cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Effect of indomethacin on peritoneal protein loss in a rabbit model of peritonitis.

Effect of indomethacin on peritoneal protein loss in a rabbit model of peritonitis. Background Although various inflammatory mediators have been previously shown to be released into the peritoneal cavity during peritonitis in peritoneal dialysis patients, those that are involved in governing changes in peritoneal permeability to small solutes and protein remain incompletely defined. Methods We determined the importance of prostanoid production in the enhanced protein loss observed during acute peritonitis by inhibition experiments using indomethacin, an inhibitor of cyclooxygenase activity. The association between changes in peritoneal permeability and the generation of inflammatory mediators after adding Escherichia coli to peritoneal dialysate was first examined in series 1 experiments. Series 2 experiments then determined the effect of intraperitoneal administration of indomethacin (75 μg/mL) on changes in peritoneal permeability after adding E. coli to peritoneal dialysate. All experiments were performed in male New Zealand White rabbits (2.6 to 3.4 kg body weight) using an eight-hour dwell of dialysate containing 2.5% glucose. Peritoneal permeability to creatinine and protein was assessed by time-dependent changes in the dialysate to plasma concentration ratios of these solutes. Results Series 1 experiments showed enhanced leukocyte migration into the peritoneal cavity and increased peritoneal permeability to protein during bacterial challenge that was accompanied by an increase in the dialysate concentrations of prostaglandin E 2 (PGE 2 ), 6-keto-PGF 1α , and interleukin-8, but not nitrate + nitrite (a measure of local nitric oxide production). Inhibition of prostanoid production by intraperitoneal administration of indomethacin in series 2 experiments resulted in lower dialysate concentrations of PGE 2 and 6-keto-PGF 1α and in lower peritoneal permeability to protein, both to control levels. No effect of indomethacin on transperitoneal migration of leukocytes or the generation of interleukin-8 was observed. Conclusions Enhanced production of prostanoids likely plays an important role in governing the increase in peritoneal permeability to protein during acute, bacterial peritonitis in the rabbit.
Building the evidence for communication interventions.

lesions reduce movement, which in turn prohibits normal neu-ral development and further reduces movement. Thus, a chal-lenge to the neuroscience and pediatric rehabilitationcommunity is to extend the present ﬁndings to early handdevelopment so that subsequent therapies can target emergingdeﬁcits and truly take advantage of the remarkable structuraland neural plasticity of the developing infant central nervoussystem.
Dihydropyranone Formation by Ipso C−H Activation in a Glucal 3-Carbamate-Derived Rhodium Acyl Nitrenoid

By using (N-tosyloxy)-3-O-carbamoyl-D-glucal 10, which removes the need for a hypervalent iodine(III) oxidant, we provide evidence for rhodium nitrenoid-mediated ipso C-H activation as the origin of a C3-oxidized dihydropyranone product 3. This system may be especially susceptible to such a pathway because of the ease of forming a cation upon hydride transfer to the rhodium-complexed acyl nitrene.
A retrospective study of the clinical and electrophysiological characteristics of 32 patients with orthostatic myoclonus

Objectives To review the electrophysiological and clinical characteristics of 32 patients with orthostatic myoclonus (OM), a relatively newly identified movement disorder, and compare these characteristics to those of primary orthostatic tremor (OT) patients and patients with similar gait and balance complaints without either hyperkinesia diagnosed during the same 30-month period.
Effect of titania oxidation state on the chemisorptive properties of titania-supported nickel

Abstract Temperature-programmed desorption (TPD) under ultrahigh vacuum conditions and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) were used to characterize the adsorption behavior of CO and H 2 on low-surface-area samples prepared by depositing nickel onto titania films. The effect of titania oxidation state on CO adsorption from Ni was probed by studying 0.2-nm Ni overlayers deposited in situ on titania surfaces vacuum-annealed at successively higher temperatures to vary the oxygen-to-titanium ratio from 2 to 1. The CO adsorption strength and saturation coverage on Ni decreased with increased extent of titania reduction. These effects could be attributed to electronic metal-support interaction between Ni and underlying titania in the absence of titania adspecies on the Ni surface. This type of interaction becomes unimportant for Ni overlayers or Ni crystallites thicker than about 3 atomic layers. The strength of CO adsorption was also found to be dependent on the initial nickel overlayer thickness for samples reduced at 650 K in hydrogen at 10 −3 Pa. The desorption peak temperature increased from 360 K for a 0.2-nm Ni overlayer to 420 K for a 2.5-nm Ni overlayer. It is proposed that the thinner nickel overlayers lead to smaller nickel particles during this treatment in hydrogen and that these smaller particles are more completely covered by titania adspecies from the support. Transmission electron micrographs suggested that the supported Ni crystallites develop a raft-like morphology upon reduction. The Ni particles were relatively resistant to sintering. Dissociative CO adsorption on the model nickel/titania surfaces was not observed under any conditions, suggesting that the Ni crystallites adopt flat morphologies and that sites active for CO dissociation under ultrahigh vacuum conditions are not created at nickel/titania interfaces.
A Preliminary Theory of Informal Accountability among Network Organizational Actors

Widespread government contracting for nonproﬁ t social service delivery has resulted in extensive reliance on networks of service providers, which involve complicated accountability dynamics. Th e literature has tended to emphasize formal aspects of accountability in contract relationships, focusing on the speciﬁ cation of contract terms, performance measures, reporting relationships, and stipulated consequences. Far less attention has been focused on the interorganizational and interpersonal behaviors that reﬂ ect informal accountability. Th is article examines the informal norms, expectations, and behaviors that facilitate collective action and promote informal accountability among nonproﬁ t network actors. Th e data are based on in-depth interviews with nonproﬁ t senior administrators in four major metropolitan areas. Based on this research, the authors propose a preliminary theory of informal accountability that links (1) the shared norms and facilitative behaviors that foster informal accountability for collective outcomes, (2) the informal system of rewards and sanctions used to promote and reinforce behavioral expectations, and (3) the challenges that may undermine informal accountability.
Dynamics of internalization and sequestration of guanylyl cyclase/atrial natriuretic peptide receptor-A

The guanylyl cyclase/natriuretic peptide receptor-A (NPRA), also referred to as GC-A, is a single polypeptide molecule. In its mature form, NPRA resides in the plasma membrane and consists of an extracellular ligand-binding domain, a single transmembrane-spanning region, and intracellular cytoplasmic domain that contains a protein kinase-like homology domain (KHD) and a guanylyl cyclase (GC) catalytic active site. The binding of atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) to NPRA occurs at the plasma membrane; the receptor is synthesized on the polyribosomes of the endoplasmic reticulum, and is presumably degraded within the lysosomes. It is apparent that NPRA is a dynamic cellular macromolecule that traverses through different compartments of the cell through its lifetime. This review describes the experiments addressing the interaction of ANP with the NPRA, the receptor-mediated internalization and stoichiometric distribution of ANP-NPRA complexes from cell surface to cell interior, and its release into culture me...
Success for Learning Disabled Writers across the Curriculum

Despite major gains in identifying and helping students with learn ing disabilities, the disorder remains inadequately defined. Con sequently, some students are labeled per ceptually impaired and are thus entitled to support services, while others are dis missed as low achievers and denied the same considerations (Wilczenski and Gillespie-Silver 1992, 202). Certainly low achievement can be the result of fam
Implementing the mandate: the limitations of benchmark tests

As mandated by No Child Left Behind, schools must find ways to improve test scores. How do benchmark tests fare as a means of informing teachers in order to raise achievement for low-income students? This study of English language arts instruction at a low-income high school investigates the administration’s use of standardized benchmark assessments over 3 years. The socioeconomic conditions for students where teachers were implementing this reform had deleterious effects. The study found that teachers had difficulty getting students up to grade level in an under-resourced program, especially with hundreds of skills represented in the standards. The teachers viewed the benchmark tests as an interruption to their classroom instruction and as an inadequate means of measuring their students’ progress. Ultimately, even the administration found the tests an inadequate assessment for their purposes.
The Definition of Lumbar Spinal Instability and Its Clinical Significance

This issue in Seminars in Spine Surgery focuses on lumbar instability and, in particular, spinal instability potentially amenable to treatment with disc arthroplasty. In this first section, we present the classic and most current definitions of lumbar instability and relate the clinical significance of this often misunderstood spinal disorder.
Nuclear Data Sheets for A = 168

Abstract The 1964 version of the Nuclear Data Sheets has been revised according to experimental data received prior to May 1973, including approximately 120 papers. Data are presented for 6 nuclei (Ho, Er, Tm, Yb, Lu, and Hf), and Ta has been identified as a 2.5-m activity. The level structure of Er has been extensively studied via Ho decay, Tm decay, Er (n,γ), and various reactions. Comparison of these data has led to the addition of several new levels and suggested transitions in the three decay schemes. About 99 levels are now known in Er, with Jπ assignments for about half of these. The Tm level scheme has been greatly expanded via stripping and pickup reactions and now includes ≈ 136 levels below 1.9 MeV, with about 50 Jπ assignments. The Yb level scheme now includes ≈ 62 levels, primarily due to Lu decay and pickup reactions. The Lu activity has been identified as two separate isomers (5.3 m and 6.7 m), and tentative decay schemes are presented. For Hf, only the ground-state rotational band has been identified and no decay scheme has been proposed. Rotational band structure is presented for Er, Tm, Yb, and Hf and has been fit by the empirical formula for comparison to theoretical calculations and to aid in the identification of missing band members. There is presently no information on the level structure of Ho, Lu, or Ta. Lu could be most easily studied via Hf decay (25.95 m) or the 168Yb(3He,t) reaction.
Refinement of depth maps generated by low-cost depth sensors

With the introduction of the Microsoft Kinect into the gaming industry and release of Kinect-based application development kits, a whole new industry has evolved around the Kinect with applications for gaming, gesture recognition for controlling devices, 3-D communication, etc. coming to the fore. The popularity of the Kinect sensor can be attributed to its low cost and the real-time depth map generation capability. However, owing to Kinect's lack of sophistication, the depth maps generated have a lot of artifacts like poorly generated object boundaries and missing depth values and misalignment between the depth map and the color image. In this paper, a novel technique for depth map correction and post-processing is proposed. To fill the missing depth pixels in the generated depth map, we use a color-aware Gaussian-weighted averaging filter which estimates the missing depth values using the surrounding good depth pixels and by using the corresponding color image as a guide to prevent filtering across object boundaries. A depth map enhancement algorithm is then proposed based on multi-step upsampling-based anisotropic diffusion with structure aware weights using the SSIM distortion metric. This post-processing technique corrects and sharpens the boundaries of the objects of the depth map and ensures local depth smoothness within the objects. In all of the proposed techniques, an effort is made to reduce the complexity and keep the execution real-time.
Spread of exotic plants in the landscape: the role of time, growth habit, and history of invasiveness

We investigated the relative contribution of minimum residence time, growth habit, and history of invasiveness to the spread of exotic plants in Michigan and California. Our data include minimum residence time as estimated by earliest herbarium collection records, growth habit, and history of invasiveness for over 2000 records from two herbaria (MI = 943, CA = 1131). Our data support the hypothesis that minimum residence time is highly associated with landscape spread, explaining 39-44% of variation in the number of counties invaded. In contrast, growth habit and history of invasiveness explained a small fraction of variation in spread in California but not Michigan. Over the past 30 years exotic plant species frequently became established in Michigan and California (C50 species per decade), suggesting that many more species will become invasive over time. There is an urgent need to develop effective policies for exotic plant manage- ment. In both states we found significant positive correlations between minimum residence time and species occurrence on state invasive plant lists. Further, we found historical information on the pest status of a plant species introduced into a similar environment to be relevant in determining landscape spread of exotic plants. We conclude that efforts to predict exotic species spread based on biological characteristics may have limited success, and instead endorse pest risk analysis for proposed new imports coupled with rapid detection and early response for unintended and unwanted introductions.
Multiscale-stabilized finite element methods for miscible and immiscible flow in porous media

In this paper we study the numerical solution of miscible and immiscible flow in porous media, acknowledging that these phenomena entail a multiplicity of scales. The governing equations are conservation laws, which take the form of a linear advection-diffusion equation and the Buckley-Leverett equation, respectively. We are interested in the case of small diffusion, so that the equations are almost hyperbolic. Here we present a stabilized finite element method, which arises from considering a multiscale decomposition of the variable of interest into resolved and unresolved scales. This approach incorporates the effect of the fine (subgrid) scale onto the coarse (grid) scale. The numerical simulations clearly show the potential of the method for solving multiphase compositional flow in porous media. The results for the Buckley-Leverett problem are particularly remarkable.
Identification of blood cell types using Magnetostrictive Microcantilevers based biosensors

High sensitivity and high Q value, as well as working well in liquid, make the newly developed magnetostrictive microcantilevers (MSMCs) a great candidate for developing a high performance biosensor. In this paper, blood cell identification by the MSMCs was demonstrated. The MSMCs were fabricated and their surface was functionalized by immobilizing anti-B antibody as the bioreceptor for blood cells inspection. By immersing the MSMCs into different type blood cells and monitoring the resonance frequency shift, due to blood cell binding, the blood cells A and B were distinguished.
Robust detection via subspace design

The goal of this paper is to describe a simple receiver with good performance for multipath communications channels. The new receiver is 'almost' invariant or robust to the multipath channel distortion. It preserves the simplicity of a traditional receiver-correlator receiver and at the same time approximates the computational intensive subspace receiver which is maximally invariant. The maximally invariant test statistic is the energy of the orthogonal projection of the received signal on the multipath signal subspace S. Calculating this orthogonal projection directly is a difficult multi-dimensional nonlinear optimization problem. Instead, we design a representation subspace G to approximate S. The gap metric is used as the measure between subspaces. The gap metric is closely related to the principle angles between subspaces. Wavelet multiresolution tools are called upon to facilitate the subspace design. Once we have designed the representation subspace G, we use the energy of the orthogonal projection of the received signal on G as the new test statistic. Simulation results demonstrate the robustness of the new receiver.© (1996) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
The Genetics of Child Psychiatric Disorders: Focus on Autism and Tourette Syndrome

Investigations into the genetics of child psychiatric disorders have finally begun to shed light on molecular and cellular mechanisms of psychopathology. The first strains of success in this notoriously difficult area of inquiry are the result of an increasingly sophisticated appreciation of the allelic architecture of common neuropsychiatric and neurodevelopmental disorders, the consolidation of large patient cohorts now beginning to reach sufficient size to power reliable studies, the emergence of genomic tools enabling comprehensive investigations of rare as well as common genetic variation, and advances in developmental neuroscience that are fueling the rapid translation of genetic findings.
Formation of local electric dipoles with no unique polar axis in Tb 3 Fe 5 O 12

Using neutron scattering and the pair-density-function analysis, we investigated, the local atomic structure of the ferrimagnetic dielectric ${\text{Tb}}_{3}{\text{Fe}}_{5}{\text{O}}_{12}$ garnet. Pronounced magnetic diffuse scattering is observed at high temperatures that gradually decreases with cooling as the Tb spins take on an ordered structure at about 50 K. In the temperature range where the dielectric $(\ensuremath{\epsilon})$ constant is enhanced, a volume striction is observed from the diffraction measurements under a magnetic field that couples the magnetic response to the dielectric properties. At the same time, large oxygen displacements, on the order of $0.1--0.2\text{ }\text{\AA{}}$, are observed starting first at 90 K that persist up to 550 K, resulting in the formation of electric dipoles. However, they are not ordered and the lack of a unique polar axis in the hyperkagome structure may be linked to the absence of a polarized phase in this system. If it were present, the system could have a high ferroelectric transition temperature.
Are current insulin pumps accessible to blind and visually impaired people

Background:In 2004, Uslan and colleagues determined that insulin pumps (IPs) on the market were largely inaccessible to blind and visually impaired persons. The objective of this study is to determine if accessibility status changed in the ensuing 4 years.Methods:Five IPs on the market in 2008 were acquired and analyzed for key accessibility traits such as speech and other audio output, tactual nature of control buttons, and the quality of visual displays. It was also determined whether or not a blind or visually impaired person could independently complete tasks such as programming the IP for insulin delivery, replacing batteries, and reading manuals and other documentation.Results:It was found that IPs have not improved in accessibility since 2004. None have speech output, and with the exception of the Animas IR 2020, no significantly improved visual display characteristics were found. Documentation is still not completely accessible.Conclusion:Insulin pumps are relatively complex devices, with serious ...
Control of Penicillium Decay of Citrus Fruits with 2-Aminobutane

IN evaluating a number of simple aliphatic amines as volatile post-harvest fungicides for use on citrus fruits, we found that 2-aminobutane (Sec-butylamine) was remarkably effective in reducing decay incited by Penicillium digitatum Sacc.1. Subsequent experiments2 revealed that effectiveness of this amine is mainly due to the fungistatic action of butylammonium salt residues persisting on the fruit after fumigation. In vitro tests showed that germination of Penicillium spores was almost completely inhibited by 10−3 M 2-aminobutane, and, furthermore, that this inhibition could be completely reversed by washing the spores in neutral phosphate buffer, followed by transfer of the spores to amine-free medium. A number of other lower (> C6) primary monoamines were tested by this procedure and found to be ineffective in preventing spore germination. These results prompted an evaluation of 2-aminobutane in fruit washes and wax emulsions for control of Penicillium decay of citrus fruits.
Beyond the individual: toward a nomological network of organizational empowerment.

Empowerment research has generally been limited to the individual level of analysis. Efforts to study empowerment beyond the individual require conceptual frameworks suggesting attributes that define the construct and guide its measurement. This paper presents an initial attempt to describe the nomological network of empowerment at the organizational level of analysis—organizational empowerment (OE). Intraorganizational, interorganizational, and extraorganizational components of OE are described. Implications for empowerment theory and practice are discussed.
Can segmented flow enhance heat transfer in microchannel heat sinks

Abstract Liquid cooling is an efficient way to remove heat fluxes with magnitudes up to 10,000 W/cm2. One limitation of current single-phase microchannel heat sinks is the relatively low Nusselt number, due to laminar flow. In this work, we experimentally investigate how to enhance the Nusselt number with the introduction of segmented flow. The segmented flow pattern was created by the periodic injection of air bubbles through a T-junction into water-filled channels. We designed a polycarbonate heat sink consisting of an array of seven parallel microchannels each with a square cross-section 500 μm wide. We show that segmented flow increases the Nusselt number of laminar flow by more than 100%, provided the mass velocity of the liquid is within the range 330–2000 kg/m2 s.
Hard palate resection, microvascular reconstruction, and prosthetic restoration: a 14-year retrospective analysis.

Background. This retrospective analysis was conducted to evaluate self-reported patient and clinician assessed functional outcomes of patients who have undergone ablative hard palate oncologic resection and microvascular free-flap reconstruction with and without maxillofacial prosthetic intervention. Methods. All Head and Neck Surgery Service, Plastic and Reconstruction Surgery Service, and Dental Service charts and progress notes entered into the Institutional Health Care Information System of 57 patients who underwent hard palate resection and microvascular reconstruction at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC) between January 1, 1988, and December 31, 2001 were reviewed retrospectively by three maxillofacial prosthodontists (BJB, JMH, IMZ). Prosthetic and nonprosthetic rehabilitation outcomes for each patient were reported as having normal; limited; or poor esthetics and function according to each prosthodontist's clinical evaluations; patients' self-perceptions; and feedback from friends, family members, and/or spouse. Speech intelligibility was determined in the same manner but reported as normal, hypernasal, and hyponasal. Results. Most of the 26 prosthetically rehabilitated patients were reported as having normal esthetics (81%), normal function (77%), normal speech (96%), and were able to return to per oral full diets (81%) without any restrictions. Conclusions. Acceptable oral rehabilitation outcomes were reported for most prosthetically rehabilitated free-flap patients. Normal speech can be anticipated with a high degree of certainty, and a high percentage of prosthetically restored free-flap patients achieved per oral diets. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Head Neck 25: 671–680, 2003
The Wellcome Trust lecture. Inflammatory responses to filarial connective tissue parasites.

The inflammatory responses to lymphatic filariae and to Onchocerca volvulus are reviewed with particular attention to (1) evolutionary biology; (2) inflammatory host spectrum; (3) non-specific components; (4) immunoregulation; (5) immune evasion versus immunomodulation; (6) chronic tissue damage and scarring and (7) disease models. Basic principles of pathogenesis are emphasized, comparisons drawn with schistosome infection, and critical items of missing information are highlighted.
Bacterial Competition in Activated Sludge: Theoretical Analysis of Varying Solids Retention Times on Diversity

A mechanistic model for activated sludge sewage treatment was developed to predict exploitative competition of six aerobic heterotrophic bacterial species competing for three essential resources. The central hypothesis of the model is that in a multispecies/limiting resource system the number of coexisting bacterial species, N, exceeds the number of limiting resources, K, available for them. The explanation for this is that for certain species combinations, the dynamics of the competition process generate oscillations in the abundances of species, and these oscillations allow the coexistence of greater number of species than the number of limiting resources (N > K). This result is a direct contradiction of an existing activated sludge steady state competition theory, “the principle of competitive exclusion,” which states that the competition process proceeds to equilibrium, allowing only N ≤ K species to coexist. The model was used to investigate the effect of varying solids retention times on the diversity of species using the conventional, completely mixed activated sludge configuration. The results of model simulations showed that for a certain range of solids retention times (2.28–5.66 days) the competition of six species for three essential resources produces oscillations within the structure of the bacterial community allowing for the sustained growth of more than three species on three resources.
Biologics for the Treatment of Dyslipidemias A Look Beyond Conventional Therapy

Objective: To evaluate the monoclonal antibodies to proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9) in the management of dyslipidemias. Data Sources: MEDLINE/PubMed, NHS Evidence, TRIP database and EMBASE searches were conducted using the terms proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9, PCSK9, and monoclonal antibody. No date limits were utilized; search results were current to September 2013. Study Selection and Data Extraction: Articles were limited to phase 2 or 3 clinical trials of monoclonal antibodies to PCSK9 assessing surrogate markers of clinical end points. Data Synthesis: AMG145 and REGN727/SAR236553 are human monoclonal antibodies to PCSK9, a serine protease responsible for low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) regulation. PCSK9 binds to LDL receptors targeting them for intracellular degradation. AMG145 and REGN727/SAR236553 blocks the interaction between PCSK9 and the LDL receptor, increasing LDL receptor availability and allowing the removal of LDL-C from the circulation. The...
Human Herpesvirus (HHV)-6 and HHV-7 Infections in Pregnant Women

BACKGROUND Both intrauterine and sexual transmission of human herpesvirus (HHV)-6 and HHV-7 have been suggested, and congenital HHV-6 infection does occur. We prospectively studied HHV-6 and HHV-7 at multiple sites in pregnant women to determine the characteristics of these viruses at repeated time points. METHODS Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs), cervical secretions, placenta, and cord blood were tested by nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and reverse-transcriptase PCR for HHV-6 and HHV-7 and by quantitative PCR for HHV-6. A control group of women was also studied. RESULTS We enrolled 104 pregnant and 31 control women. HHV-7 DNA was detected more frequently in PBMCs from pregnant women (66.9%) than HHV-6 DNA (22.2%; P<.0001), but both were found at low rates in cervical swabs (HHV-7 vs. HHV-6 DNA, 3.0% vs. 7.5%; P=.19). Pregnant women with HHV-6 DNA present in cervical swabs had a greater odds of having HHV-6 DNA present in the blood than did pregnant women with negative cervical swabs (odds ratio, 12.9; P=.0009). HHV-6 reactivation or reinfection was suggested in 17% of pregnant women. One placental sample had active HHV-6 replication. CONCLUSIONS Detection of HHV-6 DNA in cervical secretions is associated with HHV-6 DNA in PBMC samples. Active placental infection along with congenital HHV-6 infection was identified.
Estimation of the residual volume of the ventricle of the dog's heart by two indicator dilution technics.

A dye dilution and an electric conductivity method for measuring end-diastolic volume and stroke volume of the left ventricle are described, and equations for the calculation of stroke volume are given. When dye is injected "instantaneously" into the left ventricle during diastole, the aortic dye concentration-time curve obtained is a step-like curve and not a smooth curve. The ventricle empties itself in a "fractional" manner, approximately 46 per cent of its end-diastolic volume being ejected with each stroke and 54 per cent remaining in the ventricle at the end of systole.
Comparison of diastolic septal perforator flow velocities in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy versus hypertensive left ventricular hypertrophy.

In this study, we measured diastolic septal perforator flow velocities by Doppler transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM). Using color-guided pulsed Doppler TTE, septal perforator flow velocity recordings were attempted in 69 patients and successfully recorded in 47 (68%). First, we compared 14 patients with HCM to 12 controls and to 11 patients with hypertension with left ventricular hypertrophy. Next, in 10 additional patients with HCM, we compared the septal velocities with the epicardial left anterior descending artery (LAD) velocities recorded during the same TTE study. In the patients with HCM, the peak septal diastolic velocities were twice that of the normal controls (88 ± 40 vs 41 ± 13 cm/s) and also higher than in hypertensive left ventricular hypertrophy (51 ± 18 cm/s, p
AhrC and Eep Are Biofilm Infection-Associated Virulence Factors in Enterococcus faecalis

Enterococcus faecalis is part of the human intestinal microbiome and is a prominent cause of health care-associated infections. The pathogenesis of many E. faecalis infections, including endocarditis and catheter-associated urinary tract infection (CAUTI), is related to the ability of clinical isolates to form biofilms. To identify chromosomal genetic determinants responsible for E. faecalis biofilm-mediated infection, we used a rabbit model of endocarditis to test strains with transposon insertions or in-frame deletions in biofilm-associated loci: ahrC, argR, atlA, opuBC, pyrC, recN, and sepF. Only the ahrC mutant was significantly attenuated in endocarditis. We demonstrate that the transcriptional regulator AhrC and the protease Eep, which we showed previously to be an endocarditis virulence factor, are also required for full virulence in murine CAUTI. Therefore, AhrC and Eep can be classified as enterococcal biofilm-associated virulence factors. Loss of ahrC caused defects in early attachment and accumulation of biofilm biomass. Characterization of ahrC transcription revealed that the temporal expression of this locus observed in wild-type cells promotes initiation of early biofilm formation and the establishment of endocarditis. This is the first report of AhrC serving as a virulence factor in any bacterial species.
Defending Qualitative Change: The View From Dynamical Systems Theory

A central controversy in developmental science, enflamed by nativist accounts, is whether development is best viewed as a series of qualitative or continuous changes. This article defends the notion of qualitative change from the perspective of dynamical systems theory (DST). Qualitative change within DST refers to the shift that occurs when a system goes from one attractor state through an instability into a different attractor state. Such changes occur on the second-to-second timescale of behavior. Thus, developmental analysis must always stay local, grounded in the real-time attractor states around which behavior is organized. This article also demonstrates that qualitative and continuous change should not be cast in opposition. They are aligned concepts that work together across multiple timescales.
Direct measurement of dopant distribution in an individual vapour–liquid–solid nanowire

Semiconductor nanowires show promise for many device applications1,2,3, but controlled doping with electronic and magnetic impurities remains an important challenge4,5,6,7,8. Limitations on dopant incorporation have been identified in nanocrystals9, raising concerns about the prospects for doping nanostructures9,10. Progress has been hindered by the lack of a method to quantify the dopant distribution in single nanostructures. Recently, we showed that atom probe tomography can be used to determine the composition of isolated nanowires11,12. Here, we report the first direct measurements of dopant concentrations in arbitrary regions of individual nanowires. We find that differences in precursor decomposition rates between the liquid catalyst and solid nanowire surface give rise to a heavily doped shell surrounding an underdoped core. We also present a thermodynamic model that relates liquid and solid compositions to dopant fluxes. The first direct measurements of dopant concentrations in arbitrary regions of individual nanowires are reported. Decomposition rates of heterogeneous precursors cause a heavily doped shell to surround an underdoped core. A thermodynamic model relating liquid and solid compositions to dopant fluxes is also presented.
Electrocardiographic and genetic evaluation of giant jungle fowl, broilers, and their reciprocal crosses following unilateral bronchus occlusion.

Abstract Electrocardiography is useful as a noninvasive technique for detecting right ventricular hypertrophy in birds developing pulmonary hypertension (PH) and pulmonary hypertension syndrome (PHS, ascites). The objective of this study was to identify every aspect of the Lead II ECG wave form (amplitude or duration) that can be correlated with right ventricular hypertrophy [increased right:total ventricular weight ratios (RV:TV)] indicative of PH across a broad genetic background. Sham operations were conducted, or PH was induced by occluding one extrapulmonary primary bronchus in 14-d-old chicks produced from matings of broilers (B x B), Giant Jungle Fowl (J x J), and their reciprocal crosses (B x J and J x B). Standard three-lead electrocardiograms (ECG) were recorded on Days 28 and 42, and final necropsies were conducted to evaluate the incidence of ascites, confirm sex, and obtain ventricular weights for calculating RV:TV. Ascites did not develop in the J x J, and one each of the B x J and J x B chicks developed ascites; consequently, only data from birds that did not develop ascites were compared. Heart rate was recorded, and the following amplitudes and durations were measured or calculated for three consecutive wave cycles of the Lead II ECG: base of R to the peak of R (RbR), peak of R to base of S (RS), base of S to peak of R' (SR'), S, peak of R' to base of R' (R'R'b), and base of S to peak of T (ST). Differences between the ECG of sham and bronchus clamp groups were more prominent in B x B and B x J than in J x B, and bronchus occlusion did not affect the ECG, growth, or RV:TV ratios of J x J. In contrast, sex influences were more prominent in J x J and J x B than in B x J and B x B. These observations suggest a paternal pattern of inheritance for Lead II ECG wave forms, with crosses sired by broilers (B x B, B x J) exhibiting susceptibility to PH and few ECG differences related to sex, whereas crosses sired by Giant Jungle Fowl U x J, J x B) exhibited resistance to PH and numerous ECG differences related to sex.
Inhibition of Light-Dependent Development of Chloroplasts by 5-Fluorouracil

The uracil analogue, 5-fluorouracil, inhibited the development of chloroplasts in Euglena gracilis, strain Z. Chlorophyll synthesis was inhibited when dark-grown cells were illuminated in the presence of 5-fluorouracil, but only if the 5-fluorouracil was present during the lag phase of chlorophyll synthesis. Ribonuclease showed a similar inhibition. Equimolar con centrations of uracil released inhibition by 5-fluorouracil, but if cells were incubated in the light with 5-fluorouracil before addition of uracil, the ability of uracil to effect rapid reversal of 5-fluorouracil inhibition was decreased. In contrast, prior incubation with 5-fluorouracil in the dark did not affect reversibility by uracil. The synthesis of a chloroplast-localized protein, cytochrome c (552, Euglena), was also inhibited by 5-fluorouracil, whereas the light-stimulated synthesis of a number of cytoplasmic enzymes was enhanced. The results suggest that addi tion of 5-fluorouracil at the beginning of the illumination period preferentially interferes with the synthesis of chloroplast protein compared with the synthesis of cytoplasmic protein by inhibiting the formation of a ribosomal system, presumably localized in the chloroplast, that functions in the synthesis of chloroplast protein. The data also suggest that in uninhibited cells, the formation of this ribosomal system was largely completed within the first 10 to 14 h of illumination and before the main period of synthesis of chloroplastproteins.
Comparative Kinematics and Hydrodynamics of Odontocete Cetaceans: Morphological and Ecological Correlates With Swimming Performance

Propulsive morphology and swimming performance were compared for the odontocete cetaceans Delphinapterus leucas, Orcinus orca, Pseudorca crassidens and Tursiops truncatus. Morphological differences were apparent among the whales. The general body contour and low-aspect-ratio caudal flukes of D. leucas indicated that this species was a low-performance swimmer compared with the other species. Propulsive motions were video-taped as animals swam steadily in large pools. Video tapes were analyzed digitally using a computerized motion-analysis system. Animals swam at relative velocities ranging from 0.4 to 2.4 body lengths s -1 . The stroke amplitude of the flukes decreased linearly with velocity for D. leucas, but amplitude remained constant for the other species. Tail-beat frequencies were directly related to relative swimming velocity, whereas the pitch angle of the flukes was inversely related to relative swimming velocity. Unsteady lifting-wing theory was used with regression equations based on kinematics to calculate thrust power output, drag coefficients and propulsive efficiency. Compared with other species, O. orca generated the largest thrust power (36.3 kW) and had the lowest drag coefficient (0.0026), whereas T. truncatus displayed the largest mass-specific thrust power (23.7 W kg -1 ) and P. crassidens had the highest efficiency (0.9). D. leucas did not swim as rapidly as the other species and had a comparatively higher minimum drag coefficient (0.01), lower mass-specific thrust power (5.2 W kg -1 ) and lower maximum efficiency (0.84). Minimum drag coefficients were associated with high swimming speeds, and maximum efficiencies corresponded with velocities in the range of typical cruising speeds. The results indicate that the kinematics of the propulsive flukes and hydrodynamics are associated with the swimming behaviors and morphological designs exhibited by the whales in this study, although additional factors will influence morphology. Summary
Temporal Synchronization of Multiple Audio Signals

Given the proliferation of consumer media recording devices, events often give rise to a large number of recordings. These recordings are taken from different spatial positions and do not have reliable timestamp information. In this paper, we present two robust graph-based approaches for synchronizing multiple audio signals. The graphs are constructed atop the over-determined system resulting from pairwise signal comparison using cross-correlation of audio features. The first approach uses a Minimum Spanning Tree (MST) technique, while the second uses Belief Propagation (BP) to solve the system. Both approaches can provide excellent solutions and robustness to pairwise outliers, however the MST approach is much less complex than BP. In addition, an experimental comparison of audio features-based synchronization shows that spectral flatness outperforms the zero-crossing rate and signal energy.
Activation of an alternative NF-κB pathway in skeletal muscle during disuse atrophy

Although cytokine-induced nuclear factor kappaB (NF-kappaB) pathways are involved in muscle wasting subsequent to disease, their potential role in disuse muscle atrophy has not been characterized. Seven days of hind limb unloading led to a 10-fold activation of an NF-kappaB-dependent reporter in rat soleus muscle but not the atrophy-resistant extensor digitorum longus muscle. Nuclear levels of p50 were markedly up-regulated, c-Rel was moderately up-regulated, Rel B was down-regulated, and p52 and p65 were unchanged in unloaded solei. The nuclear IkappaB protein Bcl-3 was increased. There was increased binding to an NF-kappaB consensus oligonucleotide, and this complex bound antibodies to p50, c-Rel, and Bcl-3 but not other NF-kappaB family members. Tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) and TNF receptor-associated factor 2 protein were moderately down-regulated. There was no difference in p38, c-Jun NH(2)-terminal kinase or Akt activity, nor were activator protein 1 or nuclear factor of activated T cell-dependent reporters activated. Thus, whereas several NF-kappaB family members are up-regulated, the prototypical markers of cytokine-induced activation of NF-kappaB seen with disease-related wasting are not evident during disuse atrophy. Levels of an anti-apoptotic NF-kappaB target, Bcl-2, were increased fourfold whereas proapoptotic proteins Bax and Bak decreased. The evidence presented here suggests that disuse muscle atrophy is associated with activation of an alternative NF-kappaB pathway that involves the activation of p50 but not p65.
Response of tropical vegetation to Paleogene warming

The late Paleocene-early Eocene transition was characterized by a long period of global warming that culminated with the highest temperatures of the Cenozoic. This interval is associated with a significant increase in plant diversity in temperate latitudes. However, data from tropical regions remain largely unknown. The record of pollen and spore diversity across the late Paleocene to the early middle Eocene of eight sections in central and eastern Colombia was analyzed. Several techniques, including range-through method, rarefaction, bootstrap, detrended correspondence analysis, and Shannon index, were used to assess the significance of the observed diversity pattern. The palynofloral record indicates that the lower to middle Eocene contains a significantly higher palynofloral diversity than the underlying upper Paleocene strata. This pattern is maintained after accounting for sample size, number of samples/time unit, lithofacies, and depositional systems. Eocene palynofloras have higher alpha and beta diversities and a higher equitability than Paleocene palynofloras. This increase in diversity is the product of a gradual increase in the rate of first appearances and a gradual decrease in the rate of last appearances. The early to middle Eocene increase in diversity, as well as the increase in spore abundance and diversity, suggests that tropical (equatorial) climate became wetter during the early to middle Eocene. This interpretation favors causes for early Eocene warming that do not involve significant increases in greenhouse gases. Samples from strata associated with the Paleocene/Eocene thermal maximum were barren for palynomorphs, and the effects of this climatic event on tropical vegetation remains uncertain.
Task characterization-driven scheduling of multiple applications in a task-based runtime

Task-based runtimes like OCR, X10 and Charm++ promise to address scalability challenges on Exascale machines due to their finegrained parallelism, inherent asynchrony, and consequent efficient localized synchronization. Although such runtimes are typically used to run a single application at a time, a common HPC scenario involves running a producer simulation application co-located with a consumer analytics application, to reduce data movement costs. The potentially diverse requirements of such co-located applications present challenges to the ability of the runtime to efficiently manage underlying resources, maintain application performance, and minimize sharing effects on application progress. To address this, we implement and study techniques based on application task characterization to improve resource utilization in shared task-based runtimes. We demonstrate that, by maintaining tasks characteristics, such as their compute, cache or memory intensity, using offline and/or online methods, we can improve task-based runtimes' ability to schedule and place tasks to minimize resource contention for co-running applications. Results are obtained via experimentation with the Open Community Runtime (OCR) on two distinct platforms ---an x86-based machine and a research platform based on the experimental Traleika Glacier (TG) architecture. On the x86, we see a performance improvement of 15% and on TG, we observe a reduction of energy usage by more than 50%, illustrating the potential benefits of the approach for next generation exascale platforms.