cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Responses of the Human Gut Escherichia coli Population to Pathogen and Antibiotic Disturbances

ABSTRACT Studies of Escherichia coli in the human gastrointestinal tract have focused on pathogens, such as diarrhea-causing enterotoxigenic E. coli (ETEC), while overlooking the resident, nonpathogenic E. coli community. Relatively few genomes of nonpathogenic E. coli strains are available for comparative genomic analysis, and the ecology of these strains is poorly understood. This study examined the diversity and dynamics of resident human gastrointestinal E. coli communities in the face of the ecological challenges presented by pathogen (ETEC) challenge, as well as of antibiotic treatment. Whole-genome sequences obtained from E. coli isolates from before, during, and after ETEC challenge were used in phylogenomic and comparative genomic analyses to examine the diversity of the resident E. coli communities, as well as the dynamics of the challenge strain, H10407, a well-studied ETEC strain (serotype O78:H11) that produces both heat-labile and heat-stable enterotoxins. ETEC failed to become the dominant E. coli clone in two of the six challenge subjects, each of whom exhibited limited or no clinical presentation of diarrhea. The E. coli communities of the remaining four subjects became ETEC dominant during the challenge but reverted to their original, subject-specific populations following antibiotic treatment, suggesting resiliency of the resident E. coli population following major ecological disruptions. This resiliency is likely due in part to the abundance of antibiotic-resistant ST131 E. coli strains in the resident populations. This report provides valuable insights into the potential interactions of members of the gastrointestinal microbiome and its responses to challenge by an external pathogen and by antibiotic exposure. IMPORTANCE Research on human-associated E. coli tends to focus on pathogens, such as enterotoxigenic E. coli (ETEC) strains, which are a leading cause of diarrhea in developing countries. However, the severity of disease caused by these pathogens is thought to be influenced by the microbiome. The nonpathogenic E. coli community that resides in the human gastrointestinal tract may play a role in pathogen colonization and disease severity and may become a reservoir for virulence and antibiotic resistance genes. Our study used whole-genome sequencing of E. coli before, during, and after challenge with an archetype ETEC isolate, H10407, and antibiotic treatment to explore the diversity and resiliency of the resident E. coli population in response to the ecological disturbances caused by pathogen invasion and antibiotic treatment.
The Political and Economic Consequences of Nationalist Protest in China: The 2012 Anti-Japanese Demonstrations

What are the consequences of nationalist unrest? This paper utilizes two original datasets, which cover 377 city-level anti-Japanese protests during the 2012 Senkaku/Diaoyu Island crisis and the careers of municipal leaders, to analyse the downstream effects of nationalist unrest at the subnational level. We find both political and economic consequences of China's 2012 protest demonstrations against Japan. Specifically, top Party leaders in cities that saw relatively spontaneous, early protests were less likely to be promoted to higher office, a finding that is consistent with the widely held but rarely tested expectation that social instability is punished in the Chinese Communist Party's cadre evaluation system. We also see a negative effect of nationalist protest on foreign direct investment (FDI) growth at the city level. However, the lower promotion rates associated with relatively spontaneous protests appear to arise through political rather than economic channels. By taking into account data on social unrest in addition to economic performance, these results add to existing evidence that systematic evaluation of leaders’ performance plays a major role in the Chinese political system. These findings also illuminate the dilemma that local leaders face in managing popular nationalism amid shifting national priorities.
Lithium in fluids from Paleozoic-aged reservoirs, Appalachian Plateau region, USA

Abstract This study presents the spatial distribution of a compilation of lithium (Li) and selected other dissolved species concentrations in saline fluids from oil and gas wells in western Pennsylvanian and eastern Ohio that are producing from Silurian- to Devonian-age formations. Lithium concentrations in the data set range from about 40 to 40,000 μmol kg−1 indicating water–rock reactions that added Li to the saline fluids. Chloride (Cl) concentrations range from about 160 to 5300 mmol kg−1, likely the result of different burial fluids (seawater or evaporated seawater), variable dilution with meteoric water and variable interaction with marine evaporites. The Li/Cl in these fluids is not constant, potentially indicating multiple sources of Li in addition to multiple origins of Cl. Lithium and the Li/Cl ratio generally decrease from east to west across the study area in four or five bands of similar Li or Li/Cl. Lithium and Li/Cl are not correlated with petroleum-production formation and are only generally correlated with depth. A few of the fluid samples have anomalously high Li and Li/Cl. These anomalous samples coincide in location with northwesterly trending salients of high vitrinite reflectance, suggesting that Li in this segment of the Appalachian Plateau Province may provide insight into paleoflow pathways in the region, indicating where hot, chemically evolved, saline fluids might have been driven to the northwest, upwards and out of the basin, during tectonism.
A Cultivar-Based Screening of Hops for Dextrin Degrading Enzymatic Potential

AbstractEnzymes in hops have recently been demonstrated to hydrolyze beer dextrins, produce fermentable sugars in finished beer, and pose significant safety and quality challenges for brewers. In a...
An incredible hoax that damages legitimate scholarship regarding social justice issues.

As the editor of a legitimate scholarly journal committed to the highest standard of publication ethics, I was horrified to read about an incredible hoax perpetrated by three conspirators who recen...
Comprehending Science Writing: The Promise of Dialogic Reading for Supporting Upper Elementary Deaf Students:

Dialogic reading is an instructional strategy that has shown promise for supporting the reading development of children both with and without disabilities. Specifically, there may be positive effec...
Data-driven state space reconstruction of mobility on demand systems for sizing-rebalancing analysis

Computer-supported scenario analysis is a fundamental practice in urban planning in which a decision-maker formulates a question and a computer model simulates the hypothetical scenario for subsequent assessment. This paper concentrates on scenario analysis for sizing and rebalancing tradeoffs for mobility on demand (MoD) systems. Developing such models is challenging because trip patterns are by definition random while rebalancing patterns require first solving routing, a computationally intractable problem even for medium-sized systems. Using Boston's bike sharing system as a case, we present a novel approach based on reconstructing accumulation dynamics, showing that, independently of system or trip pattern characteristics, vehicle mass in MoD systems moves periodically between two types of locations and accumulates between two other types of locations. Following this, we present a method to build data-driven system dynamics macromodels that allow decision makers to interactively explore scenarios like: by how much will traffic, fleet, or parking requirements change for a marginal change in rebalancing work?
Radioembolization-Induced Chronic Hepatotoxicity: A Single-Center Cohort Analysis.

Abstract Purpose To identify and characterize the delayed effects of transarterial radioembolization (TARE) on the liver. Materials and Methods A single-institution retrospective analysis was undertaken of all patients who received TARE between 2005 and 2014 and survived at least 1 year from the initial TARE (n = 106). Patients were evaluated for the presence or absence of radioembolization-induced chronic hepatotoxicity (RECHT) occurring at least 6 months after TARE. The mean age of patients was 63 years of age, and the malignancy most commonly treated was neuroendocrine tumor (54%). Adjudication of hepatic decompensation to RECHT versus alternative causes was performed by a multidisciplinary panel of specialists from hepatology, radiation oncology, and interventional radiology. Results Eight patients were excluded from analysis because of liver transplantation (2) or incomplete data (6). RECHT occurred in 13 of 98 patients (13%), and 5 deaths (5%) occurred from hepatic decompensation. There were a total of 69 toxicity events in patients developing RECHT. The most common events were elevation of alkaline phosphatase (10), decrease in serum albumin (10), and development of ascites (9). RECHT patients had a higher intrahepatic tumor volume (P = .021) and a higher number of hepatic comorbidities leading to cirrhosis (P = .015). Conclusions Delayed radiation-induced hepatic toxicity occurred in 13% of patients following radioembolization, with 5 fatalities adjudicated to be a result of the treatment. Tumor involvement of greater than 50% of the liver and cirrhosis were predisposing factors for RECHT.
The Corruption Game: Health Systems, International Agencies, and the State in South Asia

Drawing on ethnographic material collected in Pakistan, India, and Nepal, this article analyzes patterns of corruption in vaccination programs in South Asia. Corrupt practices-which required substantial work-were deeply shaped by both the money and systems of accountability of the global health system. Bilateral and multilateral donors provided substantial funding for immunization programs across South Asia. International agencies and governments instituted systems of accountability, including documentation requirements and a parallel UN bureaucracy in problematic districts, to try to ensure that health workers did what they wanted. Some immunization program staff skillfully bent these systems of accountability to their own ends, diverting vaccination funding into their own pockets. Corruption operates not in opposition to the official rules, but in spaces opened up by them. These practices sometimes transform Weber's rational bureaucracy into a sophisticated game with many players, whose aims are more complex than the stated goals of the bureaucracy.
Lithuanian architecture and urbanism: essays in history and aesthetics: by Almantas Samalavičius, Newcastle upon Tyne, Cambridge Scholars Publishing, 2019, 210 pp., £61.99, ISBN 978-1-5275-2228-2

This collection of twelve essays is actually about the architecture and urbanism of Vilnius, not of Lithuania as a whole. Chapter titles such as ‘The Vanishing Genius Loci of Vilnius,’ ‘Vilnius Urb...
Team Bingo: A Game that Increases Physical Activity and Social Interaction for Seniors in a Community Setting

In the United States, the community center is one of the essential resources for seniors by providing seniors programs and services, such as meals, information, transportation, and recreation. For seniors, it is necessary to have a good social network and continuous physical activities to maintain good overall health. Currently, although some older adults depend on community centers to meet these needs, they still sometimes feel less connected with others. In this paper, we design the game, Team Bingo, that aims to reduce social isolation and increase physical activity among seniors in a community setting.
P57 Coalition-Based School Gardening and Nutrition Education through SNAP-Ed

Objective To implement coalition-based gardening and nutrition education with tasting activities to increase willingness to eat fruits and vegetables to address youth obesity rates. Use of Theory or Research Studies show children are more likely to eat fruits and vegetables when they participate in growing and harvesting. Increased intake of fruits and vegetables has been shown to be associated with reduced risk of weight gain and overweight or obesity. A plan was created to use gardening and nutrition education with tasting activities to increase willingness to eat fruits and vegetables. Target Audience Students in SNAP-Ed eligible schools. Program Description University of Arkansas, Division of Agriculture, Cooperative Extension Service (UACES) and Cleveland County Childhood Obesity Prevention Committee collaborated to implement nutrition and gardening education with tasting activities to encourage increases in student willingness to consume fruit and vegetables in 2 school districts. Arkansas Farm Bureau funded raised beds for each elementary grade. Master Gardeners helped with installation. UACES provided Whole Kids Foundation School Garden Lesson Plans. UACES Agriculture and FCS Agents developed Constant Contact newsletters for teachers containing schedules, recipes, photos, and success stories. UACES assisted with hands-on education in the garden. School cafeteria staff implemented UACES Arkansas Foods curriculum, which provides lessons, tasting activities, and parent newsletters for Arkansas-grown foods. Students planted strawberries, cabbage, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, zucchini, cucumbers, and more. At 1 school, students grew more than 300 pounds of sweet potatoes, cured, and tasted them in the cafeteria. Evaluation Methods Students completed tasting surveys. Teachers were surveyed on student behaviors. Results Eighty percent of students surveyed reported liking sweet potatoes they tasted. Teacher surveys show 72% reported increased student willingness to eat fruits and vegetables. Conclusions Students increased willingness to eat fruits and vegetables, based on student tasting surveys and teacher observation of student behavior. Programming will continue in future years to sustain behavior change, with the goal of decreasing obesity rates.
Giving Voice to Aspirations: Engaging African American Parents With Children With Disabilities:

African American children and youth are disproportionately represented in special education, school suspensions, expulsion, and the school-to-prison pipeline. Research indicates that increasing the...
Data-driven computational modeling predicts "superhubs" play key role in epileptic dynamics.

How individual neurons influence epileptic networks remains an open question. In this issue of Neuron, Hadjiabadi et al. (2021) use data-driven, computational models to predict the presence of "superhubs": highly connected neurons that drive network activity through feedforward motifs.
Cannabis vaping among adults in the United States: Prevalence, trends, and association with high-risk behaviors and adverse respiratory conditions.

Abstract The e-cigarette or vaping product-use-associated lung injury outbreak in the United States has raised concerns about the potential health effects of cannabis vaping, a method of cannabis use that is becoming increasingly popular. We used 2017–2019 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System data to estimate yearly prevalence and trends of past-30-day cannabis use and vaping among US adults. We used multivariable logistic regression to evaluate the associations of cannabis vaping with high-risk behaviors, asthma, and other respiratory symptoms. Our sample size was 160,209 (53,945–2017; 55,475–2018; and 50,789–2019). Past-30-day cannabis use prevalence increased from 10.0% (95% CI, 9.4%–10.7%) in 2017 to 13.4% (12.8%–12.0%) in 2019. Similarly, past-30-day cannabis vaping prevalence increased from 1.0% (0.8%–1.2%) to 2.0% (1.7%–2.2%) over the same period, with the greatest increase, 1.2% to 3.9%, observed among young adults (18-24 years). Individuals who vaped cannabis were more likely to concurrently vape nicotine. Cannabis vaping was associated with increased odds of heavy alcohol use (aOR, 1.95; 95% CI, 1.45–2.63), binge drinking (aOR, 2.82; 95% CI, 2.25–3.54), and other high-risk behaviors (aOR, 2.47; 95% CI, 1.89–3.24). In analyses adjusting for sociodemographic characteristics and body mass index, cannabis vaping was not associated with asthma (aOR, 1.03; 95% CI, 0.64–1.64) or other respiratory symptoms (aOR, 1.08; 95% CI, 0.44–2.63). Adjusting for nicotine vaping did not substantively alter these associations. The prevalence of past-30-day cannabis vaping has increased, particularly among young adults, and was associated with high-risk behaviors. Although there was no association between cannabis vaping and asthma or other respiratory symptoms, the increasing trends of cannabis vaping, particularly among young adults, raise concern and underscore the need for continued surveillance.
Age-specific survivorship analysis of Heliothis spp. Populations on cotton

Population dynamics ofHeliothis virescens (F.) andHeliothis zea (Boddie) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) eggs and larvae were studied for two years in a small plot of cotton,Gossypium hirsutum (L.). Due to morphological and ecological similarities, the pooledHeliothis population was considered for most of the analyses. Two generations ofHeliothis eggs and larvae were completed during each year. Stage recruitment was estimated for the eggs and larval instars 2–6, and recruitment variances were estimated by a Monte Carlo method. A modified form of the Weibull distribution was developed and used as a model to characterize survivorship curves for each of the fourHeliothis generations. A Type I survivorship curve (mortality rate increasing with age) was inferred for both Generation 1 (early season) data sets, whereas a Type II survivorship curve (mortality rate constant and thus independent of age) was inferred for both Generation 2 (late season) data sets. The shapes of the survivorship curves for the individualH. virescens andH. zea populations were inferred to be the same as those for the pooled populations. Analysis of the contributions of various factors toHeliothis stage-specific mortality indicated that natural enemies (predators and parasites) and the availability of food for larvae were responsible for between-generation differences in survivorship patterns.
Space Power and the Progression of Manned Space Flight Requirements

Manned space mission requirements and application of space power technology to multipurpose space stations, noting operation of Pu-238 isotope/ Brayton cycle unit
Determinants of Fertility in the United States

This study provides a panel data analysis of the key determinants of statewide fertility rates in the United States for the period 1994-2011. It looks into the effects of immigration, child tax credit law, maternity leave or short-term disability payments, wages, unemployment rate, labor force participation, and urbanization on fertility. My model finds that urbanization, immigration, and child tax credits are important determinants of fertility in the US.
Does histology predict outcome for malignant vascular tumors of the liver

Background and Objectives Malignant vascular tumors (MVT) of the liver are uncommon and poorly understood. We hypothesized that tumor histology is a predominant factor associated with survival in these tumors. Methods Patients with malignant histopathologic diagnoses of hepatic angiosarcoma (AS), hemangioendothelioma (HE) and its epithelioid variant (EHE), or hemangiopericytoma (HP) were identified using the SEER database (1973–2007). Overall survival (OS) was studied with Kaplan–Meier curves. Results We included 297 patients with MVT (207 AS, 28 HE, 56 EHE, 6 HP). All tumors demonstrated metastatic potential, although EHE and AS had the highest rate of regional or distant metastases (75% each). Patients with AS had the shortest median OS (1 month), however, those undergoing surgery had improved survival (6 months). Three patients with AS underwent liver transplant and lived for 11, 21, and 91 months each. Patients with EHE had the longest overall median survival of 75 months (30–183, P < 0.001). Surgical resection and transplant did not demonstrate an improvement in OS of patients with EHE in multivariable models. Conclusions Histology is an important factor in determining survival for patients with hepatic MVT. Patients with EHE have the longest OS, whereas patients with AS have shorter survival but may benefit from surgery. J. Surg. Oncol. 2014 109:483–486. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Prevention of iatrogenic ureteral injuries during robotic gynecologic surgery: a review

Iatrogenic ureteral injuries, more than half of which occur during gynecologic surgery, may have devastating consequences for both patients and physicians. Gynecologists have employed various techniques such as cystoscopy, ureteral stents, and lighted ureteral stents to prevent ureteral injuries. The emergence and increasing prevalence of robotic surgery necessitates that we not only reevaluate the utility of these techniques, but also develop new ones specific for the robotic modality. In the robotic setting, the surgeon lacks tactile feedback and must rely primarily on visual cues. The use of intraureteral indocyanine green and subsequent visualization under near-infrared fluorescence appears to be a promising technique to primarily and secondarily prevent ureteral injuries during robotic gynecologic surgery.
Social Media as an Innovation - The Case of Twitter

Social media services such as Twitter and YouTube are offering unprecedented opportunities for ordinary people to access a huge amount of content and to publish their own content for a global audience. The key innovation of these services, however, is not technological, rather, it's about recognizing and connecting people's need for information and attention. To better understand this, we model a social media environment as an economy where consumption of content means supply of attention and consumption of attention is through supply of content. Both the supply of content and the supply of attention involve investment of time, hence time is money in this economy. We show that as the population in this economy grows large, there exists an attention wage for content production and the segmentation of the population is neatly characterized. Surprisingly, if users' utility functions satisfy a certain linearity condition and the population size is large enough, then with probability 1, users will self-select into either the group of content producers or the group of content consumers, resulting in a perfect division of labor. Moreover, the macro-level content consumption and production of such partition equilibrium is stable, suggesting the sustainability of the social media.Based on our model and a massive collection of data from Twitter, we propose and test four hypotheses, and the statistical results give strong support to our theory. This paper gives important insights into the unique innovation of recent social media services like Twitter and YouTube. It also provides a new perspective on the free-riding phenomenon in many large social media sites.
Design of a highly parallel IEEE standard floating point unit: the Cyrix 83D87 coprocessor

Summary form only given. The author describes a highly parallel integrated floating point multiply/divide/square root unit which can achieve optimal speedup with regards to the typical O(n/sup 2/) implementation cost of these operations. The core is a redundant binary adder tree realizing a rectangular aspect ratio multiplier. The author shows that an optimal aspect ratio for such a rectangular aspect ratio multiplier is log n to 1, in that O(n/sup 2//log n) bit level processors can then be employed in parallel to realize the product of two n bit numbers in O(log n) time. He describes new divide and square root algorithms employing the concept of a 'short reciprocal' to exploit the features of such a rectangular aspect ratio multiplier. The incorporation of these algorithms in the design of an IEEE standard floating point unit is discussed. The realization of these techniques in the implementation of the IEEE standard Cyrix 83D87 coprocessor is described. >
IN‐SITU MORPHOLOGY AND OCCURRENCE OF EUCARYOTIC PHOTOTROPHS OF BACTERIAL SIZE IN THE PICOPLANKTON OF ESTUARINE AND OCEANIC WATERS1

Concentrates of the picoplankton (0.2–2.0 μm) sized fraction from the euphotic zone of estuarine and oceanic waters were examined by transmission electron microscopy. In addition to the numerous phototrophic procaryotes (chroococcoid cyanobacteria) previously reported, small phototrophic eucaryotes were observed in 20 of 25 samples examined. Micromonas pusilla (Butcher) Manton and Parks, a 1 × 1.5 μm flagellate, was abundant in estuarine samples in summer. Similar sized cells of non-flagellated chlorophytes, either Nannochloris Naumann or Chlorella Beijerinck, were observed sporadically in many samples. The most ubiquitous microalga was a scaled, non-flagellated prasinophyte that occurred at 9 of 15 different locations on 15 of 20 sampling dates in water samples from Iceland to the Caribbean Sea, This tiny alga (0.5 to 1.0 μm in diam.) is probably the smallest known photo-trophic eucaryote and has not heretofore been described. Enrichment cultures using conventional techniques on several cruises yielded only the Chlorella-type of green alga, as well as numerous isolates of unicellular chroococcoid cyanobacteria.
Spectropolarimetry and the physical structure of proto-planetary nebulae

Optical spectropolarimetry and spectrophotometry are presented of the two bipolar nebulae GL 618 and M2-9. A comparison of the polarization in the emission lines and the continuum is used to construct geometrical and physical models for each object. It is found that the forbidden lines arise largely in the visible nebulae, whereas the permitted lines are formed in a central high-density region and are scattered with the stellar continuum by dust grains in the lobes. Condensations are found to be an important component of the lobes, reinforcing the view that these bipolars represent a very early phase in the life of a planetary nebula.
Sentinel node biopsy after neoadjuvant chemotherapy for breast cancer.

Abstract Background: After neoadjuvant chemotherapy, while results of sentinel node biopsy (SNB) are encouraging, conditions that may affect sentinel node (SN) detection and false negative rates with respect to clinical and pathological tumor response after neoadjuvant therapy require investigation. Methods: Thirty-four patients with clinical stage I, II and IIIA invasive breast cancer underwent neoadjuvant chemotherapy with doxorubicin/cyclophosphamide or doxorubicin/cyclophosphamide and docetaxel/segmental resection, SNB, and axillary node dissection (AND). Results: SNs were found in 31 of 34 patients (91.2%). SNs were found in 20 of 21 patients (95.2%) with complete clinical tumor response, it was positive in 40% and no false negatives occurred. SNs were found in 11 of 13 patients (84.6%) with partial or no clinical tumor response; in four patients (33%) the SN was positive and no false negative nodes were found. Seven patients had complete pathological tumor response. SNs were found in six of these patients (85.7%). The SN was positive in 1 of 6 patients (16.7%) with no false negative. In 25 of 27 patients (92%) with partial or no pathological tumor response, the SN was identified. Eleven of these patients (44%) had positive nodes with no false negatives. Conclusions: SN identification rate and accuracy after neoadjuvant chemotherapy for breast carcinoma were extremely good however there is potential for inaccuracy after less than complete pathological tumor response. Further evaluation of SNB in larger clinical trial is warranted prior to accepting this approach as a standard care.
Evidence That Cell Toxicity May Contribute to the Genotoxic Response

Comparisons of the structural determinants associated with genotoxic effects with those associated with cell or systemic toxicity indicate extensive overlaps. These findings can be taken to indicate that toxicity may contribute to genotoxicity.
Assessment of Agri-Environmental Externalities at Regional Levels in Finland

This study used a synthetic evaluation method to assess agri-environmental externalities at the regional level in Finland. The article developed a relative measure that made it possible to rank the 15 regions studied for seven agri-environmental indicators, which were based on the preferences of the evaluators. The results indicated significant differences in the provision of public goods between the regions. The provision of public goods tended to increase over the 10-year study period. The results were robust with respect to changes in preferences.
Utility of interphase FISH to stratify patients into cytogenetic risk categories at diagnosis of AML in an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) clinical trial (E1900).

We evaluated the efficacy of FISH to detect chromosome anomalies in the evaluation of young (<60 years) patients with AML. Patients were enrolled in E1900, an ECOG clinical trial for AML. The protocol was designed to collect bone marrow or blood for both cytogenetic and FISH studies at study entry (diagnosis). FISH for each patient was performed and utilized eight probe sets to detect t(8;21), t(9;22), t(11;var), t(15;17), inv(16), +8, −5/5q, and −7/7q. We analyzed 237 specimens with complete cytogenetic and FISH results. Results for each specimen were classified by probe set into one of six categories. The concordance rate between cytogenetic and FISH results ranged from 98 to 100% for all probe sets and kappa analysis for concordance had a p-value of <0.0001. The high level of agreement between cytogenetic and FISH results demonstrate the accuracy of a panel of eight FISH probe sets for the detection of significant abnormalities in AML. Data from this investigation support the use of FISH as an adjunct method to increase the yield of useful cytogenetic results in large cooperative trials and demonstrate the potential of FISH as a follow-up study of minimal residual disease in ECOG trials.
In vivo morphometric analysis of muscle microcirculation in dystrophic mice.

In order to test the vascular hypothesis of muscular dystrophy, the gracilis muscle in 6hyphen; to 7hyphen;weekhyphen;old C57BL/6Jhyphen;dy2J normal and dystrophic mice was studied using in vivo quantitative morphometric techniques to determine the total length and surface area of capillaries in which blood was flowing per unit volume of muscle. Individual capillary lengths, diameters, and red blood cell velocities were also quantified. During resting conditions, the capillary density (length per unit volume of muscle) and surface area are increased significantly in dystrophic muscle compared to normal muscle. Under fully vasodilated conditions, the capillary density and surface area are similar in normal and dystrophic muscle. Individual capillary lengths, diameters, and red blood cell velocities are also similar in normal and dystrophic muscle under resting conditions. These results indicate that, contrary to the vascular hypothesis, dystrophic muscle at rest has increased capillary density, surface area, and blood flow. It is postulated that the increased capillary density in dystrophic muscle at rest is secondary to muscle fiber breakdown.
Patellofemoral contact pressures exceed the compressive yield strength of UHMWPE in total knee arthroplasties

Abstract To address mechanisms involved in wear and permanent deformation of patellofemoral components in total knee arthroplasties, a previously reported knee joint loading model and pressure-sensitive film were used to measure patellofemoral contact areas and pressures in human cadaver knee joints after implantation with six different total knee joint designs. The joints were tested at three different Q angles (physiologic, −10°, and +10°) and four different flexion angles (30°, 60°, 90°, and 120°). Patellofemoral contact areas at normal Q angles ranged from 0.13 to 0.68 cm 2 and increased with flexion angle up to 90°. These contact areas differed significantly with flexion angle but not with Q angle. Variations in contact area with type of knee system were only marginally significant ( P
An Evaluation of the UAM-V Predicted Concentrations of Carbon Monoxide and Reactive Nitrogen Compounds over the Eastern United States during Summer 1995

While there is a clear need to evaluate a photochemical model's ability in predicting not only the concentrations of O3, but also precursors and other trace species, many previous studies have focused only on the assessment of During the 1995 summer season, in addition to the routine monitoring of criteria pollutants, several research-oriented monitoring campaigns were conducted over the eastern United States, providing an extensive database of reactive nitrogen compounds, CO, and speciated hydrocarbon data. In this study, we examine the ability of a photochemical modeling system, RAMS/ UAM-V, to reproduce the measured concentrations of CO, NO2, and NOy over the region during the summer of 1995. The results demonstrate that there is agreement between modeled and measured seasonal average concentrations of NO2, both at the routine and research monitors. The same is true for NOy, but to a lesser degree. However, the model is found to significantly underpredict CO for the routine monitors in comparison to the research monitors.
Direct Numerical Simulation of EHD-Enhanced Film Boiling

In applications involving boiling in micro-devices or under microgravity conditions it is extremely desirable to enhance the heat transfer rate to increase the efficiency of these systems. Here, a possible mechanism is to increase the convective effects by application of an electric field on the bulk of the fluid. While the enhancement of heat and mass transfer by electric field has been known for decades, a fundamental understanding of the problem is still lacking, primarily due to the difficulties in conduct of experimental studies. Direct Numerical Simulations (DNS) opens up enormous possibilities for detailed understanding of EHD-enhanced film boiling. Such simulations can make it possible to capture the dynamics of the boiling flows. Here, we present a front tracking/finite difference algorithm, in conjunction with a leaky-dielectric electrohydrodynamic (EHD) model, to study EHD-enhanced film boiling on horizontal surfaces. According to this study, the bubble shape and its frequency of release are highly dependent on the dielectric properties of fluid, and electric field strength. Our results show an improvement of about 50% in the Nu number over that of the regular boiling in the range of parameters that are explored here.© 2008 ASME
Valence photoisomerization of 1-ethoxycarbonyl-1 H-azepine: excited state energetics and multiplicity

Abstract : Photolysis of 1-ethoxycarbonyl-1H-azepine in solution at 325-385 nm gives a valence isomer with a quantum efficiency of 0.013. Valence photoisomerization cannot be driven with triplet photosensitizers nor can it be quenched by a triplet quenchers. The isomerization can be carried out using laser excitation at 458 nm. The azepine does not luminescence, but excited state energies can be estimated from absorption and sensitization data (s1 = 60 kcal/ mol, T1 = 55 kcal/mol).
Autonomous, agile micro-satellites and supporting technologies

This paper updates the on-going effort at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory to develop autonomous, agile micro-satellites (MicroSats). The objective of this development effort is to develop MicroSats weighing only a few tens of kilograms, that are able to autonomously perform precision maneuvers and can be used telerobotically in a variety of mission modes. The required capabilities include satellite rendezvous, inspection, proximity-operations, docking, and servicing. The MicroSat carries an integrated proximity-operations sensor-suite incorporating advanced avionics. A new self-pressurizing propulsion system utilizing a miniaturized pump and non-toxic mono-propellant hydrogen peroxide was successfully tested. This system can provide a nominal 25 kg MicroSat with 200-300 m/s delta-v including a warm-gas attitude control system. The avionics is based on the latest PowerPC processor using a CompactPCI bus architecture, which is modular, high-performance and processor-independent. This leverages commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) technologies and minimizes the effects of future changes in processors. The MicroSat software development environment uses the Vx-Works real-time operating system (RTOS) that provides a rapid development environment for integration of new software modules, allowing early integration and test. We will summarize results of recent integrated ground flight testing of our latest non-toxic pumped propulsion MicroSat testbed vehicle operated on our unique dynamic air-rail.
The differential effects of omission and extinction following DRL pretraining

The present study attempted to compare the response-elimination efficiencies of omission and extinction training following DRL 20-sec pretraining. Results indicated that omission training produced relatively more rapid and more complete response elimination than extinction training.
Mixed-Mode Fatigue Crack Propagation of Penny-Shaped Cracks

A 3D penny shaped crack under combined tensile and shear loadings is analyzed. The assumptions of Dugdale are applied to estimate the effects of plasticity around the edge of the crack. The solution for mode I tensile loading is well established within the context of the Dugdale assumptions, and for the case of shear loading, approximate results are derived for the yield ring width and crack sliding displacements, with the assumptions similar in form to the mode I case
Why joe camel is still smiling

Smoked: why Joe Camel is still smiling. Mike A Males. Monroe, Maine: Common Courage Press, 1999. ISBN 1-56751-172-4. This provocative book is a critique of the anti-tobacco campaign in the USA in the 1990s. At the beginning of the decade, Males writes, the industry was in retreat. After several years of dealing with C Everett Koop, the most effective surgeon general in history, the industry was faced with the prospect of a smoke free society by the year 2000. In 1990, according to Males, smoking rates among adults and young people were declining. But by decade's end, available data showed that adult prevalence had not changed much since 1990. Prevalence in adolescents, at least as measured by school surveys, was higher in 1997 than in 1992. Further, in 1998 the industry had negotiated a settlement that was, quoting Stan Glantz, “one of the biggest con jobs in the history of the world” (page 2). Worse yet, Males' laments, the drives to decrease the social acceptability of smoking and provide increasingly more smoke-free indoor environments that highlighted the Koop era were replaced by efforts to reduce the initiation of smoking by young people. Males writes that the industry's role in the turnaround of its fortunes was “merely opportunistic,” and instead blames two forces for the unfavourable developments of the 1990s. He …
Minimizing adsorption of proteins on fused silica in capillary zone electrophoresis by the addition of alkali metal salts to the buffers

Abstract A method for minimizing the adsorption of proteins on fused-silica capillaries in capillary zone electrophoresis has been devised, involving the use of K + concentrations of 0.3 M and above in the operating buffer. The increased ionic strength results in a competition between K + and proteins for cation-exchange sites on the silica surface. The resulting increase in conductivity requires the use of lower voltages and capillaries of smaller diameter to allow adequate heat dissipation. With a voltage of 5 kV applied to a 50-cm capillary filled with a buffer of pH 9 containing 0.25 M potassium sulfate, a separation of five proteins was obtained. Two of these protein bands adsorbed irreversibly without added salt, but showed no apparent adsorption in the presence of 0.25 M potassium sulfate.
Cardiac Progenitor Cells Engineered With βARKct Have Enhanced β-Adrenergic Tolerance

Stem cell survival and retention in myocardium after injury following adoptive transfer is low. Elevated catecholamine levels coinciding with myocardial injury adversely affect cardiac progenitor cell (CPC) survival. The G protein-coupled receptor kinase 2 (GRK2)-derived inhibitory peptide, βARKct, enhance myocyte contractility, survival, and normalize the neurohormonal axis in failing heart, however salutary effects of βARKct on CPC survival and proliferation are unknown. Herein, we investigated whether the protective effects of βARKct expression seen in the failing heart relate to CPCs. Modified CPCs expressing βARKct enhanced AKT/eNOS signaling through protective β2-adrenergic receptors (β2-ARs). In addition, to the actions of βARKct expression on β2- AR signaling, pharmacologic inhibition of GRK2 also increased β2-AR signaling in nonengineered CPCs (lacking βARKct) but had limited effects in βARKct engineered CPCs providing evidence for the strength of the βARKct in inhibiting GRK2 in these cells. Increased proliferation and metabolic activity were observed in βARKct-engineered CPCs following catecholamine stimulation indicating improved adrenergic tolerance. βARKct modification of CPCs increased survival and proliferation following adoptive transfer in an acute myocardial infarction model concomitant with increased expression of β-AR. Thus, βARKct engineering of CPCs promotes survival and proliferation of injected cells following myocardial infarction, which includes improved β-adrenergic tolerance essential for stem cell survival.
Clustering by alcoholic Korsakoff patients

Abstract Twelve alcoholic Korsakoff patients and 12 alcoholic controls recalled two clusterable lists, and two nonclusterable lists. Korsakoff patients recalled more from the clusterable than the nonclusterable lists. Detailed analysis of the Korsakoff results indicate that while some forms of semantic organization are impaired, the ability to use associative structure remains intact.
Acute stress inhibits food intake and alters ghrelin signaling in the brain of tilapia (Oreochromis mossambicus)

This study investigated the effect of an acute stress on food intake and on the expression of neuropeptide Y (NPY), corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH), and ghrelin and its receptors, growth hormone secretagogue receptors (GHSRs) in the tilapia (Oreochromis mossambicus). Food intake was significantly (P < 0.01) reduced in fish after a 30-min crowding and handling stress. In a second group of animals exposed to the same 30-min stressor, tissue samples were collected immediately after the stressor to determine changes in the neuroendocrine regulators of food intake. Although CRH and NPY are considered the major mediators of appetite during stress, both mRNA levels were unaltered in the telencephalon/pre-optic area and in the hypothalamic/optic tectum. Interestingly, there was an elevation in the ghrelin transcript (P < 0.05) in the telencephalon/pre-optic area and elevation of its functional receptor (GHSR1a-LR) (P < 0.001) in the hypothalamic/optic tectum. Elevation of GHSR-LR heteronuclear RNA (P < 0.01) in the telencephalon/pre-optic area and suppression in the hypothalamic/optic tectum (P < 0.001) suggest rapid control of the ghrelin regulatory system in response to acute stress. These results suggest that ghrelin signaling is altered during acute stress. It is not clear if these changes result in altered feeding behavior because no changes in CRH or NPY mRNA expression were observed or if ghrelin is playing a role in regulating overall metabolic changes after acute stress.
Effects of temporal lobectomy on consciousness-impairing and consciousness-sparing seizures in children

Most children with medically refractory temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) become seizure free after temporal lobectomy, but some individuals continue to seize. As studies of temporal lobectomy typically focus on seizure freedom, the effect of surgery on seizure type and frequency among children with persistent seizures is poorly understood. Seizures which impair consciousness are associated with increased morbidity compared to consciousness-sparing seizures. A retrospective cohort study was performed to evaluate the effects of temporal lobectomy on seizure type and frequency in children with intractable TLE. Among 58 pediatric TLE patients with a mean (±SEM) age of 14.0 ± 0.7 years who received temporal lobectomy, 46 (79.3 %) individuals achieved an Engel class I seizure outcome, including 38 (65.5 %) children who became completely seizure free (Engel IA). Mean follow-up was 2.7 ± 0.4 years. While the number of patients experiencing simple partial seizures (SPSs) (consciousness sparing) decreased by only 23 % after surgery, the number of children having complex partial seizures and generalized tonic–clonic seizures (consciousness impairing) diminished by 87 and 83 %, respectively (p < 0.01). SPS was the predominant seizure type in only 11.3 % of patients before resection, but in 42.1 % of patients with postoperative seizures (p < 0.01). Children with postoperative seizures experienced a 70 % reduction in overall seizure frequency compared to baseline (p < 0.05), having consciousness-impairing seizures 94 % less frequently (p < 0.05), but having consciousness-sparing seizures 35 % more frequently (p = 0.73). Seizure type and frequency are important considerations in the medical and surgical treatment of children with epilepsy, although complete seizure freedom remains the ultimate goal.
Structure Estimation from Acoustic Reflection Measurements

A preliminary study of a unique approach to the determination of the structure of a medium from noisy normal-incidence acoustic reflection data is carried out. This approach employs a simple equal travel-time layer model for the medium, implemented by a state variable formalism. Structure determination is achieved by maximum-likelihood estimation of the parameters which define the system model, the reflection coefficients. The Cramer-Rao bound on estimation accuracy is derived for the model, and computed for two cases of practical interest. It is shown that physically significant conclusions may be drawn from the behavior of the bound. Monte Carlo tests are used to compare the noise sensitivity of this estimator with that of another estimator, which is based on the Wiener-Hopf integral equation. This latter estimator, although exact in the absence of noise, is found to be unstable when noise is present.
Tumor induction by heavy ionizing particles and X-rays in Arabidopsis

Abstract Irradiation of seeds with X-rays and with several accelerated heavy ions induced tumors in Arabidopsis plants. The type of tumor was macroscopically the same for each type of radiation. The dissimilarities in location and growth of tumors caused by X-rays vs. heavy ions were attributed to differences in depth-dose distribution. The heavy ionizing particle beams were adjusted so that the Bragg peak fell in the stem meristematic region of the seed embryo.
Elasticity of a filamentous kagome lattice

The diluted kagome lattice, in which bonds are randomly removed with probability 1-p, consists of straight lines that intersect at points with a maximum coordination number of 4. If lines are treated as semiflexible polymers and crossing points are treated as cross-links, this lattice provides a simple model for two-dimensional filamentous networks. Lattice-based effective-medium theories and numerical simulations for filaments modeled as elastic rods, with stretching modulus μ and bending modulus κ, are used to study the elasticity of this lattice as functions of p and κ. At p=1, elastic response is purely affine, and the macroscopic elastic modulus G is independent of κ. When κ=0, the lattice undergoes a first-order rigidity-percolation transition at p=1. When κ>0, G decreases continuously as p decreases below one, reaching zero at a continuous rigidity-percolation transition at p=p(b)≈0.605 that is the same for all nonzero values of κ. The effective-medium theories predict scaling forms for G, which exhibit crossover from bending-dominated response at small κ/μ to stretching-dominated response at large κ/μ near both p=1 and p(b), that match simulations with no adjustable parameters near p=1. The affine response as p→1 is identified with the approach to a state with sample-crossing straight filaments treated as elastic rods.