisotropic elliptic to a hyperbolic regime going through a topological transition and enables optical traps with distinctive spatially asymmetric potential distribution, local potential barriers arising from the momentum imbalance of the excited plasmons, and an enhanced potential depth that permits stable trapping of nanoparticles using low-intensity laser beams. To investigate the performance of this platform, we develop a rigorous formalism based on Lorentz force within the Rayleigh approximation combined with anisotropic Green's functions and calculate the trapping potential of nonconservative lateral forces using the Helmholtz decomposition method. Tailored anisotropic and hyperbolic metasurfaces, commonly implemented by nanostructuring thin metallic layers, permit to use low-intensity laser sources operating in the visible or infrared frequencies to trap and manipulate particles at the nanoscale, and may enable a wide range of applications in bioengineering, physics, and chemistry.
Tenecteplase for Acute Ischemic Stroke Treatment

The introduction of thrombolytic therapy in the 1990s has transformed acute ischemic stroke treatment. Thus far, intravenous recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (rt-PA) also known as alteplase is the only thrombolytic proven to be efficacious and approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration. But the thrombolytic agent tenecteplase (TNK) is emerging as a potential replacement for rt-PA. TNK has greater fibrin specificity, slower clearance, and higher resistance to plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 than rt-PA. Hence, TNK has the potential to provide superior lysis with fewer hemorrhagic complications. Also, easier bolus-only administration makes TNK a very practical rt-PA alternative. In several clinical trials, TNK has shown similar efficacy and safety to rt-PA, and the potential to be at least noninferior to rt-PA in some settings. TNK may be superior to rt-PA for reperfusing large vessel occlusions in patients with salvageable penumbra, although this has not yet translated to improved clinical outcomes. Further phase 3 studies are in progress comparing rt-PA with TNK for acute ischemic stroke during the first 4.5 hours. Studies are also in progress to evaluate the use of TNK for extended applications, such as wake-up stroke.
Asymptomatic coronavirus disease 2019 mimicking metastatic breast cancer on positron emission tomography/computed tomography imaging

A 55-year-old asymptomatic woman with newly diagnosed, locally advanced breast cancer undergoing routine staging with 2-deoxy-2[18F]fluoro-d-glucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography was found to have multiple hypermetabolic pulmonary nodules on imaging that were concerning for metastatic disease. However, further workup with dedicated chest computed tomography imaging demonstrated multiple bilateral, peripheral nodular lesions with peripheral ground-glass opacity, predominantly in the lower lung zone, that were suspicious for coronavirus disease 2019. The patient ultimately was diagnosed with coronavirus disease 2019 based on detection of viral ribonucleic acid via polymerase chain reaction. Follow-up chest computed tomography scan obtained after 27 days showed complete resolution of the lung lesions. In the setting of a global pandemic, a high index of suspicion for coronavirus disease 2019 in cancer patients is warranted, not only to enable early identification and treatment of a potentially aggressive infection but also to prevent misdiagnosis of metastatic disease.
Analysis of cumulative probability of growth of damage sites at the National Ignition Facility

The recent development utilizing automatic microscopy to identify damage sites on an optic for damage mitigation at the National Ignition Facility (NIF) has resulted in a large set of damage dataset for growth analysis. In this work we will examine how the pre and post installation damage sizes are used to analyze the cumulative probability of growth for damage sites that have been exposed to multiple laser shots. The analysis can form the basis to derive single-shot probability growth behavior of fused silica damage site as a function of size.
Cribra orbitalia is correlated with the meningo-orbital foramen and is vascular and developmental in nature.

Cribra orbitalia is a phenomenon with interdisciplinary interest. However, the etiology of cribra orbitalia remains unclear. Recently, the appearance of cribra orbitalia was identified as vascular in nature. This study assessed the relationship between anatomical variation of vasculature, as determined by the presence of meningo-orbital foramina, and the presence of cribra orbitalia in 178 orbits. Cribra orbitalia was identified in 27.5% (49:178) of orbits (22.7%, 35:154 adult orbits and 58.3%, 14:24 subadult orbits) and meningo-orbital foramina were identified in 65.8% (100:152) of orbits. Among the 150 total intact adult orbits (i.e., orbital roof and posterior orbits both intact), cribra orbitalia was found in 35 (23.3%). Of these 35 occurrences of cribra orbitalia, 32 (91.4%) had the concurrent finding of a meningo-orbital foramen. However, in the absence of the meningo-orbital foramen, cribra orbitalia was only found in three sides out of the total sample of intact orbits (3:150; 2.0%). Fisher's exact test revealed that the presence of cribra orbitalia and the meningo-orbital foramen were statistically dependent variables (p = .0002). Visual evidence corroborated statistical findings-vascular impressions joined cribra orbitalia to meningo-orbital foramina. This study identifies that individuals who possess a meningo-orbital foramen are anatomically predisposed to developing cribra orbitalia. Conversely, cribra orbitalia is unlikely to occur in an individual who does not possess a meningo-orbital foramen. Thus, the antecedent of cribra orbitalia is both vascular and developmental in nature. This report represents an important advancement in the understanding of cribra orbitalia-there is an anatomical predisposition to the development of cribra orbitalia.
Search for chameleon scalar fields with the axion dark matter experiment.

Scalar fields with a 'chameleon' property, in which the effective particle mass is a function of its local environment, are common to many theories beyond the standard model and could be responsible for dark energy. If these fields couple weakly to the photon, they could be detectable through the afterglow effect of photon-chameleon-photon transitions. The ADMX experiment was used in the first chameleon search with a microwave cavity to set a new limit on scalar chameleon-photon coupling {beta}{sub {gamma}}excluding values between 2x10{sup 9} and 5x10{sup 14} for effective chameleon masses between 1.9510 and 1.9525 {mu}eV.
High Performance Li4Ti5O12/Si Composite Anodes for Li-Ion Batteries

Improving the energy capacity of spinel Li4Ti5O12 (LTO) is very important to utilize it as a high-performance Li-ion battery (LIB) electrode. In this work, LTO/Si composites with different weight ratios were prepared and tested as anodes. The anodic and cathodic peaks from both LTO and silicon were apparent in the composites, indicating that each component was active upon Li+ insertion and extraction. The composites with higher Si contents (LTO:Si = 35:35) exhibited superior specific capacity (1004 mAh·g−1) at lower current densities (0.22 A·g−1) but the capacity deteriorated at higher current densities. On the other hand, the electrodes with moderate Si contents (LTO:Si = 50:20) were able to deliver stable capacity (100 mAh·g−1) with good cycling performance, even at a very high current density of 7 A·g−1. The improvement in specific capacity and rate performance was a direct result of the synergy between LTO and Si; the former can alleviate the stresses from volumetric changes in Si upon cycling, while Si can add to the capacity of the composite. Therefore, it has been demonstrated that the addition of Si and concentration optimization is an easy yet an effective way to produce high performance LTO-based electrodes for lithium-ion batteries.
What is the Occupy Wall Street Protest a Protest Of? A Psychoanalytic Investigation

The Occupy Wall Street movement appears to be a protest of capitalism, but their expressions of what they are doing offer little in the way of economic analysis. Their critique is not economic but moral. I analyze Communique #1, their purest self-definition, which reveals that they see us as living in a world of artificial images created by, and serving the interests of, malevolent forces: capitalism is the expression of these forces. Their stance against this is their own authenticity, which is their paradigm of an alternative. I compare this to the movie The Matrix, which sees us as living in a similar world, except that the malevolent forces are not capitalism. I compare these with the Cave allegory in Plato's Republic, which is similar, except the artificial images are not expressions of malevolence. I use psychoanalytic theory to argue that the malevolent object of OWS' critique is the father, who, in fulfillment of the paternal function, forces socialization upon us. The world of artificial images is culture, seen from the standpoint of alienation. Their alternative, rooted in their authenticity, with themselves as models, doesn't amount to much.
Project-Based Learning

Repeated, sustained team interactions on scalable complex problems that require constant synthesis and the application of core computing concepts throughout the curriculum place students on a trajectory toward becoming professional software engineers.
Paediatric emergencies in perspective

R J Diedericks, MB ChB, FCPaed (SA) Senior Specialist, Department of Ambulatory and Emergency Paediatrics, Red Cross War Memorial Children’s Hospital, Cape Town Dr Diedericks is currently head of the Paediatric Emergency Service at Red Cross Hospital. He has previous experience in private paediatric practice, held a consultant position at the NHS in the UK, and a level 2 paediatrics position in Worcester, Cape. He is a generalist with a special interest in respiratory paediatrics.
Antitumor Activity and Mechanism of Action of 6-Thio-3-deazaguanine

6-Thio-3-deazaguanine (TDG), a relatively new purine antimetabolite, exhibits significant antitumor activity against a variety of experimental animal tumor models including C3H mammary adenocarcinoma, Lewis lung carcinoma, adenocarcinoma 755, and leukemias L1210 and P388. However, the drug was ineffective against 3-deazaguanine-resistant L1210 (both in vitro and in vivo ) and CEM cells ( in vitro ). The resistant cells appear to lack HGPRTase activity because the extracts from these cell lines failed to convert hypoxanthine to IMP. These data indicate that TDG needs to be activated by hypoxanthine guanine phosphoribosyl-transferase prior to its growth inhibitory effects. Cytotoxicity of TDG was completely reversed by hypoxanthine and inosine. TDG inhibited the synthesis of DNA and RNA equally and effectively, whereas the inhibition of protein synthesis required a prolonged drug exposure and appears to be a consequence of the inhibition of DNA and RNA synthesis. Data from these studies suggest that TDG is an effective antitumor agent, and its spectrum of antitumor activity and mechanism of action appears to be different from that of 3-deazaguanine.
Masses of krypton-82, -84 and 86 and xenon-129 and -132.

IN the course of our atomic mass measurement programme, we have recently had occasion to measure the masses of some of the isotopes of krypton and xenon by the mass-spectrographic doublet method. These measurements are briefly described below.
Isolation of Laceyella sp. from the Blood of a Patient with Interstitial Lung Disease

Introduction The genus Laceyella within the family Bacillaceae was proposed by Yoon et al. (1) in 2005 and was placed in the family Thermoactinomycetaceae by Matsuo et al. (2) in 2006. Members of the genus Laceyella were initially considered to belong in the genus Thermoactinomyces (also known as actinomycetes). When Yoon and colleagues (1) first proposed the genus Laceyella, only two species were known: Laceyella sacchari and Laceyella putidus, which were previously named Thermoactinomyces sacchari (Thermoactinomyces thalpophilus) and Thermoactinomyces putidus, respectively (1,3). Because of the characteristics of endospore formation, DNA G+C content, and phylogenetic data, the genus Thermoactinomyces was placed within the family Bacillaceae in 2005 by Yoon et al (1), and the family was divided into four genera: Thermoactinomyces, Laceyella, Thermoflavimicrobium, and Seinonella. This classification was made on the basis of unique profiles of menaquinone and fatty acid composition, together with phenotypic comparisons and phylogenic analyses of 16S rRNA gene sequences (1,4,5). Subsequently, two more genera were added, and a new family, Thermoactinomycetaceae, was proposed by Matsuo et al. and others (2,6-8) on the basis of polyphasic taxonomic studies. Since then, more genera have been added to the family (4,5,7).
Development of a statistical model to identify spatial and meteorological drivers of elevated O3 in Nevada and its application to other rural mountainous regions.

Abstract Measurements of O3 at relatively remote monitoring sites are useful for quantifying baseline O3, and subsequently the magnitude of O3 not controllable by local regulations. As the National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS) for O3 becomes more stringent, there is an increased need to quantify baseline O3 particularly in the Western US, where regional and global sources can significantly enhance O3 measured at surface sites, yielding baseline mixing ratios approaching or exceeding the NAAQS threshold. Past work has indicated that meteorological conditions as well as site specific spatial characteristics (e.g. elevation, basin size, gradient) are significantly correlated with O3 intercepted at rural monitoring sites. Here, we use 3 years of measurements from sites throughout rural Nevada to develop a categorical tree model to identify spatial and meteorological characteristics that are associated with elevated baseline O3. Data from other sites in the Intermountain Western US are used to test the applicability of the model for sites throughout the region. Our analyses indicate that increased elevation and basin size were associated with increased frequency of elevated O3. On a daily time scale, relative humidity had the strongest association with observed MDA8 O3. Seventy-four percent of MDA8 O3 observations > 60 ppbv occurred when daily minimum relative humidity was 60 ppbv whereas including upper air meteorological measurements improved the accuracy of predicting periods when O3 was > 60 ppbv. These findings indicate that transport, rather than local production, influences O3 measurements in Nevada, and that high elevation sites in rural Nevada, are representative of baseline conditions in the Intermountain Western US.
Two-phase non-dissipative supersonic nozzle flow analysis for maximum condensed phase momentum flux

Abstract This paper presents an optimization analysis of a two-phase flow mixture of a gaseous phase and an incompressible condensed phase through a converging-diverging nozzle used for industrial cleansing applications. The analysis is based on maximizing the liquid water momentum flux for a host of mixture parameters that include the liquid mass injection ratio, liquid and gas properties, nozzle size, and nozzle stagnation-to-back pressure ratios.
Effect of nitrate and nitrite in drinking water on rats.

Abstract 2-month-old male rats were given drinking water that contained either none, 4000 ppm sodium nitrate or 2000 ppm sodium nitrite for 14 months. During the treatment period the methemoglobin level of animals receiving nitrite fluctuated from 1–35% as compared with 0–2% for the groups receiving nitrate or water only. The red cell hemolysis was less than 5% in all 3 groups of animals. Relative to the control group, animals receiving nitrite had significantly lower body and liver weights and plasma vitamin E levels, higher red cell reduced glutathione (GSH) levels and higher incidence of pulmonary lesions, but nitrite had no effect on other parameters measured. Nitrate had a moderate effect on plasma vitamin E level and the incidence of pulmonary lesions. Ames' Salmorcella/microsome test showed an absence of mutagens in the feces extract of any of the animal groups. In another experiment, one-month-old male rats were given drinking water that contained either none, 200 ppm nitrite or 400 ppm nitrate for 16 weeks. The methemoglobin (MHb) level of the nitrite-treated animals ranged from 0.5–3.1% as compared with 0–1.2% of the other two groups. Except for higher incidence of pulmonary lesions, administration of nitrite or nitrate at these levels had no significant effect on any of the biochemical parameters measured in the blood or the mutagenicity of liver extract.
Epigenetic Silencing of the p16INK4a Tumor Suppressor Is Associated with Loss of CTCF Binding and a Chromatin Boundary

The p16(INK4a) tumor suppressor gene is a frequent target of epigenetic inactivation in human cancers, which is an early event in breast carcinogenesis. We describe the existence of a chromatin boundary upstream of the p16 gene that is lost when this gene is aberrantly silenced. We show that the multifunctional protein CTCF associates in the vicinity of this boundary and absence of binding strongly coincides with p16 silencing in multiple types of cancer cells. CTCF binding also correlates with RASSF1A and CDH1 gene activation, and CTCF interaction is absent when these genes are methylated and silenced. Interestingly, defective poly(ADP-ribosyl)ation of CTCF and dissociation from the molecular chaperone Nucleolin occur in p16-silenced cells, abrogating its proper function. Thus, destabilization of specific chromosomal boundaries through aberrant crosstalk between CTCF, poly(ADP-ribosyl)ation, and DNA methylation may be a general mechanism to inactivate tumor suppressor genes and initiate tumorigenesis in numerous forms of human cancers.
Foundations of tensor network theory

Abstract The basic principles of tensor network theory are reviewed, and the development of the concepts from junction-pair to open-mesh is traced.
21-[18F]fluoro-16.alpha.-ethyl-19-norprogesterone. Synthesis and target tissue selective uptake of a progestin receptor-based radiotracer for positron emission tomography

We have synthesized 21-[18F]fluoro-16 alpha-ethyl-19-norprogesterone (FENP), a high affinity ligand for the progesterone receptor, labeled with the positron-emitting radionuclide fluorine-18 (t1/2 = 110 min). The synthesis proceeds in two steps from 21-hydroxy-16 alpha-ethyl-19-norprogesterone and involves [18F]fluoride ion displacement of the 21-trifluoromethanesulfonate (21-triflate). This material is purified by HPLC and is obtained in 4-30% overall yield (decay corrected) within 40 min after the end of bombardment to produce [18F]fluoride ion. The effective specific activity, determined by competitive radioreceptor binding assays, is 700-1400 Ci/mmol. In vivo, [18F]FENP demonstrates highly selective, receptor-mediated uptake by the uterus of estrogen-primed rats; the uterus to blood and uterus to muscle ratios were respectively 26 and 16 at 1 h and 71 and 41 at 3 h after injection. The high target tissue selectivity of this uptake suggests that this compound may be useful for the in vivo imaging of progestin target tissues and receptor-rich tumors (such as human breast tumors) by positron emission tomography.
How do Zero Tolerance Drunk Driving Laws work

This paper provides the first comprehensive analysis of the effects of "Zero Tolerance" (ZT) Drunk Driving Laws--which set very low legal blood alcohol limits for individuals under age 21--on self-reported alcohol use and drunk driving using data from the 1984 to 2001 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS). I estimate two-way fixed effects models of alcohol-related behaviors of 18-20-year-olds that can condition on unobserved differences across states that may be correlated with determinants of drinking and drunk driving, and I use 22-24-year-olds as a control group. Results indicate that the laws reduced heavy episodic drinking (five or more drinks at one sitting) among underage males by 13%. This result is supported by models that use variation in treatment intensity induced by differences in body weight. I find mixed evidence of ZT effects for females, and no robust effects on drinking participation or drunk driving for either sex.
IGHMBP2 Thr671Ala polymorphism might be a modifier for the effects of cigarette smoking and PAH-DNA adducts to breast cancer risk.

Laboratory and bioinformatics studies have suggested that immunoglobulin μ-binding protein 2 (IGHMBP2) is involved in DNA repair, replication and recombination. Using 1067 cases and 1110 controls from a population-based case-control study, we sought to clarify the potential role of the IGHMBP2 Thr671Ala polymorphism (A to G substitution) alone and as a modifier of the effects for cigarette smoking and PAH–DNA adducts on breast cancer risk. Unconditional logistic regression was used to estimate odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI). Overall, there was no significant association between the IGHMBP2 variant-G allele and breast cancer risk (OR = 1.1, 95% CI = 0.9–1.3). Increased risk was found among women who had detectable PAH–DNA adducts and carried at least one variant-G allele (OR = 1.4, 95% CI = 1.0–1.8, p for trend = 0.01) compared to women carrying the wild-type AA genotype and with non-detectable adducts. Smokers carrying the IGHMBP2 variant-G allele had no significant increased breast cancer risk compared with non-smoking women with the AA genotype. Heavy smokers (>31 pack years) had a statistically significant association with breast cancer risk (OR=2.0, 95% CI=1.2–3.3) relative to nonsmokers with the AA genotype though the magnitude of association was not different than heavy smokers (> 31 pack years) with the AA genotype (OR=1.6, 95% CI=0.9–2.6). Overall our study observes only modestly higher effect estimates for PAH-DNA adduct exposure and cigarette smoking among those with the high-risk genotype, but these differences are not statistically significant. Additional studies focused on the biological function of the variant-G allele and interactions with other genetic polymorphisms are necessary to confirm our findings.
The problems and promise of DNA barcodes for species diagnosis of primate biomaterials

The Integrated Primate Biomaterials and Information Resource (www.IPBIR.org) provides essential research reagents to the scientific community by establishing, verifying, maintaining, and distributi...
Low-energy reaction rate constants for the Ni+-assisted decomposition of acetaldehyde: observation of C-H and C-C activation.

Rate constants for the low-energy Ni+-assisted dissociative reaction of acetaldehyde have been measured under jet-cooled conditions in the gas phase. The rate constants are acquired through monitoring the time dependence of fragment Ni+CO formation. The decomposition of the precursor Ni+−acetaldehyde cluster ion proceeds via consecutive, parallel reaction coordinates that originate with the Ni+-assisted cleavage of either a C−C or an aldehyde C−H bond. The energies used to initiate these reactions are well below that required to cleave σ-bonds in the isolated acetaldehyde molecule. Direct measurement of the reaction kinetics over a range of energies indicates that the rate-limiting step in the dissociative mechanism changes at cluster ion internal energies = 17 200 ± 400 cm−1. Arguments are presented that this energy marks the closure of the dissociative coordinate that initiates with C−H σ-bond activation and thus provides a measure of the activation energy of this dissociative pathway.
Use of radiocarbon analyses for determining levels of biodiesel in fuel blends -- Comparison with ASTM Method D7371 for FAME

Abstract A simplified radiocarbon ( 14 C) analytical method was investigated for measuring the biodiesel (FAME) content of diesel fuel blends. That method involves mixing a fuel sample with a fluor and then analyzing it in a liquid scintillation counter (LSC) without further processing. The method is referred to as the direct LSC method because it analyzes the samples directly rather than employing the sample preparation procedures (including sample combustions) typically used in radiocarbon analyses. Biodiesel produced from four different feedstock materials was mixed with petrodiesel to produce fuel blends containing 2–20% FAME, which were subsequently analyzed using the direct LSC method. The fuel blends were also analyzed by several laboratories using FTIR in accordance with ASTM Method D7371, as well as by alternate IR-based procedures being considered for inclusion in that method. Accurate results could be obtained using the direct LSC method if color quench within the samples was sufficiently alleviated. When using counting times of 360 min, results obtained on canola, soy, and white grease biodiesel blends were accurate to within 0.3% (absolute) or better, while results on the coconut biodiesel blends were accurate to within 1.0% (absolute) or better. Results from the direct LSC analyses were comparable to those obtained by Method D7371 for the canola, soy, and white grease biodiesel blends, and were much more accurate than Method D7371 for coconut biodiesel blends. The results reported by different laboratories using Method D7371 varied by 1% (absolute) or more for all the samples, and by 2% (absolute) or more for samples containing 15–20% FAME. Therefore, the practice of reporting results to two decimal places does not appear to be justified in view of the data scatter observed between laboratories.
Apparent motion can be perceived between patterns with dissimilar spatial frequencies

Many recent models of movement processing in the human visual system predict that the perception of apparent motion requires stimuli that are similar in spatial frequency. The data presented here provide an example of the perception of apparent motion between patterns with nonoverlapping harmonic content. When patterns presented in alternate frames are dissimilar, motion can be perceived as long as the velocity is not too high.
Cognitive functioning, and behavioral and emotional adjustment in maltreated children post-intervention

Cognitive functioning and behavioral and emotional adjustment were examined in children who were previously maltreated as preschoolers, had received intervention in a developmentally salient day treatment program, and were either placed in adoptive families or returned to the biological family system. The children were evaluated, on average, four years postintervention. The children in this sample were as emotionally maladjusted as those in a clinical population; they experienced more anxiety and aggression. Additionally, they fared worse than clinical (and nonclinical) norms in terms of self-confidence and the adaptive ability to perceive support from others, and were comparable to the clinical group in their limited ability to reach out to others in the face of problem-resolution skills below a nonclinical level.
The effect of age of parents on the progeny of diapaused and non‐diapaused Heliothis zea

Abstract The effect of parental age at oviposition on the offspring of diapaused and non-diapaused females of Heliothis zea (Boddie) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) was examined under laboratory conditions. Diapause was induced in the laboratory by reducing day lengths and temperatures. The number of eggs per female, duration of the egg stage, percent hatch, duration of the larval stage, percent pupation and four-day pupal weights of progeny from diapaused and non-diapaused adults were determined. Significantly reduced egg production and increased duration of egg and larval stages occurred in offspring of diapaused females, but no effect on hatching and pupation percentages and pupal weights were observed. The possible effects of these differences on reproductive potential and length of generation are discussed. RESUME Influence de l'age des parents sur la descendance des femelles d'Heliothis zea diapausantes ou non Nous avons examine au laboratoire l'influence de l'age des parents au moment de la ponte sur la descendance des femelles d'Heliothis zea Boddie diapausantes ou non. La reduction de la longueur du jour et de la temperature avait induit la diapause au laboratoire. L'etude a porte sur le nombre d'oeufs par femelle, la duree de l'incubation des oeufs, le taux d'eclosion, la duree du developpement larvaire, le taux de nymphose et le poids des chrysalides de 4 jours chez les descendants d'adultes diapausantes ou non. Chez les descendants des femelles diapausantes, la production d'oeufs est significativement reduite; de měme, l'incubation des oeufs et le developpement larvaire sont significativement prolonges; mais on n'a observe aucun effet tant sur les taux d'eclosion et de nymphose que sur le poids des chrysalides. La discussion porte sur les influences envisageables de des differences dans le potentiel reproducteur et la duree des generations.
Propagation of energetic electron streams in solar flares

The microscopic stability of an electron stream flowing down to the photosphere from the corona is examined. It is found that, while a power-law distribution is stable in the low-density corona, it is unstable against the generation of magnetized electron plasma waves in the high-density photosphere. The scattering of these energetic electrons may alter their radiation signatures.
Electronic excitation transfer in the photosynthetic unit: Reflections on work of William Arnold

Among his many contributions to photosynthesis, William Arnold made critical suggestions about the mechanism of the initial stages of excitation energy transfer and its measurement. Thus he helped found not only the general concept of the photosynthetic unit but also the key idea behind the detailed functional aspects of its ‘chlorophyll antenna’. We review the development of these ideas and the modern form in which they have emerged.
Cobalt blocks the decrease in MEPSP frequency on depolarization in calcium-free hypertonic media.

SUMMARY Media made hyperosmotic with sucrose increase the frequency of spontaneously released quanta of transmitter, or miniature excitatory postsynaptic potentials (MEPSPs). In calcium-free medium, depolarization with high potassium reduces the MEPSP frequency, presumably due to calcium efflux in the reversed gradient condition. This effect of depolarization is blocked by cobalt, supporting the above interpretation of the effects of hypertonicity and depolarization and suggesting that cobalt can block efflux as well as influx through calcium channels.
Potentiation of radiation effects on multicellular tumor spheroids (mts) of hela cells by lonidamine

Abstract Lonidamine is a potent inhibitor of spermatogenesis and a hyperthermic sensitizer. The previous study of lonidamine and radiation using two murine tumors demonstrated that tumor cure rates were significantly increased by radiation and concomitant lonidamine. In an effort to determine the radiobiologic factors involved with the potentiating effect of radiation by lonidamine, a series of cell culture studies were carried out using multicellular tumor spheroids (MTS) of HeLa Cells. When the MTS were treated with lonidamine in combination with fractionated irradiation, remarkable enhancement of growth inhibition was observed at the drug concentration of 10 μ/ml. On the other hand, there was no demonstrable enhancement of growth inhibition induced by a single dose of irradiation. Although the present findings would be consistent with the inhibitory action of potentially lethal damage repair of radiation by the drug, an alternative possibility is that the cells that have received the combined treatment have undergone a metabolic change, which has altered their sensitivity to the growth inhibitory effects of lonidamine. Based on the studies reported here and in mice, it is suggested that continued drug exposure over a prolonged period may provide an enhanced therapeutic effect, even in tumor varieties where the drug has no apparent antitumor activity on nonirradiated cells.