cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
RhoA Kinase Inhibition With Fasudil Versus Simvastatin in Murine Models of Cerebral Cavernous Malformations.

Background and Purpose— We sought to compare the effect of chronic treatment with commonly tolerated doses of Fasudil, a specific RhoA kinase (ROCK) inhibitor, and simvastatin (with pleiotropic effects including ROCK inhibition) on cerebral cavernous malformation (CCM) genesis and maturation in 2 models that recapitulate the human disease. Methods— Two heterozygous murine models, Ccm1 +/ − Msh2 −/− and Ccm2 +/ − Trp53 −/−, were treated from weaning to 4 to 5 months of age with Fasudil (100 mg/kg per day), simvastatin (40 mg/kg per day) or with placebo. Mouse brains were blindly assessed for CCM lesion burden, nonheme iron deposition (as a quantitative measure of chronic lesional hemorrhage), and ROCK activity. Results— Fasudil, but not simvastatin, significantly decreased mature CCM lesion burden in Ccm1 +/ − Msh2 −/− mice, and in meta-analysis of both models combined, when compared with mice receiving placebo. Fasudil and simvastatin both significantly decreased the integrated iron density per mature lesion area in Ccm1 +/ − Msh2 −/− mice, and in both models combined, compared with mice given placebo. ROCK activity in mature lesions of Ccm1 +/ − Msh2 −/− mice was similar with both treatments. Fasudil, but not simvastatin, improved survival in Ccm1 +/ − Msh2 −/− mice. Fasudil and simvastatin treatment did not affect survival or lesion development significantly in Ccm2 +/ − Trp53 −/− mice alone, and Fasudil benefit seemed limited to males. Conclusions— ROCK inhibitor Fasudil was more efficacious than simvastatin in improving survival and blunting the development of mature CCM lesions. Both drugs significantly decreased chronic hemorrhage in CCM lesions. These findings justify the development of ROCK inhibitors and the clinical testing of commonly used statin agents in CCM.
Rational and Empirical Cultures of Prediction

Mathematics plays a self-evidently important role in making scientific predictions. The rise of science as an epistemically superior mode of knowledge production over the past four centuries has depended on making accurate predictions; the apparent certainty of scientific knowledge has often been borne out by accurate predictions. Mathematics has been unarguably ‘effective’ in this sense. The question I want to explore here is how predictions have improved, that is how mathematics has become more effective, if effectiveness is measured in terms of producing accurate predictions.
Abstract B39: Asparagine drives translational adaptation of cancer cells to glutamine deficit

Most proliferating cells consume exogenous glutamine to fuel biosynthesis and cell growth, which leads to its marked depletion from the microenvironment. Glutamine provides carbon and nitrogen for a wide array of biomolecules, among which are non-essential amino acids, glucosamine and nucleotides; in addition, carbon backbone of glutamine is used as a preferred anaplerotic input into the TCA cycle. However, as recent in vivo metabolomic studies indicate, a number of tumor types are capable of utilizing alternative anaplerotic routes and, in fact, synthesize glutamine de novo. In addition, select cancer cell lines are able to proliferate in the absence of exogenous glutamine in culture medium. However, the metabolic and regulatory underpinnings that enable the cellular adaptation to glutamine deficit and de novo glutamine production need further investigation. In this work, we identified the non-essential amino acid asparagine as essential for the survival and proliferation of cancer cells in the absence of exogenous glutamine supply. Our data indicate that asparagine, though structurally related to glutamine, is not catabolized in the same manner. Instead, asparagine acts by restoring protein translation, which becomes profoundly compromised in the absence of glutamine. This, in turn, enables the post-transcriptional adaptive upregulation of glutamine synthetase (GLUL), which is required for glutamine-independent growth. Taken together, these findings show that the cellular adaptation to glutamine-limiting conditions relies upon the availability of asparagine, which may represent an important therapeutic vulnerability. Citation Format: Natalya N. Pavlova, Ji Zhang, Craig B. Thompson. Asparagine drives translational adaptation of cancer cells to glutamine deficit. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference on Translational Control of Cancer: A New Frontier in Cancer Biology and Therapy; 2016 Oct 27-30; San Francisco, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2017;77(6 Suppl):Abstract nr B39.
Introducing undergraduate research in Numerical Analysis of Engineering Systems course

Undergraduate research has a significant positive impact on the students’ educational experience but has many implementation challenges in curricular or co-curricular activities. This paper present...
Isospectal Vector-Valued Sturm–Liouville Problems

In this Letter, we describe our results on the Isospectrality Problem for vector-valued, classical Sturm–Liouville problems.
Radiation-Induced Processes in Nonionic Micelles

The static and dynamical properties of nonionic micelles (Triton X-100, Igepal CO-630 and Brij-35) in aqueous solution have been investigated by pulsed 1H, 13C NMR relaxation, fluorescence probing and pulse radiolysis techniques. Chemical shifts and spin lattice relaxation times presented for the various resolved resonances in the proton and proton-decoupled 13C NMR spectra provide detailed information on the nature and segmental mobility of hydrocarbon chains in micellar core and that of ethylene oxide units in the palisade layer. The permeability of these nonionic micelles with respect to various species (ionic and nonionic) has been investigated by examining the dynamics of quenching of fluorescence emitted by “external” probe such as pyrene and “built in” phenoxyl unit. The basic photophysical features such as UV absorption, fluorescence lifetime and quantum yields for phenoxyl chromophore are also reported and these are used to gain information on the environment around these probes. Efficient excitation singlet energy transfer between phenoxyl unit and pyrene (solubilized in micellar core) has been observed.
Heart Surface Electrocardiographic Inverse Solutions

In this chapter, we will review the problem of noninvasive and minimially invasive imaging of cardiac electrical function. We use the term “imaging” in the sense of methodology which seeks to spatially resolve distributed properties of cardiac muscle electrophysiology such as extracellular potential, or features of the action potential. Thus, we do not consider the problems of computing properties of an “equivalent” cardiac multipole, moving dipole(s), or any other source model that does not satisfy such criteria. We will further restrict ourselves to resolving such electrophysiological features on the epicardial or endocardial surfaces— a reasonable restriction, since measurements currently accessed by invasive procedures are obtained on these surfaces, and also because the spatial dimension of the “source” domain then nominally matches the spatial dimension of the data domain. Thus, we will not consider the earliest distributed source model, representing intramural current density imaging (Barber and Fischman, 1961; Bellman et al., 1964), on which work continues (e.g., see (He and Wu, 2001), or the recent heart-excitation-model based 3D inverse imaging approach (Li and He, 2001) in Chapter 5 in this book).
Physical Facilities Evaluation in Teacher Education Programs

Educational facilities have come a long way from the days when the primary demand was for some structure to protect the students and teachers from the elements (Castaldi, 1987). The facility is now considered an integral part of the instructional process, and evaluation of physical facilities is a component in the accreditation processes established by most national, state, regional, and local accrediting agencies. In its 1986 revision of standards, the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) placed added emphasis on the evaluation of resources. Standard V. B: Resources includes criteria for compliance under Personnel Resources; Funding Resources; Physical Facilities; and Library, Equipment, Materials, and Supplies. Similar standards can be found in state policy guidelines for teacher education program approval as well as in the guidelines for other agencies at the national, regional, and local levels.
Kilovoltage transit and exit dosimetry for a small animal image-guided radiotherapy system using built-in EPID

PURPOSE We investigated the potential use of the built-in electronic portal imaging device (EPID) in the small animal radiation research platform (SARRP) as a dosimeter in the kV energy range. To this end, we developed a method for converting portal images to a two-dimensional (2D) dose maps at the detector plane and object's exit surface and validated them against empirical dose measurements. METHODS We calibrated the SARRP's EPID to measure transit dose. The transit dose map was back-projected to calculate 2D dose distribution at the object's exit surface. The accuracy of transit and exit dose distributions was independently validated with a PinPoint ion chamber (IC) and Gafchromic EBT3 film measurements for a range of radiation dose rates (0.43-2.78 cGy/s), cone sizes (5-40 mm), in a homogeneous phantom of varying thickness (0-50 mm) and in an inhomogeneous phantom containing graphite, cork, air, and aluminum. RESULTS In-air central axis (CAX) transit dose values measured with the EPID showed close agreement with film and IC measurements. The maximum differences in EPID in-air transit measurements with film or IC measurements were 1%. The EPID was capable of accurately measuring phantom transit dose independently of the attenuating phantom thickness, with average discrepancies of 0.5% and 2.9% with IC and film, respectively, where the maximum difference between the EPID and the IC was 1.8%. The results were slightly worse for film, with maximum differences in 4.9%. Output factor measurements using EPID were within 2.9% of both IC and film measurements. In addition, calculated exit doses agreed with film values within ≤3.1%, for attenuating phantom thicknesses ≥15 mm. The agreement became worse with decreasing phantom thickness; for thicknesses of 10 and 5 mm, agreements were ≤5.7% and ≤6.9%, respectively. Compared to film, transit and exit profiles measured with the EPID showed average differences <2% for both homogeneous and inhomogeneous materials. CONCLUSION We developed and validated a novel 2D transit/exit dosimetry for a kV SA-IGRT system using an EPID. We verified the accuracy of our method to measure EPID transit and exit dose distributions for a range of dose rates, beam attenuation, and collimation. Our results indicate that the EPID can be used as a simple, convenient device for kV dose delivery verification in small animal radiotherapy.
Teaching Practices Grounded in Foundational Knowledge, Visions, and Contexts

ABSTRACTDrawing on our experiences as teacher educators in two programs designed specifically to prepare teachers for particular contexts, this article illustrates how we design our courses to help...
The Effect of the 2014 Federal Housing Administration Loan Limit Reductions on Homeownership Decisions

Using data from the American Community Survey, this article assesses the effects of the 2014 Federal Housing Administration (FHA) loan limit reductions on homeownership decisions. Employing a diffe...
Cost/outcome and relative values of anticancer drugs in metastatic and refractory colorectal cancer.

e14500 Background: High costs of anticancer drugs limited affordability and utilization.The objective was to study the cost/outcome of drugs in 1st-, 2nd-line and refractory metastatic colorectal c...
Impact of Long-Term Exposure to 17α-Ethinylestradiol in the Live-Bearing Fish Heterandria formosa

17α-ethinylestradiol (EE2) is a potent synthetic estrogen that is routinely detected in aquatic ecosystems and exhibits estrogenic activity. Acute and chronic toxicity have been described for oviparous and ovoviviparous fish species; however, no information is available on the impacts of EE2 on viviparous, matrotrophic fish despite their ecological importance. The present study investigated the consequences of long-term EE2 exposure in the least killifish (Heterandria formosa). Effects on growth, time-to-sexual maturity, fecundity, and offspring survival were examined in an 8-month, life-cycle experiment. Starting as 0–6-day-old fish, least killifish were continuously exposed to EE2 at nominal concentrations of 0, 5, or 25 ng/L (measured concentrations averaged 0, 4.3, and 21.5 ng/L respectively). In the F0 generation, EE2-exposure did not affect survival but resulted in increased time-to-sexual maturity and a sex-dependent effect on size; female standard length was reduced while male standard length was increased. This caused the ordinarily larger females and smaller males to become more similar in size. Condition factor was reduced for both sexes. Fecundity was reduced by 50% and 75% at 5 and 25 ng/L EE2-exposure respectively. Continued EE2-exposure in the F1 generation resulted in significantly reduced survival. These results suggest that despite their matrotrophic development, these fish experience delayed development and reduced reproductive success from EE2-exposure and that effects appear to intensify in the second generation.
An Analytical Estimate of the Hubble Constant

Currently the present-time value of the Hubble constant is estimated through finding the optimum fit to the observationally measured data. Here, assuming a flat universe with zero cosmological constant, based on the conservation of total mass-energy and a correction for the effect of time dilation, the total present-time value of the energy density parameter is found to be equal to 0.703091. Based on the Friedmann-Robertson-Walker (FRW) equation, the first law of thermodynamics, and Einstein’s Equivalence Principle, we present an analytical approach which yields a value for the Hubble constant equal to H_0=69.05398 km s^(-1) 〖Mpc〗^(-1). Using this value, Hubble diagrams are constructed. These diagrams are remarkably consistent with the available observational data.
Enterprise image management and medical informatics

Abstract Picture archiving and communication systems within radiology departments have been used to acquire, archive, retrieve, display, process, and print medical images and associated image data and reports. In general, these functionalities have been achieved with various levels of on-site storage and servers. Digital images and reports have been accessed through multiple access points: display workstations; modality processing workstations; networked personal computers within radiology or elsewhere within the healthcare system; and, via the internet, to offsite locations through password-accessed secure wireless networks and hosted patient portals accessed via mobile technologies. The challenge facing us today is how to securely integrate and manage the vast amount of healthcare data that we are beginning to generate and how to ensure that we provide patient healthcare records that are complete, accurate, actionable, and electronically accessible and transportable without loss of image and data integrity.
Total Dose Effects on Negative and Positive Low-Dropout Linear Regulators

Total ionizing dose (TID) functional failure analysis on positive and negative low-dropout linear voltage regulators is performed. Two parts have been chosen for this article: the LP2953 positive regulator and the LT1175 negative regulator. Different failure mechanisms are observed, which can be modeled with radiation-enabled SPICE simulations. The simulation results are shown to compare well with experimental data. Both voltage regulators contain three blocks, essential for accurate modeling: a bandgap reference, a power pass transistor, and an error amplifier. In this article, simulations were performed on each block independently to analyze the trends in parametric degradation after radiation exposure and describe the failure mechanisms. This article identifies the bandgap circuitry as the primary cause of failure for the negative regulator while degradations in all blocks contribute to the TID response of circuits.
Long-Term Storage and Age-Biased Export of Fluvial Organic Carbon: Field Evidence From West Iceland

Terrestrial organic carbon (OC) plays an important role in the carbon cycle, but questions remain regarding the controls and timescale(s) over which atmospheric CO₂ remains sequestered as particulate OC (POC). Motivated by observations that terrestrial POC is physically stored within soils and other shallow sedimentary deposits, we examined the role that sediment storage plays in the terrestrial OC cycle. Specifically, we tested the hypothesis that sediment storage impacts the age of terrestrial POC. We focused on the Efri Haukadalsa River catchment in Iceland as it lacks ancient sedimentary bedrock that would otherwise bias radiocarbon‐based determinations of POC storage duration by supplying pre‐aged “petrogenic” POC. Our radiocarbon measurements of riverine suspended sediments and deposits implicated millennial‐scale storage times. Comparison between the sample types (suspended and deposits) suggested an age offset between transported (suspended sediments) and stored (deposits) POC at the time of sampling, which is predicted by theory for the sediment age distribution in floodplains. We also observed that POC in suspended sediments is younger than the predicted mean storage duration generated from independent geomorphological data, which suggested an additional role for OC cycling. Consistent with this, we observed interparticle heterogeneity in the composition of POC by imaging our samples at the microscale using X‐ray absorption spectroscopy. Specifically, we found that particles within individual samples differed in their sulfur oxidation state, which is indicative of multiple origins and/or diagenetic histories. Altogether, our results support recent coupled sediment storage and OC cycling models and indicate that the physical drivers of sediment storage are important factors controlling the cadence of carbon cycling.
Dynamic Data Partitioning for Distributed-Memory Multicomputers

For distributed-memory multicomputers such as the Intel Paragon, the IBM SP-1/SP-2, the NCUBE/2, and the Thinking Machines CM-5, the quality of the data partitioning for a given application is crucial to obtaining high performace. This task has traditionally been the user's responsibility, but in recent years much effort has been directed to automating the selection of data partitioning schemes. Several researchers have proposed systems that are able to produce data distributons that remain in effect for the entire execution of an application. For complex programs, however, such static data distributions may be insufficient to obtain acceptable performance. The selection of distributions that dynamically change over the course of a program's execution adds another dimension to the data partitioning problem. In this paper, we present a technique that can be used to automatically determine which partitionings are most beneficial over specific sections of a program while taking into account the added overhead of performing redistribution. This system has been implemented as part of the PARADIGM (PARAllelizing compiler for DIstributed-memory General-purpose Multicomputers) project at the University of Illinois. The complete system strives to provide a fully automated means to parallelize programs written in a serial programming model obtaining high performance on a wide range of distributed-memory multicomputers.
Did dysploid waves follow the pulses of whole genome duplications

Pulses of whole genome duplications occurred within numerous angiosperm lineages near and subsequent to the K-Pg boundary. These duplications frequently were followed by subtractions in chromosome number within a ploidal level, i,e., dysploidy. Single products of WGD may have generated more than one dysploid species. Such species in turn may have generated other dysploid species through additional chromosomal rearrangements or through processes of divergent evolution. As a consequence, the genesis of initial polyploids within given phylads likely was followed by a wave of dysploid species formation. If polyploids are more tolerant than diploids of environmental change, as they seem to be, then polyploids and their dysploid derivatives are likely to represent an increasing proportion of flowering plant species in the next hundreds of millennia.
The double pivot simplex method

The simplex method, created by George Dantzig, optimally solves a linear program by pivoting. Dantzig’s pivots move from a basic feasible solution to a different basic feasible solution by exchanging exactly one basic variable with a nonbasic variable. This paper introduces the double pivot simplex method, which can transition between basic feasible solutions using two variables instead of one. Double pivots are performed by identifying the optimal basis in a two variable linear program using a new method called the slope algorithm. The slope algorithm is fast and allows an iteration of DPSM to have the same theoretical running time as an iteration of the simplex method. Computational experiments demonstrate that DPSM decreases the average number of pivots by approximately 41% on a small set of benchmark instances.
Thermoelectric Performance Enhancement of n-type Chitosan-Bi2Te2.7Se0.3 Composite Films Using Heterogeneous Grains and Mechanical Pressure

A cost-effective and sustainable approach was used to enhance the thermoelectric performance of printable thermoelectric composite films. Using this approach, we are trying to get rid of the highly energy-intensive (high temperature and long duration) and time-consuming process of manufacturing thermoelectric generators. This study presents a unique approach of using an environmental-friendly and naturally occurring binder, a heterogeneous particle size distribution and applied mechanical pressure to fabricate n-type thermoelectric composite films. Recently spotlighted biomaterial, chitosan, was employed as a binder and it provided enough binding strength to the composite thermoelectric films. Bi2Te2.7Se0.3 is an attractive n-type thermoelectric material because of its high thermoelectric performance. In this work, we are using two different (100-mesh and 325-mesh) n-type Bi2Te2.7Se0.3 thermoelectric conductive particles for thermoelectric composite films to understand the role of wide-range particle distribution on thermoelectric composite films. In addition, two different weight ratios (1:2000 and 1:5000) of binders to Bi2Te2.7Se0.3 particle and two different applied pressures (150 MPa and 200 MPa) were used for this study. The application of pressure and the use of a heterogenous particle distribution improves the packing density which leads to well-aggregated and coalesced polycrystal bulk-like structure in chitosan 100-mesh (heterogeneous particle distribution) Bi2Te2.7Se0.3 thermoelectric composite films and hence improves the overall electrical conductivity and power factor. The best performing composite film was made with an ink of a 1:2000 weight ratio of binder to100-mesh Bi2Te2.7Se0.3 and the applied pressure was 200 MPa. The electrical conductivity was 200 ± 7 S cm−1, the Seebeck coefficient was −201 ± 6 µV K−1, the power factor was 808 ± 69.7 μW m−1 K−2, the thermal conductivity was 0.6 W m−1 K−1, and the figure of merit was 0.4 at room temperature. Using energy efficient, sustainable, and cost effective method we achieved ZT of 0.40 for n-type thermoelectric composite films which is comparable to other printed n-type TE composite films. A 2-leg n-type Bi2Te2.7Se0.3 device was fabricated with a power output of 0.48 μW at a closed circuit voltage of 2.1 mV and ∆T of 12 K.
Dendritic Cell Regulation of T Helper Cells

As the professional antigen-presenting cells of the immune system, dendritic cells (DCs) sense the microenvironment and shape the ensuing adaptive immune response. DCs can induce both immune activation and immune tolerance according to the peripheral cues. Recent work has established that DCs comprise several phenotypically and functionally heterogeneous subsets that differentially regulate T lymphocyte differentiation. This review summarizes both mouse and human DC subset phenotypes, development, diversification, and function. We focus on advances in our understanding of how different DC subsets regulate distinct CD4+ T helper (Th) cell differentiation outcomes, including Th1, Th2, Th17, T follicular helper, and T regulatory cells. We review DC subset intrinsic properties, local tissue microenvironments, and other immune cells that together determine Th cell differentiation during homeostasis and inflammation.
Epigenetic Regulation of Nostoc punctiforme ATCC 29133 in Response to Nitrogen Availability

Here, we report the restriction modification system of Nostoc punctiforme ATCC 29133, along with its methylated genome sequence, under contrasting nitrate availability. Generated methylation profiles revealed increased methylation for key enzymes of assimilatory nitrate reduction, suggesting that Nostoc punctiforme employs DNA methylation to regulate its nitrogen metabolism.
Is Sporadic Alzheimer's Disease Associated with Diphtheria Toxin?

The two major aspects of Alzheimer's disease (AD) that must be considered in a search for causative agents are its association with aging and its widespread epidemiology. While a number of agents have been identified, additional factors may play a role. An association with diphtheria toxin was suggested by observations that vaccinations may provide protective effects, and the observation that decreased proteins synthesis in cortical regions from AD patients is associated with modification of elongation factor 2, the target of diphtheria toxin. While protection against diphtheria toxin is provided by vaccination, the known decline in the immune system associated with aging would result in a renewed sensitivity to the toxin. An association with diphtheria toxin would be consistent with the observations that the bacteria associated with the toxin, Corynebacterium diphtheria, is often found in the nasopharynx and an early symptom of AD is the loss of smell with a disease progression from the entorhinal cortex to the hippocampus and the neocortical areas. If diphtheria toxin is involved in sporadic AD, booster vaccinations given to elderly individuals might result in a decreased incidence of this disease. As booster DPT vaccinations are already recommended for individuals over 65, cognitive testing at the time of the booster and 5 years later, along with similar cognitive testing in age-matched individuals who decline vaccination, might provide an inexpensive method to investigate whether diphtheria toxin plays a role in AD and the efficacy of DPT booster vaccines for AD.
Combining breadth-first and depth-first strategies in searching for treewidth

Breadth-first and depth-first search are basic search strategies upon which many other search algorithms are built. In this paper, we describe an approach to integrating these two strategies in a single algorithm that combines the complementary strengths of both. We show the benefits of this approach using the treewidth problem as an example.
The fairness doctrine as public policy

As a public policy, the Fairness Doctrine should be evaluated using the major normative categories of policy analysis — moral rights, distributive justice, economic efficiency, and effects on character — rather than debated on constitutional or narrow economic grounds. Speech rights, scarcity, and the chilling effect are among the factors subjected to this analysis. The tools of policy analysis can advance debate on the Fairness Doctrine and other communications issues.
Dust properties of [WCL] CSPNS

The rather rare class of central stars of planetary nebulae thatshow Wolf-Rayet spectra have been a subject of great interest,particularly in the infrared, since their discovery in the late1960s. I will focus on further peculiarities found within thepast 1-2 years with the advent of infrared spectroscopy fromISO. Notably, these stars simultaneously betray the presenceof regions of carbon-rich and oxygen-rich dust chemistry. Icompare and contrast complete ISO spectra from 2 to 200 micronsof a small sample of [WC9] to [WC11] central stars.
Implementation of Boolean minimization in an abductive framework

This work represents the final phase in establishing a firm relationship between the Boolean minimization problem (BMP) and the abduction problem (AP). Specifically, it demonstrates how the BMP could be solved using an algorithm based on the parsimonious covering model, which in turn models a class of APs. The implementation of the algorithm that solves the BMP in an abductive framework provides a much needed empirical validation of the theoretical properties of the algorithm, in addition to providing a different method for computing the minimized form for a Boolean function.
A case study: acupuncture combined with oriental medicine for lower gastro-intestinal bleeding

Abstract Objective To report the clinical approach and effectiveness of traditional Chinese medicine in the complementary treatment and symptom management of lower gastro-intestinal bleeding (LGIB) due to neoplasms. Methods A single case report of a 54-year-old female with a chronic case of LGIB due to neoplasms was observed. Acupuncture, moxibustion, and Chinese herbal medicine were administered in the patient's treatment plan. Results After 16 treatments over the course of 16 weeks, the patient had a significant drop in the amount of hematochezia, positive outcomes in the patient's vitality and quality of life. Conclusions Acupuncture, oriental medicine and moxibustion (AOM) may provide new options for effective management and improvement for LGIB for the patient's quality of life with less invasive modalities that could help to reduce healthcare costs, patient morbidit as well as mortality rates.
Development and comparison of SYBR Green quantitative real-time PCR assays for detection and enumeration of sulfate-reducing bacteria in stored swine manure

Aims: To develop and evaluate primer sets targeted to the dissimilatory sulfite reductase gene (dsrA) for use in quantitative real-time PCR detection of sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB) in stored swine manure. Methods and Results: Degenerate primer sets were developed to detect SRB in stored swine manure. These were compared with a previously reported primer set, DSR1F+ and DSR-R, for their coverage and ability to detect SRB communities in stored swine manure. Sequenced clones were most similar to Desulfovibrio sp. and Desulfobulbus sp., and these SRB populations differed within different manure ecosystems. Sulfur content of swine diets was shown to affect the population of Desulfobulbus-like Group 1 SRB in manure. Conclusions: The newly developed assays were able to enumerate and discern different groups of SRB, and suggest a richly diverse and as yet undescribed population of SRB in swine manure. Significance and Impact of the Study: The PCR assays described here provide improved and efficient molecular tools for quantitative detection of SRB populations. This is the first study to show population shifts of SRB in swine manure, which are a result of either the effects of swine diets or the maturity of the manure ecosystem.
Expression and Purification of a Recombinant Tobacco Etch Virus NIa Proteinase: Biochemical Analyses of the Full-Length and a Naturally Occurring Truncated Proteinase Form

The tobacco etch virus 27-kDa nuclear inclusion a (NIa) proteinase was expressed in Escherichia coli as a recombinant fusion protein containing a seven-histidine tag at the amino-terminus. Catalytically active and inactive (by virtue of a single amino acid change) forms of the proteinase were purified to homogeneity in a two-column chromatographic procedure. The active form of the proteinase was slowly converted to a lower molecular weight form, while the inactive form was not. This conversion was dilution independent and thought to be intramolecular. Isolation of the approximately 2-kDa peptide cleavage product and determination of its N-terminal amino acid sequence positioned the cleavage site 24 amino acids from the carboxy-terminus of the proteinase. A recombinant NIa proteinase lacking the C-terminal 24 amino acids was shown to possess limited activity. Kinetic analyses of cleavage of a synthetic peptide by the full-length or truncated proteinase were conducted and indicated that the Km of the truncated proteinase was approximately fourfold higher than that of the full-length form. The truncated proteinase was approximately one-twentieth as efficient in proteolysis of the test peptide substrate as the full-length form.
HOW TO EXCHANGE TRANSFUSE PATIENTS WITH SICKLE CELL DISEASE

Simple transfusion in sickle cell syndromes raises the hematocrit (Hct), while still large proportions of cells with sickling potential are in the circulation, with a dangerous increase in blood viscosity. In certain life-threatening situations, exchange transfusion is the only means to rapidly decrease the circulating sickle cells. Computations of the amount and type of blood to be used are often needed with great urgency. We have developed an algorithm for computer analysis of the various factors to be considered: patient's Hct, desired amount of remaining sickle cells, type of blood needed and rate of exchange. When the Hct is 33% it is also necessary to reduce the Hct by removing 8% of the blood volume. Using these measures, an exchange transfusion can be performed to reduce the concentration of sickle cells to any level, without raising the Hct above a set limit (usually 41%). We have also derived through differential analysis, simple formulas to determine the amount and type of blood to be used, with good approximation, using a hand-held calculator. The assumptions of these models were verified in 8 patients with sickle cell syndrome who were exchange-transfused in the last few months. This appears to be a needed and useful tool in the management of patients with sickle cell syndromes in life-threatening situations.
Complex dynamics in the Hopf bifurcation with broken translation symmetry

Abstract The dynamics of the normal form for the O(2)-equivariant Hopf bifurcation perturbed by linear translation symmetry-breaking terms are investigated. A variety of stable small amplitude complex behavior is uncovered even for parameters for which the unperturbed system has no stable small amplitude solutions. In some cases this behavior can be attributed to the proximity to global bifurcations of Sil'nikov and Sil'nikov-Hopf type. In other cases cascades of gluing bifurcations involving various two-frequency states are present. Since the equations studied can be obtained by center manifold reduction of the coupled complex Ginzburg-Landau (CCGL) equations in a finite container this behavior must also be present in the CCGL equations. The theory may explain the origin of erratic reversals in traveling wave convection and in spiral vortex flow.
Postoperative abdominal evisceration

Abstract No. Sex Age Operation Anesthesia Day of rupture Nature Type of repair Remarks 1 Male 54 Appendectomy. No damage Spinal with gas and oxygen 14 Complete Through-and-through silk Shock, death, probably incomplete for 4 days. Long operation G. & O. had to be supplemented. Closure difficult 2 Male 5 Appendectomy. Ether 5 Complete Iodoform gauze packing; straping Recovery. Cloure done in patient's bed 3 Female 35 Hysterectomy Gas-oxygen ether 8 Incomplete Iodoform gauze packing; straping Recovery 4 Male 61 Laparotomy for ruptured gastric ulcer. Drainage Spinal 12 Complete Through-and-through silk; intestinal resection; anastomosis Death 5 Male 32 Laparotomy for ruptured duodenal ulcer. Drainage Spinal 5 Partial Gauze and strapping Recovery 6 Male 28 Incisional hernia Spinal 7 Complete Gauze and through-and-through silk Recovery. Sutures out on fourteenth day
Phonon and electron components of the thermal conductivity of tantalum at intermediate temperatures

Thermal conductivity, electrical resistivity, and absolute Seebeck-coefficient values for Ta and four Ta-base alloys are reported. The data, which cover the temperature range 80\char22{}400 K, were analyzed to identify the phonon and electron contributions to the thermal conductivity of Ta. Reflecting the strong electron-phonon interaction, the phonon thermal conductivity is rather small and equal to about $\frac{2}{3}$ of the prediction of a theoretical formula. At the highest temperatures investigated, the electronic thermal conductivity and electrical resistivity are consistent with the Sommerfeld-Lorenz number. The electrical resistivity and Seebeck-coefficient results can be satisfactorily fitted to standard theoretical formulas, and these results indicate that deviations from Matthiessen's rule are small and positive.
The Man computer Interactive Data Access System: 25 Years of Interactive Processing

On 12 October 1998, it was the 25th anniversary of the Man computer Interactive Data Access System (McIDAS). On that date in 1973, McIDAS was first used operationally by scientists as a tool for data analysis. Over the last 25 years, McIDAS has undergone numerous architectural changes in an effort to keep pace with changing technology. In its early years, significant technological breakthroughs were required to achieve the functionality needed by atmospheric scientists. Today McIDAS is challenged by new Internet-based approaches to data access and data display. The history and impact of McIDAS, along with some of the lessons learned, are presented here.
Deciding when and how to correct a movement: discrete submovements as a decision making process

Rapid reaching movements of human and non-human primates are often characterized by irregular multi-peaked velocity profiles. How to interpret these irregularities is still under debate. While some reports assert that these irregularities are the result of a continuous controller interacting with the environment, we and others hold that the velocity irregularities are evidence for a controller that produces discrete movement corrections. Here we analyze rapid pronation/supination wrist movements in monkey during a 1D step-tracking task, where visual perturbations of the target were randomly introduced at movement onset. We use our recently introduced algorithm (Fishbach et al. in Exp Brain Res 164:442-457, 2005) to decompose an irregular movement into a primary movement and one or more discrete, corrective submovements. We first show that the visual perturbation has almost no effect on primary movements. In contrast, this perturbation influences the type and the extent of the corrective submovements that often follow primary movements. Secondly, we show that the highly variable timing of overlapping submovements does not depend directly on the visual perturbation but rather on an estimate of the movement error and on the movement's extent-to-go at the time of correction initiation. These results are consistent with a forward-model based intermittent controller with a non-linearity that depends both on a prediction of the magnitude and direction of the movement's error and on its variance. Corrections are initiated only when the predicted error is statistically significant. A simple abstract model that implements these principles accounts for the type and timing of the corrections observed in our data.
Yields, photosynthetic efficiencies and proximate composition of dense marine microalgal cultures. III: Isochrysis sp. and Monallantus salina experiments and comparative conclusions

Abstract Yields and efficiencies of light utilization were determined for the Chrysophyte alga, Isochrysis (Tahitian strain), and the Xanthophyte, Monallantus salina . Under conditions of nitrogen sufficiency the maximum yield of the former alga was 47·9 g m −2 day −1 with an efficiency of light utilization based on PAR supplied (400–700 nm) of 11·6%. Nitrogen deficiency decreased these values to 7·6 g m −2 day −1 and 1·9% respectively. For Monallantus (N-sufficient) the maximum values were 13·9 g m −2 day −1 and 6·4% respectively; N deficiency reduced these values to 7·5 g m −2 day −1 and 3·7%, respectively. Deficiency reduced protein levels in both species and in Isochrysis metabolism was shunted towards the formation of carbohydrate. Carbohydrate yield was doubled by deficiency. In Monallantus , lipid content was not increased by deficiency; this is in contrast to previous reports. Rather an appreciable amount of some fraction ‘other’ than protein, carbohydrate, lipid or ash was formed. The results of all five marine microalgae studied in this series are compared. Phaedactylum gave the highest yield and efficiency, but similar values were obtained by Tetraselmis and Isochrysis . To produce the maximum amount of a high-energy component such as lipid, one would choose Isochrysis , and for high protein yield, Phaeodactylum or Tetraselmis would be chosen. The highest carbohydrate yield would be attained by Dunaliella, Tetraselmis , or Isochrysis under N-deficient conditions. These comparative results may be useful in choosing species and conditions for maximizing various biomass products in outdoor cultures.
The impact of homelessness on recent sex trade among pregnant women in drug treatment

This study is a secondary data analysis aimed to examine the influence of recent homelessness on recent sex trade among pregnant women in drug treatment after controlling for psychiatric comorbidity, age, education and race. Eighty-one pregnant women from a drug treatment programme in Baltimore, Maryland, attended an in-person interview and completed the Structured Clinical Interview for Diagnostic and Statistical Manual for Mental Disorders-IV for Axis I disorders, the HIV Risk Behaviour Interview and demographic questionnaires, which assessed psychiatric symptoms, recent homelessness and sexual risk behaviour, respectively. Women who experienced recent homelessness had a 4.74 greater odds of having recently traded sex than women who had not been recently homeless, suggesting that homelessness uniquely influences sex trade beyond psychiatric status, which was also a significant correlate of recent sex trade. Addressing both homelessness and psychiatric problems may effectively reduce sex trade and risk f...
Neurocognitive effects of ketamine and association with antidepressant response in individuals with treatment-resistant depression: a randomized controlled trial

The glutamate N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonist ketamine displays rapid antidepressant effects in patients with treatment-resistant depression (TRD); however, the potential for adverse neurocognitive effects in this population has not received adequate study. The current study was designed to investigate the delayed neurocognitive impact of ketamine in TRD and examine baseline antidepressant response predictors in the context of a randomized controlled trial. In the current study, 62 patients (mean age=46.2±12.2) with TRD free of concomitant antidepressant medication underwent neurocognitive assessments using components of the MATRICS Consensus Cognitive Battery (MCCB) before and after a single intravenous infusion of ketamine (0.5 mg/kg) or midazolam (0.045 mg/kg). Participants were randomized to ketamine or midazolam in a 2:1 fashion under double-blind conditions and underwent depression symptom assessments at 24, 48, 72 h, and 7 days post treatment using the Montgomery–Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS). Post-treatment neurocognitive assessment was conducted once at 7 days. Neurocognitive performance improved following the treatment regardless of treatment condition. There was no differential effect of treatment on neurocognitive performance and no association with antidepressant response. Slower processing speed at baseline uniquely predicted greater improvement in depression at 24 h following ketamine (t=2.3, p=0.027), while controlling for age, depression severity, and performance on other neurocognitive domains. In the current study, we found that ketamine was devoid of adverse neurocognitive effects at 7 days post treatment and that slower baseline processing speed was associated with greater antidepressant response. Future studies are required to further define the neurocognitive profile of ketamine in clinical samples and to identify clinically useful response moderators.
Nocturnal enuresis: Current perspectives

Abstract This paper presents a comprehensive overview of current perspectives on the etiology and treatment of nocturnal enuresis. A diverse array of theories on the etiology of bedwetting, including psychoanalytic, developmental, physiological, and behavioral approaches are discussed and evaluated. The various treatment approaches are likewise reviewed and evaluated. Researchers and clinicians are urged to view nocturnal enuresis as multifactorial in origin, particularly when formulating a treatment plan.
The association between substance use disorder and racial discrimination in a nationally representative sample

s / Drug and Alcohol Dependence 140 (2014) e2–e85 e39 Gender differences in HIV risk and mental health among methamphetamine users Karen F. Corsi, C. Garver-Apgar, R.E. Booth Psychiatry, University of Colorado Denver, Denver,
Alternate circulating pro-B-type natriuretic peptide and B-type natriuretic peptide forms in the general population.

Objectives This study was designed to determine whether alternate pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (proBNP) and BNP forms circulate in the general population. Background Bioactive BNP 1-32 and NT-proBNP 1-76 are derived from a precursor molecule, proBNP 1-108 . Recent data suggest that aminodipeptidase-processed forms of BNP 1-32 (BNP 3-32 ) and of proBNP 1-108 itself (proBNP 3-108 ) may circulate and have additional diagnostic potential. Methods Residents (age ≥45 years) of Olmsted County, Minnesota, underwent medical review, echocardiography, and phlebotomy for 2 novel assays specific for proBNP 3-108 and BNP 3-32 and 2 commercial assays (Triage BNP and Roche NT-proBNP). Groups included normal subjects (n = 613), cardiovascular disease with normal ventricular function (n = 1,043), preclinical ventricular dysfunction (ALVD, n = 130), and chronic heart failure (HF, n = 52). Results ProBNP 3-108 levels were above assay detection limits in 68% of normal subjects (50th; 25th to 75th percentiles: 7.85; 3.00 to 22.45 pmol/l) and correlated with age, gender, body size, and renal function and with results of commercial assays. ProBNP 3-108 levels were higher in ALVD (17.88; 6.07 to 42.76 pmol/l) or HF (42.75; 20.51 to 65.73 pmol/l), where they correlated more strongly with commercial assays. BNP 3-32 was above assay detection limits in 22% of normal subjects; levels were not correlated with age, body size, or renal function but were higher in HF. Neither novel assay was superior to commercial assays for the detection of ALVD or HF. Conclusions The presence of alternate circulating proBNP and BNP forms provides evidence for diverse proBNP and BNP processing in the general population. The physiologic consequences of these observations, both in terms of assay performance and endogenous BNP bioactivity, deserve further study.
Sugar uptake in the maize scutellum

Abstract Characteristics of the uptake of sucrose, glucose and fructose by maize scutellum slices are presented. Sugars were taken up at almost a constant rate until the bathing solution was nearly depleted, even when initial sugar concentrations were well below those which saturated the uptake mechanisms. DNP, phloridzin, uranyl ion, and anoxia were more inhibitory to the uptake of sucrose than to the uptake of hexoses. Maltose was taken up without hydrolysis. Turanose was not taken up, but it slightly inhibited the uptake of sucrose. The uptake of sucrose, glucose and fructose was accompanied by aerobic fermentation. The following conclusions are drawn; (a) sucrose is taken up actively without inversion; (b) hexoses are taken up by two processes, diffusion and active transport operating simultaneously; (c) the active uptake mechanisms for both sucrose and the hexoses are coupled to glycolysis.