cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Synthesis and Application of an Environmentally Insensitive Cy3-Based Arsenical Fluorescent Probe To Identify Adaptive Microbial Responses Involving Proximal Dithiol Oxidation

Reversible disulfide oxidation between proximal cysteines in proteins represents a common regulatory control mechanism to modulate flux through metabolic pathways in response to changing environmental conditions. To enable in vivo measurements of cellular redox changes linked to disulfide bond formation, we have synthesized a cell-permeable thiol-reactive affinity probe (TRAP) consisting of a monosubstituted cyanine dye derivatized with arsenic (i.e., TRAP_Cy3) to trap and visualize dithiols in cytosolic proteins. Alkylation of reactive thiols prior to displacement of the bound TRAP_Cy3 by ethanedithiol permits facile protein capture and mass spectrometric identification of proximal reduced dithiols to the exclusion of individual cysteines. Applying TRAP_Cy3 to evaluate cellular responses to increases in oxygen and light levels in the photosynthetic microbe Synechococcus sp. PCC7002, we observe large decreases in the abundance of reduced dithiols in cellular proteins, which suggest redox-dependent mechani...
Hormonal stimulation of cAMP-dependent protein kinase in rat pancreas

Abstract Rat pancreas possesses a cAMP-dependent protein kinase enzyme which is inhibited by the protein kinase inhibitor from bovine heart. Incubation of rat pancreas tissue in the presence of secretin and CCK-PZ resulted in an increase of intracellular cAMP and activation of the cAMP-dependent protein kinase. CCK-OP, a pure synthetic analog of CCK-PZ, did not stimulate cellular cAMP production or protein kinase activation. There was correlation between the ability of a given dose of hormone to stimulate cAMP formation and activate the protein kinase enzyme. It is believed that the stimulatory effect of CCK-PZ is due to secretin contamination of this hormonal preparation.
Surgical outcomes in the elderly with inflammatory bowel disease are similar to those in the younger population.

Background Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) has a bimodal distribution with approximately 15 % of patients manifesting after age 65. Previous reports suggest an increased risk of surgical complications in the elderly.
Social context influences cue-mediated recruitment in an invasive social wasp

Social insects often serve as model systems for communication and recruitment studies, and yet, it remains controversial whether social vespid wasps can reliably communicate resource information to nestmates. In this study, I present empirical evidence that foraging strategies depend on the initial assessment of resource size and potential competition by foraging yellowjackets. The context dependent foraging behavior of Vespula pensylvanica provides a potential explanation for the inconsistent reports of the existence of recruitment communication in vespid wasps. Furthermore, life history traits may influence yellowjacket foraging behavior; annual V. pensylvanica colonies, whose foragers routinely patrol near the nest, exhibited increased bait visitation in response to the return of successful foragers, whereas perennial colonies did not. These behavioral disparities provide insight into how foraging strategies and search patterns may shift with colony size and longevity. In experiments that investigate the effects of visual cues of conspecifics and bait dispersion, foraging decisions corresponded with expectations of yellowjackets integrating resource quantity and access into a perception of demand. When resource competition could be assessed as high, V. pensylvanica foragers quickly exploited the bait closest to their colony regardless of occupation by other wasps; however, foragers preferred visiting unoccupied baits in situations where competition could be perceived as low. Moreover, a meta-analysis revealed that context-dependent, cue-mediated recruitment was widespread in Vespidae, where such foraging behaviors changed with habitat and the potential for resource competition. Such plastic foraging strategies may contribute to the invasion success of some vespid wasps.
Aided search strategy enabled by decision support

Current Web-based search engines presume a category search for a specific group of users. This approach is appropriate for generalized information searches since it is based on statistically generated user profiles. However, in some applications, such as medicine and law, an individualized search for a specific user at a given point in time is desired. In addition, the use of specialized terminology in some fields necessitates guidance for the non-expert to be successful in locating the desired information. This paper presents a new decision support system enabled by the analytic hierarchy process and intelligent software agents that can be used by researchers and practitioners in technical fields to aid information retrieval and improve search results from a controlled vocabulary. An application from telemedicine is given to illustrate the potential improvements.
You're Still the Same: Why Theories of Power Hold over Time and Across Contexts

Changes in the values and careers of particularly younger employees and changes in organizations, including the reduction of hierarchical levels and greater use of teams and matrix structures—combined with new communication technologies and more social networking—have produced calls for new organization theories for these new realities. Using organizational power and influence as a focus, I argue that fundamental theoretical processes remain largely unchanged in their explanatory power, in part because such phenomena can be linked to survival advantages. The new workers–new work arguments are consistent with the continuing emphasis on novelty and theoretical innovation in the organization sciences, an emphasis that, while promulgated in virtually all the journals, may poorly serve the development of reliable and valid knowledge and hinder our ability to provide useful advice for both organizations and their employees.
Ozonation of Soluble Organics in Aqueous Solutions Using Microbubbles

Abstract This work investigates ozonation of a mixture of benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylenes (BTEX) dissolved in aqueous solutions having salt concentrations ranging from 0 to 2 M. The effect of microbubbles on the ozonation rate is examined. Microbubbles are formed either by an electrostatic spraying method or by a small-pore bubble diffuser. Although electrostatic spraying is effective for BTEX removal in low-conductivity solutions, results indicate it is not suitable for microbubble formation in high-ionic-strength solutions due to high electric current. In contrast, the bubble-diffuser method proved to be very effective in producing small bubbles in high-ionic-strength solutions. The production of small bubbles makes it possible to mitigate the mass transfer limitation, which has been shown to be the primary restriction in ozonation systems. When a bubble diffuser is employed, the removal rate of BTEX from simulated seawater is approximately twice that obtained with a simple capillary tube.
Caregiving and Older Japanese Adults: Lessons Learned From the Periodical Literature

The United States is on the threshold of a substantial growth of older adults that increasingly reflects the cultural diversity inherent in this nation. Culture shapes the experience of aging and caregiving, and thus becomes an important factor when considering social services for older adults. One culturally distinct minority group--Japanese--is reputed to have one of the longest life expectancies in the US population, and, thus, information about their experiences may expand knowledge on aging and culture. A periodical literature review of older Japanese adults was undertaken to assess lessons learned about the association of aging and culture. Two important lessons that emerged emphasized the influence of cultural values on family caregiving, and women as caregivers. Implications for practice with this population are drawn and broad directions for the profession of social work are provided.
Spatial and Time Relations in Dreams

THE letter with regard to so-called ‘mind-pictures’, printed on page 372 in NATURE of September 11, has greatly interested me because such non-volitional pictures have been very familiar to me from my childhood up. I used frequently to amuse myself by observing them, especially when in bed, just before I went to sleep, but I can bring them on by closing my eyes at almost any time. They are non-volitional in the sense that I do not knowingly control their content. So far as my consciousness is concerned, I am simply in the position of an observer. The pictures are of moving events and include landscapes with persons and animals, buildings, trees, vehicles, etc. I am totally ignorant at any one moment with regard to what may appear on the scene at the next, and the whole thing is as interesting and amusing as if I were observing an actual scene. The fact that I do not amuse myself with these pictures in my adult age as I used to do as a child, I attribute to the fact that they are mentally tiring. Their production must involve some expenditure of energy in the brain in a way of which I am ignorant.
Effects of peroxides on rodent skin: epidermal hyperplasia and tumor promotion.

Free radical generating peroxides are potent skin irritants. After a single topical application of either 10, 20, or 40mg of lauroyl peroxide or benzoyl peroxide on the dorsal skin of Sencar mice, the epidermal thickness increased markedly. No major inflammatory or vascular alterations were noted. On the other hand, 15 or 30% hydrogen peroxide produced an extensive epidermolysis, as well as inflammation and vascular injury, followed by quick regeneration and epidermal hyperplasia. Both lauroyl peroxide- and benzoyl peroxide-induced hyperplasias were characterized by a sustained production of dark basal keratinocytes, which constituted approximately 10% of the basal cell population during the first week after single topical application. Hydrogen peroxide-induced epidermal hyperplasias also exhibited numerous dark cells, but their presence was less sustained. Although all these peroxides were inactive either as initiators or as complete carcinogens, lauroyl peroxide was as effective as benzoyl peroxide when used as a skin tumor promoter in a two-stage carcinogenesis protocol. In a similar experimental protocol, hydrogen peroxide proved to be a very weak skin tumor promoter.
“There’s Something Not Right” and “Bringing it Forward”: Identifying and Responding to Clinical Challenges

Modified grounded theory method was utilized to explore the process of how clinicians defined and chose to respond to challenging issues in systemic therapy. Defining an issue as challenging was de...
Russia's International Assertiveness: What Does It Mean for the West?

The Kremlin's new international assertiveness is an opportunity for cooperation, not confrontation.
Dynamics of large solid particles in bioconvective sedimentation

Settling of one or two large solid particles in a bioconvection flow induced by gyrotactic motile microorganisms is investigated using a 2D numerical model. The results of varying the initial positions of large particles on the bioconvection flow pattern are investigated. The Chimera method is utilized to generate subgrids around the moving particles. It is demonstrated that the introduction of a single large particle displaces bioconvection plume and changes its shape. The introduction of two particles on the same side of the bioconvection plume further displaces the plume while the introduction of two particles on opposite sides reduces this displacement. The influence of the bioconvection plume on the particles' settling paths and particles' settling velocities is investigated. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
5-HT2A receptor blockade and 5-HT2C receptor activation interact to reduce cocaine hyperlocomotion and fos protein expression in the caudate-putamen

Both the 5-HT(2A) receptor (R) antagonist M100907 and the 5-HT(2C) R agonist MK212 attenuate cocaine-induced dopamine release and hyperlocomotion. This study examined whether these drugs interact to reduce cocaine hyperlocomotion and Fos expression in the striatum and prefrontal cortex. We first determined from dose-effect functions a low dose of both M100907 and MK212 that failed to alter cocaine (15 mg/kg, i.p.) hyperlocomotion. Subsequently, we examined whether these subthreshold doses given together would attenuate cocaine hyperlocomotion, consistent with a 5-HT(2A)/5-HT(2C) R interaction. Separate groups of rats received two sequential drug injections 5 min apart immediately before a 1-h locomotion test as follows: (1) saline + saline, (2) saline + cocaine, (3) 0.025 mg/kg M100907 + cocaine, (4) 0.125 mg/kg MK212 + cocaine, or (5) cocktail combination of 0.025 mg/kg M100907 and 0.125 mg/kg MK212 + cocaine. Brains were extracted for Fos immunohistochemistry 90 min after the second injection. We next examined the effects of 0.025 mg/kg M100907 and 0.125 mg/kg MK212, alone and in combination, on spontaneous locomotor activity. While neither drug given alone produced any effects, the M100907/MK212 cocktail attenuated cocaine hyperlocomotion as well as cocaine-induced Fos expression in the dorsolateral caudate-putamen (CPu), but had no effect on spontaneous locomotion. The findings suggest that 5-HT(2A) Rs and 5-HT(2C) Rs interact to attenuate cocaine hyperlocomotion and Fos expression in the CPu, and that the CPu is a potential locus of the interactive effects between these 5-HT(2) R subtypes on behavior. Further research investigating combined 5-HT(2A) R antagonism and 5-HT(2C) R agonism as a treatment for cocaine dependence is warranted.
Limb Lengthening and Reconstruction Surgery

S. Robert Rozbruch and Svetlana Ilizarov, editors. New York: Informa Healthcare; 2007. 695 pages. $299.95. ISBN: 978-0-8493-4051-2. Based on the principles of distraction osteogenesis originally elucidated by Gavriil A. Ilizarov, Limb Lengthening and Reconstruction Surgery successfully covers the entire current spectrum of Ilizarov-based surgery. It was not long ago that Ilizarov, who is now universally known as the father of deformity correction, was working in Siberia and was unknown in the West. Fortunately, a group of Italians “discovered” the Ilizarov circular fixator in the early 1980s and brought a completely new branch of orthopaedic medicine to the rest of the world. Thereafter, awareness of Ilizarov and his contributions quickly increased, especially after the 1992 English-language publication of his major work, Transosseous Osteosynthesis, which detailed the principles he had spent nearly his entire professional life developing and applying clinically. As “Ilizarov fever” began to hit the United States in the mid-1980s, a number of American orthopaedic surgeons became dedicated Ilizarovians, including John Herzenberg and Dror Paley. Both were instrumental in solving and outlining the geometric basis of deformity correction, which later became the foundation of the center of rotation of angulation (CORA) method. …
The Transcription Elongation Factor CA150 Interacts with RNA Polymerase II and the Pre-mRNA Splicing Factor SF1

CA150 represses RNA polymerase II (RNAPII) transcription by inhibiting the elongation of transcripts. The FF repeat domains of CA150 bind directly to the phosphorylated carboxyl-terminal domain of the largest subunit of RNAPII. We determined that this interaction is required for efficient CA150-mediated repression of transcription from the α4-integrin promoter. Additional functional determinants, namely, the WW1 and WW2 domains of CA150, were also required for efficient repression. A protein that interacted directly with CA150 WW1 and WW2 was identified as the splicing-transcription factor SF1. Previous studies have demonstrated a role for SF1 in transcription repression, and we found that binding of the CA150 WW1 and WW2 domains to SF1 correlated exactly with the functional contribution of these domains for repression. The binding specificity of the CA150 WW domains was found to be unique in comparison to known classes of WW domains. Furthermore, the CA150 binding site, within the carboxyl-terminal half of SF1, contains a novel type of proline-rich motif that may be recognized by the CA150 WW1 and WW2 domains. These results support a model for the recruitment of CA150 to repress transcription elongation. In this model, CA150 binds to the phosphorylated CTD of elongating RNAPII and SF1 targets the nascent transcript.
Inhaled salmeterol and/or fluticasone alters structure/function in a murine model of allergic airways disease

The relationship between airway structural changes (remodeling) and airways hyperresponsiveness (AHR) is unclear. Asthma guidelines suggest treating persistent asthma with inhaled corticosteroids and long acting β-agonists (LABA). We examined the link between physiological function and structural changes following treatment fluticasone and salmeterol separately or in combination in a mouse model of allergic asthma. BALB/c mice were sensitized to intraperitoneal ovalbumin (OVA) followed by six daily inhalation exposures. Treatments included 9 daily nebulized administrations of fluticasone alone (6 mg/ml), salmeterol (3 mg/ml), or the combination fluticasone and salmeterol. Lung impedance was measured following methacholine inhalation challenge. Airway inflammation, epithelial injury, mucus containing cells, and collagen content were assessed 48 hours after OVA challenge. Lungs were imaged using micro-CT. Treatment of allergic airways disease with fluticasone alone or in combination with salmeterol reduced AHR to approximately nauve levels while salmeterol alone increased elastance by 39% compared to control. Fluticasone alone and fluticasone in combination with salmeterol both reduced inflammation to near naive levels. Mucin containing cells were also reduced with fluticasone and fluticasone in combination with salmeterol. Fluticasone alone and in combination with salmeterol reduces airway inflammation and remodeling, but salmeterol alone worsens AHR: and these functional changes are consistent with the concomitant changes in mucus metaplasia.
Biological Redistribution of Lake Sediments by Tubificid Oligochaetes: Branchiura sowerbyi and Limnodrilus hoffmeisteri/Tubifex tubifex

Mechanisms and rates of sediment mixing by the largest oligochaete in Lake Erie, Branchiura sowerbyi, have been quantitatively investigated using a multiple 137Cs tracer layer microcosm technique and compared with a mixture of the dominant tubificids, Limnodrilus hoffmeisteri + Tubifex tubifex. These worms feed head down in the sediment (up to 20 cm for B. sowerbyi and up to 10 cm for L. hoffmeisteri/T. tubifex) on organic-rich particles and deposit fecal pellets at the sediment-water interface (conveyor-belt feeding). Obliteration of tracer layers by these worms was attributed to mixing by both diffusive- and feeding-style (advective) processes. The downward velocities were 2.87 to 3.66 cm/d/100,000 indiv/m2 for the cells with B. sowerbyi (∼10 cm body length, 13 mg body mass) and 0.33 to 0.49 cm/d/100,000 indiv/m2 for the cells with L. hoffmeisteri / T. tubifex (∼5 cm body length, 1 mg body mass). These downward velocities correspond to sediment fluxes across the sediment-water interface of 66.4 to 86.4 g dry sediment/indiv/m2/yr in cells with B. sowerbyi and 5.91 to 9.09 g dry sediment/indiv/m2/yr in the cells with L. hoffmeisteri / T. tubifex). The differences between species was due to differences in biomass, with recycling rates of 5.11 to 6.65 and 5.91 to 9.09 g dry sediment/mg biomass/m2/yr for B. sowerbyi and L. hoffmeisteri/T. tubifex, respectively. Similarly, biomass normalized downward velocities were 806 to 1,028 cm/yr/kg biomass/m2 and 1,205 to 1,789 cm/yr/kg biomass/m2 for B. sowerbyi and L. hoffmeisteri/T. tubifex, respectively. Both B. sowerbyi and L. hoffmeisteri / T. tubifex feed selectively on organic-rich fine-grained particles and showed an increase in particle selectivity with an increase in population density. The particle selectivity factor values ranged from 1.0 to 2.5. Food competition at a higher population density might force these organisms to selectively feed on a smaller size range of sediments. The maximum feeding rate for B. sowerbyi (4,000 to 8,000 indiv/m2) ranged from 9.10 to 13.9 per yr at depths between 11.7 and 13.6 cm while the maximum biodiffusion coefficient, Db, ranged from 0.78 to 1.02 cm2/yr at depths between 1.6 and 2.3 cm. The maximum feeding rate for L. hoffmeisteri / T. tubifex (20,000 to 40,000 indiv/m2) was 8.13 to 13.1 per yr at depths between 5.21 and 5.27 cm and Db ranged from 0.20 to 0.72 cm2/yr at depths between 0.87 and 2.0 cm.
Implantable Wireless Cortical Recording Device for Primates

We report on the performance of a wireless, implantable, neural recording platform. A multitude of neuroengineering challenges exist today in creating practical, chronic multichannel neural recording systems for primate research and human clinical application. Specifically, a) the persistent wired connections limit patient mobility from the recording system, b) the transfer of high bandwidth signals to external (even distant) electronics normally forces premature data reduction, and c) the chronic susceptibility to infection due to the percutaneous nature of the implants all severely hinder the success of neural prosthetic systems. Here we detail a scalable 16-channel microsystem that can employ any of several modalities of power delivery (wire, radio frequency induction, and a photovoltaic energy converter) and data transmission (wire, and transcutaneous infrared laser transmission). Data is reported from a recent sub-chronic (~30 day) rhesus macaque MI implantation.
2-Methoxyestradiol, an Endogenous Estradiol Metabolite, Differentially Inhibits Granulosa and Endothelial Cell Mitosis: A Potential Follicular Antiangiogenic Regulator

2-Methoxyestradiol (2-ME) is an estradiol metabolite with antiangiogenic and antitumor activity. It is formed by granulosa cell (GC) catechol-O-methyltransferase activity and is present in the normal follicle at high concentrations. In this unique microenvironment, it may regulate selected cell types via autocrine and/or paracrine action. To assess the possibility that 2-ME or estradiol might exert differential mitotic and/or apoptotic effects on endothelial cells and GCs, we compared their actions on primary cultures of hormone- and/or growth factor-stimulated porcine GCs (pGCs) as well as two types of endothelial cells, primary cultures of porcine endothelial cells (pECs), and a spontaneously transformed rabbit endothelial vascular cell (REVC) line. The 2-ME, but not estradiol, dose dependently suppressed tritiated thymidine ((3)H-T) incorporation into epidermal growth factor (EGF)-stimulated REVCs and EGF/insulin (INS)-stimulated pECs. In contrast, 2-ME did not attenuate incorporation in FSH/INS-stimulated pGCs. It reduced incorporation by approximately 50% in EGF/INS-stimulated pGCs, indicating that responsiveness to 2-ME in normal cells can be modulated by hormone and growth factor treatment. Estradiol was not antimitotic to pGCs. As indicated by 4',6-diamido-2-phenylindole hydrochloride nuclear staining, estradiol was nonapoptotic in either cell type, and 2-ME significantly increased apoptosis of REVCs, but not of pGCs. In a cell migration assay, REVC movement was attenuated by 2-ME, but not by estradiol. In summary, the results show that antimitotic as well as proapoptotic responses to 2-ME vary with cell type and, in the case of pGC antimitotic activity, with the regulatory microenvironment. Thus, they provide a rationale for autocrine and/or paracrine action of 2-ME at its site of production in vivo, and they strongly support the concept of 2-ME as a candidate ovarian angiogenesis inhibitor.
Complex imitation and the language-ready brain

The present article responds to commentaries from experts in anthropology, apraxia, archeology, linguistics, neuroanatomy, neuroimaging, neurophysiology, neuropsychology, primatology, sign language emergence and sign language neurolinguistics on the book How the brain got language: The mirror system hypothesis (Arbib 2012). The role of complex imitation is discussed, and the distinction between protolanguage and language is emphasized. Issues debated include the role of protosign in scaffolding protospeech, the interplay between biological evolution of the brain and cultural evolution of the social interactions within groups, the relations brain mechanisms for action and language, and the question of when language first emerged.
Elevation of antibiotic resistance genes at cold temperatures: implications for winter storage of sludge and biosolids

UNLABELLED Prior research suggests that cold temperatures may stimulate the proliferation of certain antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) and gene transfer elements during storage of biosolids. This could have important implications on cold weather storage of biosolids, as often required in northern climates until a time suitable for land application. In this study, levels of an integron-associated gene (intI1) and an ARG (sul1) were monitored in biosolids subject to storage at 4, 10 and 20°C. Both intI1 and sul1 were observed to increase during short-term storage (<2 months), but the concentrations returned to background within 4 months. The increases in concentration were more pronounced at lower temperatures than ambient temperatures. Overall, the results suggest that cold stress may induce horizontal gene transfer of integron-associated ARGs and that biosolids storage conditions should be considered prior to land application. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY Wastewater treatment plants have been identified as the hot spots for the proliferation and dissemination of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) and antibiotic resistant bacteria (ARB) to the environment through discharge of treated effluent to water bodies as well as application of biosolids to land. Identifying critical control points within the treatment process may aid in the development of solutions for the reduction of ARGs and ARB and curbing the spread of antibiotic resistance. This study found increases in ARGs during biosolids storage and identifies changes in operational protocols that could help reduce ARG loading to the environment when biosolids are land-applied.
Sheer Numbers: Critical Representation Thresholds and Women's Political Representation

Studies of women in legislatures indicate that achieving a “critical mass” of women may have the effect of changing the legislative priorities of women, increasing the number of legislative initiatives dealing with women and the passage rate of such initiatives, and altering the legislative priorities of men. In the absence of a critical mass, “token” women may be so constrained by their minority status as to be unable to respond proactively to their environment. Popular wisdom suggests that a critical mass may be necessary for women to make a difference as women in a legislature.Yet, critical mass is both problematic and under-theorized in political science research. The critical mass threshold is debated, the mechanism of effect is unspecified, possible negative consequences are overlooked, and the potential for small numbers of elected women to effect political change on behalf of women is neglected. Beyond sheer numbers, what are the conditions that govern the ability of women legislators to make a difference? We argue that two major contextual factors beyond the sheer numbers are likely to govern the extent to which female legislators serve to represent women. Relying on the secondary literature, this article maps parliamentary and civil society contexts to sheer numbers of women to locate conditions in which female legislators are most likely to have policy successes.Karen Beckwith is the Flora Stone Mather Professor of Political Science at Case Western Research University and Editor, with Lisa Baldez, of Politics & Gender (karen.beckwith@case.edu). Her published work includes Women's Movements Facing the Reconfigured State (Cambridge 2003, with Lee Ann Banaszak and Dieter Rucht), Political Women and American Democracy (forthcoming, with Christina Wolbrecht and Lisa Baldez), and articles on gender and politics in the European Journal of Political Research, Politics & Society, and Signs, among others. Kimberly Cowell-Meyers is Assistant Professor in the Department of Government at American University (kcowell@american.edu). She is author of Religion and Politics: The Party Faithful in Ireland and Germany (Greenwood, 2002) and articles published in Women & Politics, Nationalism and Ethnic Politics, and Irish Political Studies among others. She has worked in the British Parliament and the United States Institute of Peace.
Synthesis of Microcapsule by Staphylococcus aureus Is Not Responsive to Environmental Phosphate Concentrations

The polysaccharide microcapsule of Staphylococcus aureus has been reported to be differentially expressed depending on growth conditions, with phosphate concentration being the critical environmental component. This study evaluated the effect of growth of a serotype 8 strain of S. aureus in phosphate-replete and phosphate-limiting media on microcapsule production. The presence of the cell wall polymers microcapsule and teichoic acid was measured by both gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. Production of microcapsule was unaffected by changes in the environmental phosphate concentration. There was, additionally, no evidence for a shift from teichoic acid to teichuronic acid synthesis.
A modified quadscan technique for emittance measurement of space charge dominated beams

The quadscan technique is one of the most commonly used methods for measuring emittances in photoinjectors at medium range energy in which the beam is not primarily space charge dominated. The space charge can nevertheless contribute strongly to the beam size evolution along the drift from the scanning quadrupole to the measurement screen. To take the space charge into account, we fit the beam sizes while solving the envelope equation for each quadrupole value. This algorithm is first applied to round beams and then extended to asymmetric beams. The benchmarking of this solver with the envelope equation tracker with PARMELA simulations is presented. The quadrupole scan algorithm including space charge correction for the round and not round beams is presented.
Potential influence of inter-continental transport of sulfate aerosols on air quality

In this study, we compare the potential influence of inter-continental transport of sulfate aerosols on the air quality of (different) continental regions. We use a global chemical transport model, Model of Ozone and Related Tracers, version 2 (MOZART-2), to quantify the source?receptor relationships of inter-continental transport of sulfate aerosols among ten regions in 2000. In order to compare the importance of foreign with domestic emissions and to estimate the effect of future changes in emissions on human exposure, we define an 'influence potential' (IP). The IP quantifies the human exposure that occurs in a receptor region as a result of a unit of SO2 emissions from a source region. We find that due to the non-linear nature of sulfate production, regions with low SO2 emissions usually have large domestic IP, and vice versa. An exception is East Asia (EA), which has both high SO2 emissions and relatively large domestic IP, mostly caused by the spatial coincidence of emissions and population. We find that inter-continental IPs are usually less than domestic IPs by 1?3 orders of magnitude. SO2 emissions from the Middle East (ME) and Europe (EU) have the largest potential to influence populations in surrounding regions. By comparing the IP ratios (IPR) between foreign and domestic SO2 emissions, we find that the IPR values range from 0.000?01 to 0.16 and change with season. Therefore, if reducing human exposure to sulfate aerosols is the objective, all regions should first focus on reducing domestic SO2 emissions. In addition, we find that relatively high IPR values exist among the EU, ME, the former Soviet Union (FSU) and African (AF) regions. Therefore, on the basis of the IP and IPR values, we conclude that a regional agreement among EA countries, and an inter-regional agreement among EU, ME, FSU and (north) AF regions to control sulfur emissions could benefit public health in these regions.
Bit Encryption Is Complete

Under CPA and CCA1 attacks, a secure bit encryption scheme can be applied bit-by-bit to construct a secure many-bit encryption scheme. The same construction fails, however, under a CCA2 attack. In fact, since the notion of CCA2 security was introduced by Rackoff and Simon~\cite{RackoffSi92}, it has been an open question to determine whether single bit CCA2 secure encryption implies the existence of many-bit CCA2 security. We positively resolve this long-standing question and establish that bit encryption is complete for CPA, CCA1, and CCA2 notions. Our construction is black-box, and thus requires novel techniques to avoid known impossibility results concerning trapdoor predicates~\cite{GMR}. To the best of our knowledge, our work is also the first example of a non-shielding reduction (introduced in~\cite{GMM07}) in the standard (i.e., not random-oracle) model.
Reoperation for urinary incontinence.

Objective(s) The objective of the study was to describe the rate and associated factors of reoperation for urinary incontinence. Study Design A cohort study using Washington state hospitalization records from 1987 to 2005 of inpatient urinary incontinence surgeries. The cumulative reoperation rate was estimated for the entire cohort and by procedure. Cox regression was used to estimate the hazard of reoperation. Results A total of 41,705 women underwent either a sling or retropubic colposuspension (Burch); 1895 underwent reoperation for urinary incontinence (8.6%; 95% confidence interval, 7.8-9.5%), a rate of 5.5 per 1000 woman-years. Women undergoing Burch had a lower reoperation rate than those undergoing slings (4.2 vs 6.7 per 1000 woman-years; P Conclusion(s) Reoperation for urinary incontinence occurs commonly in the general population. The variable reoperation rate observed should be further investigated, given current trends toward increased Sling use.
Watch, Listen & Learn: Co-training on Captioned Images and Videos

Recognizing visual scenes and activities is challenging: often visual cues alone are ambiguous, and it is expensive to obtain manually labeled examples from which to learn. To cope with these constraints, we propose to leverage the text that often accompanies visual data to learn robust models of scenes and actions from partially labeled collections. Our approach uses co-training, a semi-supervised learning method that accommodates multi-modal views of data. To classify images, our method learns from captioned images of natural scenes; and to recognize human actions, it learns from videos of athletic events with commentary. We show that by exploiting both multi-modal representations and unlabeled data our approach learns more accurate image and video classifiers than standard baseline algorithms.
Haemophilus influenzae Infections in the H. influenzae Type b Conjugate Vaccine Era

The widespread use of Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) conjugate vaccines has nearly eradicated invasive Hib disease where the vaccines are used. This success was accompanied by a shift in capsular serotypes of invasive H. influenzae disease, with nontypeable strains replacing type b strains as the most common bloodstream isolate, but there is no convincing evidence of a true increase in the incidence of non-serotype b invasive infections. H. influenzae causes predominantly mucosal infections. The introduction of vaccines for otitis media and global shifts in antimicrobial susceptibility emphasize the importance of continued surveillance of H. influenzae colonization and disease patterns.
Adenomyosis in a primipara resulting in spontaneous rupture of the uterus at the onset of labor

Summary An interesting and rare ease of spontaneous rupture of a full-term primigravid uterus at the onset of labor is reported. The patient had had no previous operative manipulations of the uterus and by subsequent microscopic examination, and at operation it was demonstrated that adenomyosis was responsible for the rupture.
A new method for calibrating the nonlinear range of a single-beam optical trap (Presentation Recording)

Optical traps allow for the precise application and measurement of pico-Newton forces in a wide variety of situations, and are particularly well suited for biophysical measurements of motor proteins and cells. Nearly all experiments exploit the linear regime of the optical trap, where force and displacement are related by a simple spring constant that does not depend on the trapped object’s position. This typically limits the useful force range to < 100 pN for high-NA objective lenses and reasonable laser powers. Several biological studies require larger forces, which are not accessible in the linear regime of the trap. The best means to extend the maximum force is to make use of the entire nonlinear range; however, current techniques for calibrating the full nonlinear regime are limited. Here we report a new method for calibrating the nonlinear trap region that uses the fluctuations in the position of a trapped object when it is displaced from the center of a single gradient optical trap by controlled flow. From the position fluctuations, we measure the local trap stiffness, in both the linear and non-linear regimes. This approach requires only knowledge of the system temperature, and is especially useful for measurements involving trapped objects of unknown size, or objects in a fluid of unknown viscosity.
Abstract LB-423: Combined chemopreventive effects of selective inducible nitric oxide synthase and cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitors onN-Nitrosomethylbenzylamine-induced rat esophageal tumorigenesis

Esophageal cancer is the 6th most common cancer worldwide. Our laboratory has used a rodent preclinical model of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma to identify putative chemopreventive agents for this disease and to determine their mechanisms of action. In our previous studies, we found an association between increased expressions of the inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) in the development of N-Nitrosomethylbenzylamine (NMBA)-induced tumors in the rat esophagus. We also demonstrated that S, S’-1,4-phenylene-bis(1,2-ethanediyl) bis-isothiourea (PBIT), a selective iNOS inhibitor and celecoxib, a selective COX-2 inhibitor, significantly inhibited NMBA-induced rat esophageal tumorigenesis. In view of these observations, we initiated a study to determine the combination effects of low doses of celecoxib and PBIT on progression of preneoplastic lesions to papillomas in NMBA-treated rats. F344 rats were treated with NMBA (0.30 mg/kg b.w.) three times per week for 5 weeks. After 72 hours, animals were fed AIN-76A diet or AIN-76A diet containing different doses of celecoxib, PBIT, or celecoxib plus PBIT. At week 35, rats were sacrificed and esophageal tumors were counted. The incidence of esophageal tumors was decreased from 100% in NMBA-treated rats to 96.55%, 82.76% (P Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 101st Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2010 Apr 17-21; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2010;70(8 Suppl):Abstract nr LB-423.
A Method For Assessing Age-Time Disease Incidence Using Serial Prevalence Data

SUMMARY This paper considers nonparametric estimation of age- and time-specific trends in disease incidence using serial prevalence data collected from multiple cross-sectional samples of a population over time. The methodology accounts for differential selection of diseased and undiseased individuals resulting, for example, from differences in mortality. It is shown that when a log-linear incidence odds model is adopted, an EM algorithm provides a convenient method for carrying out maximum likelihood estimation, primarily using existing generalized linear models software. The procedure is quite general, allowing a range of age-time incidence models to be fitted under the same framework. Furthermore, by making use of existing software for fitting generalized additive models, the procedure can be generalized with virtually no extra complexity to allow maximization of a penalized likelihood for smooth nonparametric estimation. Automatic choice of smoothing level for the penalized likelihood estimates is discussed, using generalized cross-validation. The method is applied to a data set on serial toxoplasmosis prevalence, which has previously been analyzed under the assumption of nondifferential selection. A variety of age-time incidence models are fitted, and the sensitivity to plausible differential selection patterns is considered. It is found that nonmultiplicative models are unnecessary and that qualitative incidence trends are fairly robust to differential selection.
Heuristic Scheduling for Cyclic Steam Injection Projects

Abstract This article presents a well steam injection scheduling model which attempts to maximize the profit per day for oil production leases. The model consists of nonlinear regression, nonlinear optimization and a scheduling algorithm. Weekly well production data from a production reporting system is utilized to extend the system to a reporting, operating control and planning system. Thus, it not only provides management with production history but analysis tools for better decisions as well.
Clinical and neuropsychiatric correlates of lumbar spinal surgery in older adults: results of a pilot study.

Aim: To improve selection of older lumbar surgical candidates, we surveyed correlates of functioning and satisfaction with surgery. Materials & methods: Prospective sample at lumbar spine surgery clinic. Patients (n = 48) were evaluated before surgery and after 3 months. Dependent variables were functioning and surgical satisfaction. Results: Baseline variables associated with disability at 3 months included cognitive status and widespread pain. There was clinically significant improvement with moderate effects sizes for anxiety and depression at follow-up. Patients with at least a 30% improvement in disability had better physical health-related quality of life and were less likely to report widespread pain before surgery. Conclusion: Although preliminary, two novel potential predictors of lumbar surgery outcome include diminished cognitive functioning and widespread pain. Further study of these variables on post-surgical functioning and satisfaction may improve patient selection.
Flexible Intramedullary Nails for Femur Fractures in Pediatric Patients Heavier Than 100 Pounds.

BACKGROUND Flexible intramedullary nailing (FIMN) of femoral shaft fractures in children >100 pounds remains controversial. The purpose of this study is to assess the relationship between patient weight and alignment at radiographic union following Ender's FIMN of pediatric femoral shaft fractures. METHODS An IRB approved, retrospective review of all patients who sustained a femoral shaft fracture treated by retrograde, stainless-steel Ender's FIMN was performed at a level 1 pediatric trauma center from 2005 to 2012. Preoperative radiographs were analyzed to determine fracture pattern, location, and isthmic canal diameter. Patient weight was measured on presentation to the emergency room. Radiographs at bony union were reviewed to measure shortening, coronal angulation, and sagittal angulation. RESULTS A total of 261 children underwent Ender's FIMN for femoral shaft fractures during the study period. There were 24 patients who weighed ≥100 lbs and 237 patients who weighed <100 lbs. There were no significant differences in sex (75% vs. 73% male), fracture stability (42.6% vs. 41.7% length unstable), or fracture patterns between the 2 groups. The ≥100 lbs group was significantly older (10.6 vs. 8.0 y, P<0.001). There were no significant differences in final coronal angulation (1.5 vs. 3.0 degrees), sagittal angulation (2.8 vs. 3.1 degrees), or shortening (3.4 vs. 3.5 mm) between the 2 groups. There were significantly more nail removals in the <100 lbs group (81.4% vs. 66.7%, P<0.01). Four percent of the population (10 patients) weighed ≥120 lbs and aside from age (11.4 vs. 8.1 y, P<0.01), there were no significant demographic or fracture pattern differences between this group and the remaining population. This heaviest group demonstrated no significant difference in shortening (3.3 vs. 3.5 mm), coronal angulation (0.8 vs. 3.0 degrees), or sagittal angulation (0.7 vs. 3.2 degrees) at radiographic union when compared with the lighter patients. CONCLUSIONS Stainless-steel Ender's FIMN is an effective treatment for pediatric femoral shaft fractures in patients ≥100 pounds with excellent radiographic outcomes and no increased risk for malunion. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE Therapeutic Level III.
Study on lipoprotein(a) level of patients Keshan Disease

Objective To study the relationship between lipoprotein(a)and Keshan disease Methods lipoprotein(a)of 22 patients with Keshan disease,20 patients with abnormol ECG,18 normol people living in Keshan disease area and 20 normol people living non-Keshan disease area were determined by ELISA technique.The rerults of LP(a)concentration from the four groups were analysed by test.Results There was no significant difference among the four groups mentioned above(P0.05).Condusion There was no relationship between Kesan disease and the concentration of lipoprotein(a)
Antiangiogenic approaches to renal cell carcinoma assays for inhibitors and clinical trials

Angiogenesis-the formation of new blood vessels from preexisting ones-is a complex process regulated by a number of soluble factors as well as important interactions between endothelial cells, extracellular matrix components, and adjacent cells (1-5). Activation of the endothelial cell, which occurs when the balance between proangiogenic and antiangiogenic signals within a given microenvironment tilts in a positive direction, leads initially to increased expression of proteases, allowing the endothelial cell to mobilize itself and release inducers sequestered within the matrix (1,6,7). This is followed by endothelial-cell proliferation and migration and culminates in reorganization of the endothelial cell plexus to form tubules and eventually capillary structures that can conduct blood. Most proangiogenic factors-such as VEGF and basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF)-are peptide growth factors that bind to transmembrane-receptor tyrosine kinases on the surface of the endothelial cell, initiating intracellular transduction pathways resulting in cellular activation (8,9). Other important angiogenic factors-the angiopoietins-further modulate this process by stabilizing or destabilizing interactions between small blood vessels and adjacent pericytes (10 ). Expression of angiopoietin 2 results in dissociation of pericytes, which can lead to endothelial-cell activation or vascular regression, depending on whether angioinductive or angioinhibitory signals predominate (10,11). In contrast, angiopoietin 1 stabilizes interactions with pericytes and promotes vascular quiescence (10,12).
A small paper on smalltalks: experiences in running a student-faculty colloquium series

We describe our efforts in coordinating a lecture series in our department. Talks are given by faculty, students, and others. We also discuss how we encourage student participation by incorporating it into other courses via a Professional Development Points system. The program has increased student engagement in departmental activities and allowed several students to gain valuable presentation experience.