cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
TRANSPLANTATION OF NUCLEI OF VARIOUS CELL TYPES FROM NEURULAE OF THE MEXICAN AXOLOTL (AMBYSTOMA MEXICANUM).

Abstract Nuclei from various regions of axolotl neurulae were transplanted into eggs which had previously been electrically activated and irradiated with UV to eliminate the egg chromosomes. The majority of the nuclei, regardless of their region of origin, elicited genuine cleavage but usually failed to promote development beyond blastula or early gastrula stages. A cytological study of the recipient embryos, fixed at various times following nuclear transfer, has revealed pronounced mitotic abnormalities in approximately 90% of the cases examined. Modifications of the transplantation medium, calculated to reduce the risk of technical damage to the nuclei, do not improve their capacity to promote the development of the recipient eggs. Triploid neurula nuclei do not differ from diploid nuclei in ability to promote the development of test eggs. Nuclei from the most recently differentiated (caudal) end of the notochord and endoderm, compared with nuclei from the more cephalic regions of the same structures, display a greater capacity to promote postgastrula development of the recipient eggs. The Discussion is focused mainly on the mitotic abnormalities exhibited by the majority of the transplanted somatic nuclei. The evidence at hand suggests that these abnormalities are expressions of a differentiated state of the nuclei, affecting their capacity to proceed normally through mitosis following transfer into egg cytoplasm. However, their exact mode of origin, and the problems they pose in the interpretation of nuclear transplantation experiments, remain to be worked out.
Neighborhood Built Environment, Perceived Danger, and Perceived Social Cohesion

We examined whether the prevalence of commercial diversity, heavy traffic, sidewalks, and trees is associated with perceived social cohesion in Los Angeles County neighborhoods, and how concentrated disadvantage and perceived danger shape these relationships. Consistent with theoretical expectations, concentrated disadvantage and danger were associated with lower cohesion. The effects of built characteristics on cohesion were moderated by disadvantage and/or perceived danger. Danger moderated the effect of commercial diversity, sidewalks, and trees, and concentrated disadvantage moderated the coefficients on built variables (excepting trees) such that the magnitude of their effects were stronger in high-disadvantage neighborhoods. We conclude that built characteristics appear to matter more for cohesion in high-disadvantage neighborhoods and also that approaches to promoting cohesion through the built environment should focus on bolstering residents’ perceptions of safety.
Dobutamine induced myocardial perfusion reserve index with cardiovascular MR in patients with coronary artery disease.

Currently, adenosine or dipyridamole is commonly used for the assessment of perfusion reserve. With intolerance to these agents, dobutamine can be used alternatively or it can be used for a combined examination of wall motion and perfusion. The aim of the study was to analyze the feasibility of cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) to assess perfusion reserve with dobutamine.Alterations of myocardial perfusion were noninvasively assessed in 23 patients with and 4 without significant coronary artery disease by calculation of a myocardial perfusion reserve index from the upslope of the signal intensity curves of a first pass gadolinium bolus before and during dobutamine infusion (20 μg/min/kg). An ischemic threshold value of perfusion reserve index was determined from patients without significant coronary artery disease.Significant differences were found between ischemic and remote to ischemic segments in patients with single vessel disease (0.90±0.18 vs. 1.73±0.32, p<0.0001). Differences between nonische...
A Cell-Permeable Fluorescent Prochelator Responds to Hydrogen Peroxide and Metal Ions by Decreasing Fluorescence.

Abstract Described here is the development of two boronic ester-based fluorescent prochelators, FloB (2-(6-hydroxy-3-oxo-3H-xanthen-9-yl)-4(5)-[2-(4,4,5,5-tetramethyl-[1,3,2]dioxaborolan-2-yl)-benzylidene-hydrazinocarbonyl]-benzoic acid) and FloB-SI (2-(6-hydroxy-3-oxo-3H-xanthen-9-yl)-4(5)-[2-(4-(4,4,5,5-tetramethyl-1,3,2-dioxaborolan-2-yl)benzyloxy)-benzylidene-hydrazinocarbonyl]-benzoic acid) that show a fluorescence response to a variety of transition metal ions only after reaction with H 2 O 2 . Both prochelators’ boronic ester masks are oxidized by H 2 O 2 to reveal a fluorescein-tagged metal chelator, FloS (4(5)-(2-hydroxy-benzylidene-hydrazinocarbonyl)-2-(6-hydroxy-3-oxo-3H-xanthen-9-yl)-benzoic acid). Chelation of Fe 3+ or Cu 2+ elicits a 70% decrease in the emission signal of FloS, while Zn 2+ , Ni 2+ , and Co 2+ produce a more modest fluorescence decrease. The conversion of FloB to FloS proceeds in organic solvents, but hydrolytic decomposition of its hydrazone backbone is observed in aqueous solution. However, FloB-SI oxidizes cleanly with H 2 O 2 within 1 h in aqueous solutions to produce FloS. Fluorescence microscopy studies in HeLa cells with FloB-SI show that the sensor’s fluorescence intensity remains unchanged until incubation with exogenous H 2 O 2 , which results in a decreased fluorescent signal. Incubation with a competitive chelator restores the emission response, thus suggesting that FloB-SI can effectively report on a H 2 O 2 -induced increase in intracellular labilized metal.
A model of residential demand for electricity using a national household sample

Abstract Using a three-equation model (demand, price, appliance stock index) and a current national household data set, this study develops partial and total elasticity estimates for the USA. Partial elasticities are 0.102 for income and -0.193 for price, while total elasticities are 0.410 for income and -1.403 for price.
Effects of Hydrogen Enrichment on Confined Methane Flame Behavior

Many land based power generation units presently operate on natural gas, whose major constituent is methane, and many of them would need to tackle the challenges due to a fuel switch towards synthesis gas in the near future. Operating conditions and stability of a pre-mixed gas turbine combustor is quite sensitive to the changes in the fuel composition. Behavior of a premixed confined hydrogen enriched methane flame is studied with regard to thermo-acoustic instability induced flame flashback, emissions, flammability limits and acoustics over a wide range of operating conditions. However, most emphasis is put on lean combustion, which is an industry standard method used to lower pollutant emissions by reducing adiabatic flame temperatures. Hydrogen addition extends the flammability limits and enables lower nitric oxide emissions levels to be achieved at leaner equivalence ratios. On the other hand, increased root-mean-square pressure fluctuation levels, and higher susceptibility to flashback is observed with increasing hydrogen volume fraction inside the fuel mixture. This phenomenon is mostly attributed to much higher burning speeds of hydrogen in contrast to pure methane. A semi-analytical model has been utilized to capture the flame holding and thermo-acoustically induced flame flashback dynamics for a pre-mixed gas turbine combustor. A simple linearized acoustic model, derived from the basic conservation laws, and a front-tracking algorithm based on the Markstein’s G-equation are coupled together in order to track the flame initiation front, which in turn yields in an understanding of dynamic flame holding characteristics. A limit cycle behavior in the flame front movement is observed during simulations due to a non-linearity in the feedback term that relates acoustic velocity to heat release. Sets of experiments including flashback speed measurements have been performed at varying fuel composition. Phase locked CH radical imaging measurements have also been performed in order to track the flame initiation front in time with respect to the dominant instability cycle. Computer simulations are performed to study flashback and combustor acoustics together numerically and it is observed that these are in good qualitative agreement with the experiments.Copyright © 2006 by ASME
Paleoenvironments of Late Albian Stage (Early Cretaceous) of Eastern Trans-Pecos, Texas: ABSTRACT

Upper Albian rocks in eastern Trans-Pecos Texas consist of a depositional sequence that records a major transgressive-regressive cycle, beginning with an initial transgression of the early late Albian seas over a regionally disconformable surface and ending with the onset of late Albian regression. The history of these events is recorded in rocks of the Fort Lancaster Formation and its western equivalent, the Boracho Limestone. These rocks were deposited in several depositional systems that developed on the Comanche shelf and an associated shelf basin called the Fort Stockton embayment. These depositional systems include the carbonate-shelf system, the shelf-basin system, and the carbonate-shoal system. Each system is recognized by unique suites of lithofacies, differentiated on the basis of petrographic and outcrop characteristics: skeletal wackestone, interbedded shale and wackestone, oyster packstone/shale, skeletal grainstone, and calcareous shale. Associated with these lithofacies are the following biofacies: Protocardia-Macraster, Globigerina, Nuculana-Syncyclonema, Texigr phaea, Lopha, and Miliolina. Within a biostratigraphic framework based on ammonite zones, the geographic and stratigraphic distribution of a depositional systems and their associated lithofacies and biofacies indicate that late Albian deposition primarily was influenced by periodic terrigenous influxes from the northwest over the Comanche shelf. This was coupled with tectonically controlled subsidence in the Fort Stockton embayment. The depositional sequence culminated in the development of widespread carbonate sand shoals prior to the onset of emergence. End_of_Article - Last_Page 461------------
Development and characterization of an integrated multispectral polarimetric sensor: a discrete approach

We introduce a new type of integrated imaging sensor that detects multispectral and polarimetric signatures in an IR scene. The sensor is a stack consisting of an IR detector array, and an array of multispectral and polarimetric filters. In this first phase of the research, we fabricated multispectral filters for the 3-5 micron waveband don sapphire substrates and polarimetric filters on silicon substrates. These were characterized separately and in mechanical contact as a single unit. The transmission characteristics of both filters show excellent agreement with the theoretical result. Whenthe filters are integrated into an imaging sensor, such a sensor is anticipated to improve image contrast with sensor-fusion post processing. In addition, it will offer portability and robustness because of its integrated nature.
pH-Dependent Intramolecular Binding and Structure Involving Cx43 Cytoplasmic Domains*

pH-induced closure of connexin43 (Cx43) channels involves interaction of the Cx43 carboxyl-terminal (Cx43CT) with a separate "receptor" domain. The receptor location and structure and whether the interaction is directly intramolecular are unknown. Here we show resonant mirror technology, enzyme-linked sorbent assays, and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) experiments demonstrating pH-dependent binding of Cx43CT to region 119-144 of Cx43 (Cx43L2), which we propose is the receptor. NMR showed that acidification induced alpha-helical order in Cx43L2, whereas only a minor modification in Cx43CT structure was detected. These data provide the first demonstration of chemically induced structural order and binding between cytoplasmic connexin domains.
Method of creating starch-like ultra-fine rice flour and effect of spray drying on formation of free fatty acid†

Rice flour from long, medium, and waxy grain cultivars were processed by passing a 32% rice flour slurry through a microfluidizer at 10 × 104 kPa and spray dryer at three different outlet temperatures (50, 80, and 115°C). Spray-drying conditions were controlled by the flow rate of the slurry and inlet temperature. Spray-dried rice flours and unprocessed rice flour were examined for their lipolytic stability during storage for 210 days by measuring free fatty acid (FFA) formation. The percentage of lipid and FFA in rice flour was significantly reduced by spray drying. The resulting amount of lipid and percentage of FFA was rice-type dependent and related to the amylose content and the outlet temperature. Upon storage, the formation of FFA was lowest for rice flours processed at 115°C outlet temperature as compared to 80°C, 50°C, and control (untreated rice flour). Pin milling of the spray-dried flour resulted in the breakdown of loose re-agglomerated rice flour formed during spray drying with a particle size similar to rice starch but increased starch damage by about 1% per pass through pin mill.
Reinitiation of DNA synthesis in quiescent mouse keratinocytes; regulation by polypeptide hormones, cholera toxin, dexamethasone, and retinoic acid.

Cloned mouse keratinocytes (MK-1 cells) display density-dependent growth arrest when reaching confluency in a serum-free medium with a calcium concentration <0.1 mM, supplemented only with insulin and transferrin. In this quiescent state, greater than 95% of the cell population is in the G0/1 phase of the cell cycle. Treatment of quiescent MK-1 cells with 1 to 10 ng/ml epidermal growth factor (EGF) resulted in a sharp burst of DNA synthetic activity. Both insulin and cholera toxin potentiated the mitogenic effect of EGF, but neither agent was necessary or sufficient to induce thymidine incorporation into DNA. Dexamethasone abolished the effect of insulin, but not the mitogenic effect of EGF alone. In contrast, retinoic acid (RA) did not possess any mitogenic effect for quiescent MK-1 cells, nor did it modulate the actions of EGF or dexamethasone. A number of commercially available crude extracts of bovine brain and pituitary were also capable of initiating DNA synthesis in resting MK-1 cells. Finally, transforming growth factor type beta (TGFβ) proved to be a potent inhibitor of the mitogen-induced DNA synthesis in MK-1 cells (IC50∶10pM). This defined culture system is eminently suited to study the regulation of DNA synthesis of epidermal cells. In addition, it can be used as a sensitive bioassay for the detection of epidermal mitogens, as well as inhibitors of DNA synthesis such as TGFβ.
Morphologic changes in the giant amoeba Chaos chaos induced by halothane and ether.

Abstract 1. 1. Medium 20 per cent saturated with diethyl ether or 10 per cent saturated with halothane causes the giant amoeba, Chaos chaos , to cease movement and protoplasmic streaming and causes its ground cytoplasm to segment into a central, granular, and peripheral, clear zone. 2. 2. This phenomenon is reversible, is not accompanied by significant osmotic shifts of water, and is not affected by pre-treating the cell with KCl, NaCl, CaCl 2 or EDTA. 3. 3. Electron micrographs of the two zones suggest a definite, organized fine structure to the peripheral zone which is “clear” by phase microscopy. 4. 4. The peripheral zone is 65 millivolts positive with respect to the central zone, yet no intervening membrane is visible by electron microscopy. 5. 5. An hypothesis involving tight cross-linking of the colloidal constituents of the plasmagel is advanced to account for these findings.
Hypercalcemia and Osteolytic Bone Lesions in B-Cell Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia: A Case Report

Abstract Hypercalcemia and osteolytic bone lesions are rare associations of chronic lymphocytic leukemia. Different pathogenetic mechanisms have been postulated. We report a case of chronic lymphocytic leukemia with hypercalcemia, osteolytic bone lesions, and pathologic fractures without the evidence of Richter's transformation. Hypercalcemia was present at diagnosis and resolved with chemotherapy but recurred with disease progression and development of osteolytic bone lesions. A review of the literature is presented.
Patient Reported Outcomes in Rheumatoid Arthritis Clinical Trials

Patient reported outcomes (PRO) are at the core of assessing RA treatment response with patient assessments of global health or disease activity, pain, and physical function included in the calculation of American College of Rheumatology (ACR) responses. Progress has been made in assessing PROs that include additional patient-valued aspects of disease in recent RA randomized clinical trials (RCTs), particularly fatigue. Importantly, the National Institute of Health (NIH)--Patient Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) development of psychometrically advanced generic health measures that span the range of symptoms potentially affected in RA, with high precision across the entire range of a symptom are undergoing additional study in RA and other rheumatologic diseases to establish their construct validity, responsiveness, and clinically meaningful cutoffs. PRO measures that are currently used and widely available can provide important perspectives not captured in composite clinical response criteria with the potential of better informing treatment decisions in clinical practice.
Cross‐national differences in proneness to scarcity effects: The moderating roles of familiarity, uncertainty avoidance, and need for cognitive closure

The scarcity effect is a powerful social-influence principle used by marketers to increase the subjective desirability of products. This study explores cross-national differences in proneness to the scarcity effect and attempts to explain observed differences in terms of boundary conditions. Results of a shopping simulation experiment show a positive effect of scarcity on purchase intent and a greater proneness to such among participants from a lower- (U.S.) versus higher- (France) context culture. Moreover, the scarcity effect is moderated by product familiarity, uncertainty avoidance, and need for cognitive closure. Differential familiarity levels may help explain the observed cross-national differences. Managerial implications concern the conditions under which marketing appeals based on scarcity should be more (versus less) persuasive. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
A study of Zajonc’s theory of social facilitation using a wheel-turn Sidman avoidance response in rats

Rat subjects were used to study the acquisition of a wheel-turn Sidman avoidance response under three levels of social interaction: physical, spectator, and single subjects. Zajonc’s (1965) theory of the effects of social interaction was supported. Subjects run alone acquired the avoidance response quickly, but subjects run with spectators or with co-responders did not acquire the response.
Optimal design of geodesically stiffened composite cylindrical shells

An optimization system based on the finite element code Computations Structural Mechanics (CSM) Testbed and the optimization program, Automated Design Synthesis (ADS), is described. The optimization system can be used to obtain minimum-weight designs of composite stiffened structures. Ply thickness, ply orientations, and stiffener heights can be used as design variables. Buckling, displacement, and material failure constraints can be imposed on the design. The system is used to conduct a design study of geodesically stiffened shells. For comparison purposes, optimal designs of unstiffened shells and shells stiffened by rings and stingers are also obtained. Trends in the design of geodesically stiffened shells are identified. An approach to include local stress concentrations during the design optimization process is then presented. The method is based on a global/local analysis technique. It employs spline interpolation functions to determine displacements and rotations from a global model which are used as 'boundary conditions' for the local model. The organization of the strategy in the context of an optimization process is described. The method is validated with an example.
The Value of a College Degree for Foster Care Alumni: Comparisons with General Population Samples

Higher education is associated with substantial adult life benefits, including higher income and improved quality of life, among others. The current study compared adult outcomes of 250 foster care alumni college graduates with two samples of general population graduates to explore the role higher education plays in these young adults' lives. Outcomes compared include employment, income, housing, public assistance, physical and mental health, happiness, and other outcomes that are often found to be related to educational attainment. Foster care alumni college graduates were very similar to general population college graduates for individual income and rate of employment. However, foster care alumni graduates were behind general population graduates on factors such as self-reported job security, household earnings, health, mental health, financial satisfaction, home ownership, happiness, and public assistance usage. Results have implications for policy and practice regarding the most effective means of supporting postcollege stability of youths with foster care experience.
Axillary artery cannulation: routine use in ascending aorta and aortic arch replacement

Abstract Background Ideal perfusion during ascending aorta-arch surgery should allow easy implementation of antegrade cerebral perfusion while avoiding atheroembolization or false lumen perfusion in dissections. We report favorable experience with direct axillary artery cannulation. Methods Between 1999 and 2003, 284 patients with a mean age of 62.2 years (25 to 85), underwent axillary artery cannulation using a right angle wire-reinforced catheter. During this interval, attempted axillary cannulation was abandoned in only 14 patients because of inadequate backflow or other complications. Eighty-five patients were female. Severe aortic arteriosclerosis or degeneration was present in 209, aortic dissection in 63, and Marfan disease or aortitis in 12. The Bentall procedure was done in 144 patients, arch replacement in 86, the Yacoub procedure in 18, thoracoabdominal aneurysm repair in 16, and coronary artery bypass grafting in 20. Reoperations were at 30.2%. Results Adverse outcome (hospital death or permanent stroke) occurred in 6.6% (n = 19). Thirteen patients (4.6%) died before hospital discharge, and 13 patients (4.6%; 9 of whom died) suffered permanent stroke. Transient neurologic dysfunction occurred in 9.2% (n = 26). Mean duration of hypothermic circulatory arrest, used in 246 patients, was 26 ±7 minutes. Mean duration of antegrade cerebral perfusion, used in 139 patients, was 47 ± 23 minutes. In 93%, the right axillary artery was cannulated. Complications included 2 cases (0.7%) of brachial plexus injury (one transient), and 3 (1%) of localized dissection. Conclusions Our results suggest that axillary artery cannulation, successful in 95% of patients, may be the optimal technique for reducing perfusion-related morbidity and adverse outcome in operations for acute dissection, atherosclerotic, and degenerative aneurysmal disease. It deserves serious consideration in all patients older than 65 requiring cardiopulmonary bypass.
Wigner polyspectra: higher-order spectra in time varying signal processing

The Wigner higher-order spectra (WHOS) are defined as extensions of the Wigner distribution (WD) to higher-order statistics domains. A general class of time-frequency higher-order spectra is also defined in terms of arbitrary higher-order moments of the signal as generalizations of the Cohen's general class of time-frequency representations. For signal processing applications, discrete time and frequency WHOS distributions are introduced and shown to be implemented with two fast-Fourier-transform-based algorithms. One application in which the Wigner bispectrum is applied for the detection of transient signals embedded in noise is presented. The Wigner bispectrum is compared with the WD and simulation results are given. >
Human milk oligosaccharides: Every baby needs a sugar mama

Human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs) are a family of structurally diverse unconjugated glycans that are highly abundant in and unique to human milk. Originally, HMOs were discovered as a prebiotic "bifidus factor" that serves as a metabolic substrate for desired bacteria and shapes an intestinal microbiota composition with health benefits for the breast-fed neonate. Today, HMOs are known to be more than just "food for bugs". An accumulating body of evidence suggests that HMOs are antiadhesive antimicrobials that serve as soluble decoy receptors, prevent pathogen attachment to infant mucosal surfaces and lower the risk for viral, bacterial and protozoan parasite infections. In addition, HMOs may modulate epithelial and immune cell responses, reduce excessive mucosal leukocyte infiltration and activation, lower the risk for necrotizing enterocolitis and provide the infant with sialic acid as a potentially essential nutrient for brain development and cognition. Most data, however, stem from in vitro, ex vivo or animal studies and occasionally from association studies in mother-infant cohorts. Powered, randomized and controlled intervention studies will be needed to confirm relevance for human neonates. The first part of this review introduces the pioneers in HMO research, outlines HMO structural diversity and describes what is known about HMO biosynthesis in the mother's mammary gland and their metabolism in the breast-fed infant. The second part highlights the postulated beneficial effects of HMO for the breast-fed neonate, compares HMOs with oligosaccharides in the milk of other mammals and in infant formula and summarizes the current roadblocks and future opportunities for HMO research.
Metabolic Factors Associated with Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia

Context: Benign prostatic hyperplasia poses a significant public health problem, but its etiology remains unclear. Obesity and associated abnormalities in glucose homeostasis may play a role in benign prostatic hyperplasia development by influencing prostate growth. Objective: The objective of this study was to determine whether obesity, fasting plasma glucose concentration, and diabetes are associated with radiologically determined prostate enlargement, an objective measure of benign prostatic hyperplasia. Design: This study was a cross-sectional analysis with robust variance estimates to account for multiple measures over time in the same individuals. Setting: This prospective cohort study was composed of community volunteers. Patients: Patients studied were 422 adult men enrolled in The Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging. Main Outcome Measurements: Total prostate volume as determined by pelvic magnetic resonance imaging was measured. Results: Among 422 participants, 91 (21.6%) had prostate enlargeme...
Pharyngeal myotomy for voice restoration: A midline approach

A midline surgical approach is described that provides adequate exposure to perform a pharyngeal myotomy without exposing the great vessels of the neck. With this technique, postoperative drainage is not necessary and hospital stay is minimized
INSTRUMENTAL RESPONSE STRATEGIES IN OPINION INTERVIEWS

Studies of response bias in interviewing have emphasized distortions produced by the respondent's desire to please the interviewer. In this article, the authors focus on alternative response strategies that may be adopted under certain circumstances-in particular, on the attempt to make the respondent's opinion prevail. Charles K. Atkin is Assistant Professor in the Department of Communication, Michigan State University, and Steven H. Chaffee is Associate Professor in the Mass Communications Research Center of the School of Journalism and Mass Communication at the University of Wisconsisn.
A triple-stacked Class-E mm-wave SiGe HBT power amplifier

A Q-band, single ended, two-stage, triple-stacked, Class-E power amplifier is designed and fabricated in a 0.13 μm SiGe HBT BiCMOS process. The Class-E amplifier comprises of three series-stacked HBTs with capacitive divider networks at the HBT bases and collectors to ensure proper large signal swing and beyond BVCEO operation at mm-wave frequencies. The measured performance of the fabricated chip show 22.2 dBm maximum output power at 20.8% peak power added efficiency, and 15.4 dB of power gain across 4 GHz centered around 40 GHz for a supply voltage of 6.5 V. The total chip area including the pads is 0.8 mm × 1.28 mm.
Laboratory guidelines for diagnosis of invasive fungal disease caused by filamentous fungi

Resumen La enfermedad fungica invasora (EFI) por hongos filamentosos es causa de morbi-mortalidad en pacientes inmunocomprometidos, por lo que es fundamental el diagnostico precoz y su tratamiento oportuno. Las mani -festaciones clinicas de las EFIs son inespecificas, razon por la cual las imagenes (TAC), el examen microscopico directo, tinciones y cultivos de las muestras obtenidas y la determinacion de galactomanano en sangre o en LBA tienen un rol fundamental. Esta guia tiene por objetivo recomendar las optimas condiciones de transporte, procesamiento de las muestras, asi como las tinciones y los medios de cultivos a utilizar. Se describen, ademas, claves para el diagnostico de los principales generos y especies de Aspergillus. Anexo 1. Medios de cultivos minimos con que se debe contar para la identificacion de Aspergillus spp Los distintos ingredientes de los medios se mezclan en un matraz de Erlenmeyer; se calientan y homogenizan por 15 min a bano Maria y la solucion es repartida en tubos para luego ser autoclavados a 121°C durante 15 min. Al sacarlos se colocan en posicion inclinada para aumentar la superficie de cultivo. Se recomienda usar tapones de algodon hidrofobo para facilitar la llegada de oxigeno. Deben mantenerse entre 4-8°C y ser utilizados antes de 2 meses para evitar la deshidratacion. Todas las manipulaciones deben realizarse bajo llama de mechero Bunsen o en una campana de flujo laminar. 1. Agar Sabouraud (AS)Peptona 10 g Glucosa 40 gAgar 15 gCloranfenicol 125 mgAgua destilada 1.000 ml2. Agar extracto de Malta (MEA)Extracto de malta en polvo 20 gPeptona 1gGlucosa 20 gAgar 20 gAgua destilada 1.000 ml3. Agar Czapek Levadura (CYA25)K2HPO4 1 gConcentrado de Czapek 10 mlExtracto de levadura 5 gSucrosa 30 g Agar 15 gAgua destilada 1.000 ml4. Concentrado de Czapek (con trazas de metales) NaNO3 30 gKCl 5 gMgSO4.7H2O 5 gFeSO4. TH2O 0,1 gZnSO4. TH2O 0,1 gCuSO4. 5H2O 0,1 gAgua destilada 100 ml
Design and simulation of an ultrasonic flow meter for thin pipe

This paper presents a high precision ultrasonic flow meter, designed especially for thin pipe. As thin pipes have a diameter less than 10 millimeters, conventional clamp-on ultrasonic flow meter is not appropriate for this kind of application. A special shape of pipe is designed, accompanied with customized transducers. To analysis the inner flow field, Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) is used to simulate the velocity distribution of the liquid. Finally, a preliminary experimental result of the flow meter is given.
Extracting biological meaning from global proteomic data on circulating-blood platelets: Effects of diabetes and storage time

Transfusion of platelets into patients suffering from trauma and a variety of disease is a common medical practice that involves millions of units per year. Partial activation of platelets can result in the release of bioactive proteins and lipid mediators that increase the risk of adverse post-transfusion effects. Type-2 diabetes and storage are two factors known to cause partial activation of platelets. A global proteomic study was undertaken to investigate these effects. In this paper we discuss the methods used to interpret these data in terms of biological processes affected by diabetes and storage. The main emphasis is on the processing of proteomic data for gene ontology enrichment analysis by techniques originally designed for microarray data.
Swimming in a Sea of Shame: Incorporating Emotion into Explanations of Institutional Reproduction and Change

We theorize the role in institutional processes of what we call the “shame nexus,” a set of shame-related constructs: felt shame, systemic shame, sense of shame, and episodic shaming. As a discrete emotion, felt shame signals to a person that a social bond is at risk, and it catalyzes a fundamental motivation to preserve valued bonds. Systemic shame we conceptualize as a form of disciplinary power, animated by persons' sense of shame—a mechanism of ongoing intersubjective surveillance and self-regulation. We theorize how the duo of systemic shame and sense of shame drives the self-regulation that underpins persons' conformity to institutional prescriptions and institutional reproduction. We conceptualize episodic shaming as a form of juridical power used by institutional guardians to elicit renewed conformity and reassert institutional prescriptions, and also explain how episodic shaming may have unintended effects, including institutional disruption and recreation, when it triggers sensemaking among targ...
Surveillance Recommendations for Developing Effective Tobacco Prevention and Control Interventions for Low-SES Populations:

On October 6 and 7, 2005, a diverse panel of experts was invited to Atlanta, Georgia by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Office of Smoking and Health to discuss, explore, and share their ideas on how to identify and subsequently plan effective interventions with low socioeconomic status populations in regard to tobacco prevention and control. The invited participants had expertise in three areas: surveillance and evaluation, program planning, and health communications. This article summarizes the methods, processes, discussions, and recommendations that emerged from the surveillance and evaluation group. Current surveillance systems have had success at identifying high-risk populations, but usually at the national or state level. Interventions occur at the local level, and current data are woefully inadequate in providing direction as far as programming planning. It is recommended that an eight-step approach be used for surveillance and monitoring that includes qualitative data collection and participatory planning models.
Limits on the efficiency of one-way permutation-based hash functions

Naor and Yung (1989) show that a one-bit-compressing universal one-way hash function (UOWHF) can be constructed based on a one-way permutation. This construction can be iterated to build a UOWHF which compresses by /spl epsiv/n bits, at the cost of /spl epsiv/n invocations of the one-way permutation. The show that this construction is not far from optimal, in the following sense, there exists an oracle relative to which there exists a one-way permutation with inversion probability 2/sup -p(n)/ (for any p(n)/spl isin//spl omega/(log n)), but any construction of an /spl epsiv/n-bit-compressing UOWHF. Requires /spl Omega/(/spl radic/n/p(n)) invocations of the one-way permutation, on average. (For example, there exists in this relativized world a one-way permutation with inversion probability n/sup -/spl omega/(1)/, but no UOWHF that involves it fewer than /spl Omega/(/spl radic/n/log n) times.) Thus any proof that a more efficient UOWHF can be derived from a one-way permutation is necessarily non-relativizing; in particular, no provable construction of a more efficient UOWHF can exist based solely on a "black box" one-way permutation. This result can be viewed as a partial justification for the practice of building efficient UOWHFs from stronger primitives (such as collision intractable hash functions), rather than from weaker primitives such as one-way permutations.
The Calendrical Rite of the Ascension to Power.

This study isolates significant recurring similarities of rhetorical style and substance in presidential inaugural addresses after 1932 and compares them with prior addresses. The stylistic response to the new rhetorical situation—characterized by audience heterogeneity and the need for ritualistic unity—was one of higher abstraction. The aim was to provide audience members with more freedom of interpretation in order to achieve agreement.
EFFECT OF PARATHYROID HORMONE ON MUCOPOLYSACCHARIDE SYNTHESIS IN RACHITIC RAT CARTILAGE IN VITRO.

Summary1. Both commercial and purified parathyroid hormone increase the uptake of S35 and glucose-C14 into rachitic rat cartilage mucopolysaccharide in vitro. 2. The dose range employed is probably physiological and ranges from 3 to 10 microunits/cc of incubating media.
Effects of medium doses of IVIG on 77 newborn infants with ABO hemolytic disease.

Objective To observe the therapeutic effects of intravenous immunoglobulin( IVIG) between high dose( 1 g/kg) and medium dose( 2. 5 g) on severe ABO hemolytic disease of newborn. Methods 77 term infants with severe hyperbilirubinemia receiving IVIG were divided into 2 groups. 45 cases in group A with medium dose,while 32 cases in group B with high dose,another 20 cases without IVIG in group C. Phototherapy were used concomitantly for all infants in 3 groups. The days of life on admission,time of jaundice,and peak of serum bilirubin concentration( TB) in each group were matched. The decrease of TB between each group were compared. Results The range of TB( MTB) in 3 groups was 270 μmo/L. After treatment,the MTB declined without obvious significance in 24 h among 3 groups( P 0. 05) . The MTB in group A and group B declined consistently to 147μmol/L,159μmol/L within 24 ～ 48 h( P 0. 05) . While MTB of group C declined to 109 μmol/L within 48 h,and it declined to physiological levels of bilirubin in an average of about 84. 5 h( compared with group A and group B,P 0. 05) . Conclusion IVIG should be used as early as possible on severe ABO hemolytic disease. The effect of high dose and medium dose has little difference. The medium dose is recommended to avoid the waste of medical resources.
Smart Insole: A Wearable Sensor Device for Unobtrusive Gait Monitoring in Daily Life

Gait analysis is an important medical diagnostic process and has many applications in healthcare, rehabilitation, therapy, and exercise training. However, typical gait analysis has to be performed in a gait laboratory, which is inaccessible for a large population and cannot provide natural gait measures. In this paper, we present a novel sensor device, namely, Smart Insole, to tackle the challenge of efficient gait monitoring in real life. An array of electronic textile (eTextile)-based pressure sensors are integrated in the insole to fully measure the plantar pressure. Smart Insole is also equipped with a low-cost inertial measurement unit including a three-axis accelerometer, a three-axis gyroscope, and a three-axis magnetometer to capture the gait characteristics in motion. Smart Insole can offer precise acquisition of gait information. Meanwhile, it is lightweight, thin, and comfortable to wear, providing an unobtrusive way to perform the gait monitoring. Furthermore, a smartphone graphic user interface is developed to display the sensor data in real-time via Bluetooth low energy. We perform a set of experiments in four real-life scenes including hallway walking, ascending/descending stairs, and slope walking, where gait parameters and features are extracted. Finally, the limitation and improvement, wearability and usability, further work, and healthcare-related potential applications are discussed.
Landscape plant material, size, and design sophistication increase perceived home value

Abstract Little consumer research is available to help landscape design and installation businesses develop service marketing strategies. We investigated the effect of three components of a landscape design on the perceived value of a home. This information would be useful in marketing lawn and landscape services to prospective clients. Our objective was to provide a consumer perspective on the value of the components in a ‘good’ landscape and determine which attributes of a landscape consumers valued most. Using conjoint design, 1323 volunteer participants in seven states viewed 16 photographs that depicted the front of a landscaped residence. Landscapes were constructed using various levels of three attributes: plant material type, design sophistication, and plant size. Results showed that the relative importance increased from plant material type to plant size to design sophistication. Across all seven markets, study participants perceived that home value increased from 5% to 11% for homes with a good ...
Someone Always Has It Worse: The Convoy to Balad

There is an unwritten rule in the Army: “If you think you have it bad, there is always someone somewhere that has it worse.” Usually, that person in the army has a combat arms background (infantry, armor, Special Forces). Most of these volunteers love what they do and would have it no other way. It was and still is an honor to support them medically, and I have the utmost respect for these front-line fighters; they have earned it a hundred times over in the last 15 years. I certainly don’t mean to belittle them in the text that follows nor do I wish to make light of those who made the ultimate sacrifice in Iraq or those that came home with physical or mental wounds they will carry for the remainder of their lives. But I tend to see humor as a great defense or coping mechanism when dealing with stress and in doing so, believe it builds resilience. There is a saying that war is 90 % boredom and 10 % sheer terror. I think those that closely served with me in a Combat Support Hospital during this deployment would agree that our ratio was closer to 70 % boredom, and 30 % humor, even during those brief times of terror secondary to mostly rocket or mortar attacks. Humor helped to cope with the boredom, frustration, and suffering and, in my opinion, was the glue that held us together as a team. This chapter covers the weeks leading up to deployment into Iraq, from Fort Hood, Texas, to Camp Victory in Kuwait, to the 4-day convoy to Balad, Iraq, about 40 miles North of Baghdad.
Inferring Functional Neural Connectivity with Deep Residual Convolutional Networks

Measuring synaptic connectivity in large neuronal populations remains a major goal of modern neuroscience. While this connectivity is traditionally revealed by anatomical methods such as electron microscopy, an efficient alternative is to computationally infer functional connectivity from recordings of neural activity. However, these statistical techniques still require further refinement before they can be reliably applied to real data. Here, we report significant improvements to a deep learning method for functional connectomics, as assayed on synthetic ChaLearn Connectomics data. The method, which integrates recent advances in convolutional neural network architecture and model-free partial correlation coefficients, outperforms published methods on competition data and can achieve over 90% precision at 1% recall on validation datasets. This suggests that future application of the model to in vivo whole-brain imaging data in larval zebrafish could reliably recover on the order of 10 6 synaptic connections with a 10% false discovery rate. The model also generalizes to networks with different underlying connection probabilities and should scale well when parallelized across multiple GPUs. The method offers real potential as a statistical complement to existing experiments and circuit hypotheses in neuroscience.
Moreau's hydrodynamic helicity and the life of vortex knots and links

Abstract This contribution to an issue of Comptes rendus Mecanique, commemorating the scientific work of Jean-Jacques Moreau (1923–2014), is intended to give a brief overview of recent developments in the study of helicity dynamics in real fluids and an outlook on the growing legacy of Moreau's work. Moreau's discovery of the conservation of hydrodynamic helicity, presented in an article in the Comptes rendus de l'Academie des sciences in 1961, was not recognized until long after it was published. This seminal contribution is gaining a new life now that modern developments allow the study of helicity and topology in fields and is having a growing impact on diverse areas of physics.
Scene-based Shack-Hartmann Wavefront sensor for Light- Sheet Microscopy

Light Sheet Microscopy is well suited for imaging model organisms and tissue sections that are hundreds of microns thick. Adaptive Optics is needed to correct aberrations in these samples. Here we describe our design of a scene based Shack Hartmann Wavefront Sensor for Light Sheet Microscopy.
Brain protection - The clinical reality

One of the most feared complications of anaesthesia and surgery is the occurrence of cerebral ischaemia and neuronal injury. Although the incidence of stroke during surgery is quite low, during certain procedures the risk of stroke can be high. For example, the incidence of neurological complications during cardiac surgery has been reported to be approximately 2–6% [1]. The majority of these complications occur during the intraoperative period [2]. The risk of perioperative stroke in patients undergoing carotid endarterectomy (CEA) ranges from a high of about 15% to the more recently reported risk of 2.1% [3]. Neurosurgical procedures, particularly aneurysm and arterio-venous malformation (AVM) surgery, entail a significant risk of ischaemia. Given the large number of patients who undergo these procedures, the ‘at-risk’ population is substantial. This has fostered a considerable amount of interest in not only evaluating measures designed to prevent cerebral ischaemia but also in identifying anaesthetic agents that might decrease the brain’s vulnerability to ischaemia.
Oxidative Removal of Organic Binders from Injection-molded Ceramics

Binder removal is a key operation in successful ceramic injection-molding. After investigating some alternative approaches to binder removal, we have concluded that oxidative degradation is still the most viable approach. From a series of experiments, we have been able to establish the temperature- and time-dependent degradation behavior of a polyethylene and silicon nitride mix. Also, we have determined the amount of volatiles as a function of temperature. Combining this information, we have put forward a binder removal scheme for this mix. It is apparent from our investigation that the lower removal time and better control over flaws during binder removal are critically dependent on some understanding of the mechanism involved. It is essential to know, on the one hand, the amount and composition of the volatile and nonvolatile products of decomposition and, on the other hand, the rates and orders of reactions involved in the oxidative degradation process. Reactions resulting in oxidative degradation are not identical for all polymers; they vary with chemical structure of the polymers and with the conditions at which oxidation occurs. Therefore, the scheme presented in this paper should be treated as case-specific, and the scheme should be modified with changing binder formulation as well as with shape and size of the component.
Loop numbers of knots

In the paper, we introduce the concept of loop numbers of knot diagrams and we show that loop numbers are knot invariants for a large family of alternating knots. We also discuss relationships of l...