cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Multispecies conservation of freshwater fish assemblages in response to climate change in the southeastern United States

AIM: Streamflow and water temperature are primary variables influencing the distribution of freshwater taxa. Climate‐induced changes in these variables are already causing shifts in species distributions, with continued changes projected in the coming decades. The Mobile River Basin (MRB), located in the southeastern United States, contains some of the highest levels of temperate freshwater biodiversity in North America. We integrated species distribution data with contemporary and future streamflow and water temperature data as well as other physical habitat data to characterize occurrence probabilities of fish species in the MRB with the goal of identifying current and future areas of high conservation value. LOCATION: Mobile River Basin, southeastern United States. METHODS: We used a maximum entropy approach to estimate baseline and future occurrence probability distributions for 88 fish species in the MRB based on model‐generated streamflow and water temperature as well as geologic, topographic and land cover data. Areas of conservation prioritization were identified based on regions that contain suitable habitat for high levels of biodiversity according to baseline and future conditions while accounting for uncertainty associated with multiple future climate projections. RESULTS: On average, flow (28%), water temperature (28%) and geology (30%) contribute evenly to determining suitable habitat for fish species in the MRB. Based on baseline and future species distribution model estimates, high priority streams (best 10%) are largely concentrated in the eastern portion of the MRB, with a majority (51%) located within the Coosa and Tallapoosa River systems. MAIN CONCLUSION: We provide a framework that uses relevant hydrologic and environmental data in the context of future climatic uncertainty to estimate areas of freshwater conservation opportunity in the coming decades. While streamflow and water temperature represent important habitat for freshwater fishes in the MRB, distributions are also constrained by other aspects of the physical environment.
Analysis of Neutral position, Magnet – Spacer of Tubular Permanent Magnet Linear generator for FPE applications

Linear generator has been studied in detail for the past decade for several applications such as free piston engines (FPE), hybrid vehicles and wave energy technologies. Effects of different parameters of the linear generator such as the neutral position, and magnet thickness vs spacers of the translator in the linear generator have not been studied in detail. This paper attempts to study the effects of these different parameters using FEMM for a given linear generator and use these results to build a linear generator for a free piston engine applications. For the study, 1KW linear generator is designed, modeled and tested with these different machine parameters. Later the results obtained from the FEMM simulations have been analyzed and studied and the best design options for FPE application have been proposed.
Identification of affine dynamical systems from a single trajectory

For dynamical systems of the form $\dot{x} = Ax + c$, with $x(0)=b$, henceforth called affine systems, we study the problem of determining system parameters $A, c$ from data derived from a single trajectory. We establish necessary and sufficient conditions for identifiability of parameters from either a full trajectory or a set of discrete data points sampled from a single trajectory, expressed as geometrical conditions on the trajectory. We describe conditions under which the system has an equilibrium point and examine the problem of identifiability of the equilibrium point from data. We briefly examine the analytical upper and lower bounds for the maximal permissible uncertainty that will guarantee an inverse with specified qualitative properties of the resulting system (e.g., stability, spirality, and so on). Finally, we illustrate the application of the theory to parameter estimation for a class of nonlinear systems consisting of linear-in-parameters systems and demonstrate that affine approximations can yield more accurate estimates of parameter values than those based on finite differences.
Climate’s cascading effects on disease, predation, and hatching success in Anaxyrus canorus, the threatened Yosemite toad

Abstract The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service listed Anaxyrus canorus, the Yosemite toad, as federally threatened in 2014 based upon reported population declines and vulnerability to global-change factors. A. canorus lives only in California’s central Sierra Nevada at medium to sub-alpine elevations. Lands throughout its range are protected from development, but climate and other global-change factors potentially can limit populations. A. canorus reproduces in ultra-shallow wetlands that typically hydrate seasonally via melting of the winter snowpack. Lesser snowpacks in drier years can render wetland water volumes and hydroperiods insufficient to allow for successful breeding and reproduction. Additionally, breeding and embryogenesis occur very soon after wetlands thaw when overnight temperatures can be below freezing. Diseases, such as chytridiomycosis, which recently decimated regional populations of ranid species, also might cause declines of A. canorus populations. However, reported studies focused on whether climate interacts with any pathogens to affect fitness in A. canorus have been scarce. We investigated effects of these factors on A. canorus near Tioga Pass from 1996 to 2001. We found breeding subpopulations were distributed widely but inconsistently among potentially suitable wetlands and frequently consisted of small numbers of adults. We occasionally observed small but not alarming numbers of dead adults at breeding sites. In contrast, embryo mortality often was notably high, with the majority of embryos dead in some egg masses while mortality among coincidental Pseudacris regilla (Pacific treefrog) embryos in deeper water was lower. After sampling and experimentation, we concluded that freezing killed A. canorus embryos, especially near the tops of egg masses, which enabled Saprolegnia diclina (a water mold [Oomycota]) to infect and then spread through egg masses and kill more embryos, often in conjunction with predatory flatworms (Turbellaria spp.). We also concluded exposure to ultraviolet-B radiation did not play a role. Based upon our assessments of daily minimum temperatures recorded around snow-off during years before and after our field study, the freezing potential we observed at field sites during embryogenesis might have been commonplace beyond the years of our field study. However, interactions among snow quantity, the timing of snow-off, and coincidental air temperatures that determine such freezing potential make projections of future conditions highly uncertain, despite overall warming trends. Our results describe important effects from ongoing threats to the fitness and abundance of A. canorus via reduced reproduction success and demonstrate how climate conditions can exacerbate effects from pathogens to threaten the persistence of amphibian populations.
Memory-based Arbiter PUF: A Novel Highly Reliable and Scalable Strong PUF Design

While Physically Unclonable Functions (PUFs) are finding a foothold in many commercial hardware platforms as an alternative secure key storage primitive. PUFs are yet to be employed as primitives that can offer secure authentication. Strong PUFs, which are required for authentication protocols due to their large challenge-response space, suffer from reduced output reliability. In this work, we present a novel Memory-based Arbiter PUF design where we combine the benefits of Weak PUFs’ high reliability with the exponential challenge-response space of the Strong Arbiter PUFs. The introduced design is a unique and novel approach where the Arbiter PUF is implemented as an arithmetic module while its entropy is stored as a memory in a reliable Weak PUF circuit. The introduced design offers the high reliability of Weak PUFs and the security and exponential challenge space of Strong PUF circuits as implementation and testing results show.
Abnormal cholesterol metabolism underlies relative adrenal insufficiency in decompensated cirrhosis.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS Relative adrenal insufficiency (RAI) in patients with cirrhosis is associated with increased mortality. Although the pathogenesis of RAI remains unclear, disordered cholesterol metabolism may contribute. METHODS We performed a prospective cohort study of 96 non-critically ill subjects with decompensated cirrhosis at a tertiary care centre. Subjects were administered 250 µcg cosyntropin, with RAI defined as an increase in total cortisol <9 µg/dL. High-density lipoprotein (HDL) levels and serum cholesterol esterification percentage (%CE), a validated surrogate marker of lecithin-cholesterol acyltransferase (LCAT) activity, were measured to assess the relationship between disordered cholesterol metabolism and the presence of RAI. Subjects were followed until death, liver transplantation or a maximum of 6 months. RESULTS Subjects with RAI had decreased levels of HDL (18 vs 29 mg/dL, P < .01) and %CE (64% vs 66%, P = .03). Correlation was seen between HDL and %CE (r = 0.7, R2 = 0.49; P < .01) and each integer decrease in %CE predicted an approximately 2% increase in the probability of RAI. Transplant-free survival was reduced in subjects with RAI at both 6 months (43% vs 71%, P = .01) and 90 days (54% vs 81%, P < .01). CONCLUSIONS Disruption in cholesterol metabolism contributes to the development of RAI in cirrhosis, as decreased LCAT activity leads to reduced HDL trafficking to the adrenal gland.
Growing Convergence: The Limited Role of Antitrust in Standard Essential Patent Disputes

In the last couple of years, the United States Department of Justice (“DOJ”) and several European countries have reversed previous interventionist decisions and limited the role of antitrust in the resolution of disputes concerning Standard Essential Patent (“SEPs”). These jurisdictions recognize the need to protect intellectual property rights (“IPRs”) by making available injunctions against infringers. Courts have realized that hold-up by a patent holder demanding excessive royalties is not a widespread problem and that patent implementers may hold-out against paying any royalties whilst they continue to practice a patent. They have accordingly adopted new standards for granting injunctions in disputes involving SEPs with the goal of increasing efficiency and legal certainty. We discuss this shift and its implications for competition policy and innovation.
Comparison of Cervical Cancer Screen Results on Female-to-Male Transgender Patients With Female Patients.

Objectives There are limited data on cervical screen results from female-to-male (FTM) transgender patients. Herein, we compiled demographic information and cervical screen testing on FTM transgender patients and compared with age-appropriate controls. Methods A search of our previous and current databases was performed for Papanicolaou (Pap) tests from patients taking testosterone and/or with a diagnosis of gender identity disorder, transsexualism, or transvestism. Patient data were reviewed. Relative risks of abnormal Pap smear and human papillomavirus (HPV) infection were calculated against age-matched controls. Results Eighty-nine Pap tests from FTM transgender individuals were identified, with a mean age of 31.3 years (range, 21-60 years). The Pap test diagnoses were distributed as follows: negative for intraepithelial lesion (n = 84, 94.4%), atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance (n = 0), low-grade intraepithelial lesion (n = 4, 4.5%), and high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (n = 1, 1.1%). Fifty (56.2%) patients had concurrent high-risk HPV testing with four (8%) positive results. Relative risk was 0.625 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.25-1.59; P = .32) for an abnormal Pap test and 0.55 (95% CI, 0.19-1.52; P = .24) for HPV compared with 267 age-matched controls. Of note, 13.5% of patients older than 21 years had documentation of never having a prior Pap test in our medical record. Conclusions In our study, FTM transgender individuals were not at a higher or lower risk of HPV infection or abnormal Pap test result compared with women. However, larger studies are needed to support our findings.
Intravenous administration of alpha-1-proteinase inhibitor in patients of PiZ and PiM phenotype. Preliminary report.

Abstract Nine patients with moderate pulmonary emphysema, six of PiZ phenotype and three of PiM phenotype, have received a single intravenous infusion of alpha-1-proteinase inhibitor (human) (A1PI), in a dose of 60 mg/kg over a 30-minute period. They also received a tracer dose (300 μCi) of 131I-labeled A1PI. No active or passive immunization against hepatitis was given. No acute toxicity was observed. Compared with baseline data, significant elevations of serum A1PI (measured both antigenically and as anti-elastase activity) occurred, with a serum half-life approximating 110 hours. Bronchoalveolar lavage fluid, obtained 48 hours after infusion, reflected a significant increase in A1PI concentration versus baseline bronchoalveolar lavage fluid values. Serial gamma camera images of the lungs confirmed persistence of enhanced lung radioactivity for several days. Urinary desmosine excretion did not change following A1PI infusion. During the period of follow-up thus far, no patient has had chronic toxicity, results of liver function tests have been stable, and there has been no development of hepatitis B antigen or antibodies to hepatitis B surface or core antigens.
A Review of: “Meals to Come: A History of the Future of Food”

Meals to Come is a cheeky and stylish take on a somber subject—Anglo-American projections about hunger over the last 200 years and the means of assuaging it. It is also a detailed, comprehensive, a...
A model of CMOS gate delay and projection of future trend

This paper reports a model for CMOS inverter propagation delay developed through SPICE simulation and some measurement. Together with the new mobility and the corresponding saturation current device models, projections of future CMOS gate performance within the environment of device scaling and supply voltage shrinking are presented.
The joining of ribosomal subunits in eukaryotes requires eIF5B

Initiation of eukaryotic protein synthesis begins with the ribosome separated into its 40S and 60S subunits. The 40S subunit first binds eukaryotic initiation factor (eIF) 3 and an eIF2-GTP-initiator transfer RNA ternary complex. The resulting complex requires eIF1, eIF1A, eIF4A, eIF4B and eIF4F to bind to a messenger RNA and to scan to the initiation codon. eIF5 stimulates hydrolysis of eIF2-bound GTP and eIF2 is released from the 48S complex formed at the initiation codon before it is joined by a 60S subunit to form an active 80S ribosome. Here we show that hydrolysis of eIF2-bound GTP induced by eIF5 in 48S complexes is necessary but not sufficient for the subunits to join. A second factor termed eIF5B (relative molecular mass 175,000) is essential for this process. It is a homologue of the prokaryotic initiation factor IF2 (re and, like it, mediates joining of subunits and has a ribosome-dependent GTPase activity that is essential for its function.
Strategic Environmental Policies under International Duopolistic Competition

This paper examines the welfare implications of trade liberalization when governments behave strategically using pollution taxes and tariffs on imports. This competition leads to inefficiencies as each government seeks foreign rent and tries to transfer pollution to the other country. It is shown that banning tariffs leads to a higher level of pollution which decreases total welfare compared to the one obtained under restricted trade. As the rate of transboundary pollution transmission rises, the pollution-shifting motive is reduced and this leads to a too high pollution level. This problem is amplified when tariffs aren't available to governments.
La crisis silenciosa

We are in the middle of a crisis of gigantic proportions and of great gravity at world-wide level. No, I do not mean the global economic crisis that began in early 2008. At least at that time, everyone knew what was coming and several world leaders reacted immediately, desperate to find solutions (...) No, I actually mean a crisis that is practically unnoticed, like a cancer. I am referring to a crisis that, over time, can become much more damaging to the future of democracy: the global crisis in education.
Enterprise-Wide Strategic Management: Strategic management: Formulation and implementation

Part II includes the following chapters: Chapter 6: Strategic management framework and strategic analysis Chapter 7: Strategic formulation – options, mission statements, and objectives Chapter 8: Strategy formulation – business strategies and action plans Chapter 9: Strategic implementation and execution Chapter 10: Reflections and concluding comments Chapter 6 focuses on how strategic leaders translate the company's vision and strategic direction into business strategies that are actionable and result in desired outcomes. Strategic leaders have to have the intellectual capacity to determine the scope of their businesses and extended enterprises, analyze and understand the business environment and market spaces, and establish a framework for formulating strategies and objectives, implementing the strategies and actions plan, evaluating outcomes, and leading change. They also have to engage in organizational dynamics and help people within the organization to achieve extraordinary outcomes. Chapter 7 examines how to take the implications of the strategic analysis and develop strategic options. The options are than translated into business objectives and strategies. Some of the main categories involving strategic options include growth, development, improvements, and investments. They also include potential divestitures. The main perspectives focus on closing the gap between the opportunities and challenges and the organization's capabilities and resources to take advantage of the current and future situations. The chapter includes a discussion about the selection of business objectives.
Colorimetric end-tidal CO2 detector for verification of endotracheal tube placement in out-of-hospital cardiac arrest.

Objective To evaluate the ability of a disposable, colorimetric end-tidal CO2 detector to verify proper endotracheal (ET) tube placement in out-of-hospital cardiac arrest, and to correlate semiquantitative CO2 measurements with the rate of return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC). Methods Prospective, observational study using a convenience sample of intubated out-of-hospital cardiac arrest patients. A disposable, colorimetric end-tidal CO2 detector was attached to the ET tube after intubation. In the absence of a colorimetric change, the paramedics reassessed the tube placement and could reintubate the patient. Tube placement was verified at the hospital. Paramedics were instructed to contact the base station and report the colorimetric change upon hospital arrival. ROSC was defined as restoration of a self-sustaining pulse until hospital arrival. Results Between December 1990 and May 1993, ET tubes were placed in 566 victims of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. 541 of the 566 intubations (95.6%) were associated with a color change. In one case with a color change and out-of-hospital clinical evidence of proper tube placement, the tube was determined to be in the esophagus at the hospital. Correct placement of the remaining 565 of 566 (99.8%) tubes was verified. Of the 566 patients who had a colorimetric change, 91 (16%) had ROSC vs one of 25 (4%) patients who did not have a color change. In one subgroup (n = 179), the degree of color change was highly associated with ROSC (p = 0.004). Conclusions A disposable, colorimetric end-tidal CO2 detector appears reliable in verifying proper ET tube placement in victims of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. The degree of color change correlates with the probability of ROSC.
EPIDEMIOLOGIC TRENDS IN THE EVALUATION AND TREATMENT OF LOWER URINARY TRACT SYMPTOMS IN ELDERLY MALE MEDICARE PATIENTS FROM 1991 TO 1995

AbstractPurpose: We describe utilization of procedures to reveal recent epidemiologic trends in evaluation and management of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH).Materials and Methods: Medicare claims data reflect clinical practice in the vast majority of elderly Americans. The standard 5% beneficiary sample from Medicare claims files for 1991 to 1995 was searched to identify men 65 years old or older with invoices containing diagnostic and procedure codes indicative of prostate disease or lower urinary tract symptoms. Physician/supplier file claims for this sample of patients were used to identify diagnostic and therapeutic procedures relevant to BPH.Results: During these 5 years claims for uroflowmetry peaked in 1993, filling cystometry gradually declined and pressure flow studies increased. Transurethral resection of the prostate decreased 43%, with even steeper reductions for open prostatectomy. The proportion of transurethral resections performed in hospital inpatients ebbed from 96 to 88%. Age specifi...
The presence of transcription factors in fetal bovine sera

Three sources of fetal bovine serum (FBS) were fractionated by ammonium sulfate precipitation and by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE), transferred to Immobilon-P membranes, immunoblotted with a panel of transcription factor antibodies, and detected by enhanced chemiluminescence. Nine transcription factors were detected—ATF-2, SRE-ZBP, GATA-2, TFIID, Ets-1/Ets-2, E2F-1, Oct-2, p53, and AP-2; four transcription factors were not detected—Myo D, CREB, Sp2, and Wilms’ tumor. The results indicated the presence of varying amounts of several transcription factors in three commercial sources and may represent heretofore unrecognized factors influencing cell culture.
Inhibition of Mitogen Activated Protein Kinase Activated Protein Kinase II with MMI-0100 reduces intimal hyperplasia ex vivo and in vivo

Vein graft intimal hyperplasia remains the leading cause of graft failure, despite many pharmacological approaches that have failed to translate to human therapy. We investigated whether local suppression of inflammation and fibrosis with MMI-0100, a novel peptide inhibitor of Mitogen Activated Protein Kinase Activated Protein Kinase II (MK2), would be an alternative strategy to reduce cell proliferation and intimal hyperplasia. The cell permeant peptide MMI-0100 was synthesized using standard Fmoc chemistry. Pharmacological doses of MMI-0100 induced minimal human endothelial and smooth muscle cell proliferation (30% and 12% respectively). MMI-0100 suppressed IL-6 expression to control levels, without effect on IL-8 expression. MMI-0100 caused sodium nitroprusside induced smooth muscle cell relaxation and inhibited intimal thickening in human saphenous vein rings in a dose-dependent fashion. In a murine aortic bypass model, MMI-0100 reduced intimal thickness in vein grafts by 72%, and there were fewer F4/80-reactive cells in vein grafts treated with MMI-0100. MMI-0100 prevents vein graft intimal thickening ex vivo and in vivo. These results suggest that inhibition of MK2 with the cell-permeant peptide MMI-0100 may be a novel strategy to suppress fibrotic processes such as vein graft disease.
James Bryce: Englishness and Federalism in America and Australia

That the Constitution of the United States served as a model for the Australian federation is well established, and is in any case evident from the resemblance of federal institutions between the two countries. Yet substantial differences remain, largely through the determination of the Australian founders to retain the parliamentary heritage of the Westminster system of government. It has been pointed out that fames Bryce's lavish expositions of the American federation distorted American realities when they were viewed through uncompromisingly English lenses. It was Bryce's version of the American federation that allowed the Australian founders to accommodate their new creation to the English legacy. However, in Bryce's acclaimed comparative work, his overriding aim was to promote the abiding excellence of English institutions. Copyright 2004, Oxford University Press.
Assessing the Impact of Drug Use and Drug Selling on Violent Offending in a Panel of Delinquent Youth.

Despite a vast number of empirical studies arguing for or against a causal relationship between illegal drug use and selling and violent behavior, the debate continues. In part this is due to methodological weaknesses of previous research. Using data from the Rochester Youth Development Study, the current study seeks to improve on prior research designs to allow for a more precise examination of the mechanisms that lead from an individual’s drug use (chiefly, marijuana use in the current sample) and drug selling to violent action. Results will allow for greater confidence in making causal inference regarding a long-standing concern in the discipline.
ONTOGENY OF H19 IN SHEEP AND EFFECT OF MATERNAL FASTING ON ITS EXPRESSION IN THE FETUS. † 374

H19 gene produces the most abundant mRNA in the murine embryo. It has been mapped on the same chromosome as IGF-II. Like IGF-II, the murine H19 gene is highly expressed during fetal life and is repressed postnatally. H19 and IGF-II are both parentally imprinted and follow the same regulatory mechanisms. The role of H19 is unknown, evidence exists that it is important during embryogenesis. Lacking an encoded protein, it is believed to function as an RNA. H19 gene and its imprinting mechanisms have been extensively studied in mice. We studied the ontogeny of H19 in sheep and the effect of maternal fasting (MF) on the expression of fetal H19 mRNA, this latter was compared to that of IGF-II. The ontogeny of H19 was studied in liver, muscle and heart of ovine fetuses at 62, 100, 130 and 140 d and lambs at 5 d and 1 month. We detected, amplified, isolated and sequenced the ovine H19 cDNA for quantitation by RNase protection analysis (RPA). RPA results were consistent with a gradual increase of H19 mRNA with advancing gestational age and decrease after birth. Six fetal sheep following 48 hours of MF and six controls at 130 d gestation were used to study the effect of MF. Quantitation of H19 mRNA by RPA demonstrated a significant decrease in expression following MF in liver, muscle and kidney. IGF-II mRNA, on the other hand, did not change significantly in these tissues. In summary, this study demonstrates that H19 mRNA is highly expressed in ovine fetal tissues indicating an important role during fetal life. Moreover, 48 hours of MF decreases expression of H19 mRNA in late gestation. Knowing that MF results in intrauterine growth retardation, we suggest that H19 may play a role in regulation of fetal growth. The absent effect of MF on IGF-II could be secondary to various posttranslational regulatory mechanisms of IGF-II following short term fasting.
Bayesian analysis of a self-selection model with multiple outcomes using simulation-based estimation: an application to the demand for healthcare

Abstract This paper studies a self-selection model with discrete and continuous outcomes and a treatment variable. The treatment variable is endogenous to the two outcome variables. The approach of the paper is fully parametric and Bayesian. The Bayes factor is calculated with the Savage–Dickey density ratio and used for model selection. The model is applied to two different micro data sets, the 1987–1988 National Medical Expenditure Survey and the 1996 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey. The paper studies the effect of managed care and fee-for-service type of private insurance on the demand for healthcare. It also compares the effects of private insurance and Medicaid in covering health care expenses of elderly Americans.
Lactate dehydrogenase polymorphism in natural and cultivated populations of the angelfish cichlid, Pterophyllum scalare

Abstract 1. 1. The extent to which the three lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) genes (A, B and C) exhibit allelic polymorphism was examined in both wild and commercially inbred strains of the angelfish cichlid, Pterophyllum scalare (Teleostii: Cichlidae). Our electrophoretic survey revealed that there were no interstrain differences in the mobilities of LDH A, B, or C-containing isozymes respectively in the commercially bred angelfish examined despite evidence of mutation (e.g. dramatic strain-specific differences in color, striping, fin length, etc.). 2. 2. The individual mobilities of each LDH—B4, C4 and their heterotetramers from wild Peruvian, wild Brazilian and commercially bred strains were identical. 3. 3. However, three electrophoretic variants of the muscle-specific LDH-A locus (A4), “fast” [Peruvian Ampiyacu ( n = 25 ) and Brazilian ( n = 51 ); pI = 7.4 ], “slow” [Peruvian Ucayali ( n = 87 ); pI = 8.0 ], and “faster” [Brazilian ( n = 5 ); pI = 7.0 ], were detected in the wild-caught fish. 4. 4. The “fast” electromorph was identical with that found uniformly in all cultivated fish examined presumably due to initial founder effect and subsequent stringent conservation. 5. 5. With the exception of the rare “faster” electromorph (5 out of 56 Brazilian specimens) which occurred as a codominant heterozygote with the “fast” allele (4 out of 5 specimens), both “fast” and “slow” alleles were fixed in their respective populations.
Therapeutic Strategies for Xenograft Rejection

The increasing demand for transplantable organs over the past several decades has stimulated the idea of using animal organs in lieu of cadaveric organs in clinical transplantation. Pigs are now considered to be the most suitable source of organs for transplantation because of their abundant availability, their appropriate size, their relatively short gestation period, and the recent development in the technology to genetically manipulate them. In the past few years, some of the seemingly complex immunologic responses in pig-to-primate transplantation have been elucidated. This progress has allowed us to focus our efforts on devising specific therapeutic strategies to overcome or prevent some of the responses that contribute to rejection of the xenograft. In this article, we review the various approaches that might allow clinical xenotransplantation to come to fruition.
The flow of red blood cells through a narrow spleen-like slit

Small slits between endothelial cells in the spleen are perhaps the smallest blood passages in the body, and red blood cells must deform significantly to pass through them. These slits have been posited to participate in the removal of senescent blood cells from the circulation, a key function of the spleen. One of the effects of red blood cell aging is an increased cytosol viscosity; relaxation time measurements suggest their interior viscosity can increase by up to a factor of 10 toward the end of their normal 120 day circulating lifetime. We employ a boundary integral model to simulate red blood cells as they deform sufficiently to flow through such a small passage, whether in the spleen or in a microfluidic device. Different flow rates and cytosol viscosities show three distinct behaviors. (1) For sufficiently slow flow, the pressure gradient is insufficient to overcome elastic resistance and the cell becomes jammed. (2) For faster flow, the cell passes the slit, though more slowly for higher cytosol viscosity. This can be hypothesized to facilitate recognition of senescent cells. (3) A surprising behavior is observed for high elastic capillary numbers, due either to high velocity or high cytosol viscosity. In this case, the cells infold within the slit, with a finger of low-viscosity plasma pushing deeply into the cell from its upstream side. Such infolding might provide an additional mechanism for jamming, and the sharpness of the resulting features would be expected to promote cell degradation. Linear analysis of a model system shows a similar instability, which is analyzed in regard to the cell flow. This linear analysis also suggests a similar instability for unphysiologically low cytosol viscosity. Simulations confirm that a similar infolding also occurs in this case, which intriguingly suggests that normal cytosol viscosities are in a range that is protective against such deformations.
Using a Film as a Personality Case Study.

This article describes how I use the well-known film series, Three Approaches to Psychotherapy, which was created to demonstrate different approaches to psychotherapy, as a case study for interpreting the filmed client's personality from various theoretical perspectives.
Why John wasn't healed by prayer: perspectives across disciplines

Patients and family members often turn to prayer in response to serious, life-threatening illness. Prayer for a miraculous cure is often the request. While prayer can keep hope alive, it may also promote unrealistic expectations that fuel demands for life-preserving technology in medically futile situations. Furthermore, if prayer does not achieve the desired results, then disappointment and disillusionment may follow and make the coping process even more difficult. We present here a case of a seriously ill man whose family and faith community prayed for his healing. John, however, was not healed. A medical internist, two psychiatrists, a sociologist, and a theologian discuss their perspectives on the apparent failure of prayer to heal John. This cross-disciplinary discussion reveals insights that we believe physicians can use when confronting such issues with patients.
Implementing a Modified Version of Parent Management Training (PMT) with an Intellectually Disabled Client in a Special Education Setting

In this article the author discusses how an evidence-based practice was modified to treat an intellectually disabled client with oppositional behavior. Parent Management Training was modified to treat the client. A single-subject A–B design was used. Behavior improved from 1.57 (SD = .78) to 0.63 (SD = .71) episodes of negative behavior per day from baseline to intervention, and findings were significant (t = 2.83, p = .01). Follow-up with the family indicated sustained improvement one year after the intervention was discontinued. Consideration should be given to using principles of Parent Management Training to create formal plans for addressing problem behaviors across settings with intellectually disabled clients.
Flow-cytometric analysis of deoxyribonucleic acid content in advanced ovarian carcinoma: Its importance in long-term survival

Abstract OBJECTIVE: Our purpose was to evaluate the importance of deoxyribonucleic acid content to long-term survival from advanced epithelial ovarian carcinoma. STUDY DESIGN: Clinical and pathologic prognostic factors, including deoxyribonucleic acid content measured by means of flow cytometry, were analyzed for 282 patients. RESULTS: In 80% of the patients, the deoxyribonucleic acid patterns were nondiploid. In univariate analysis stage ( p p p = 0.01), and deoxyribonucleic acid ploidy ( p = 0.02) significantly predicted progression-free survival. In multivariate analysis stage ( p p = 0.001), deoxyribonucleic acid ploidy ( p = 0.02), and deoxyribonucleic acid index ( p = 0.02) retained independent prognostic value. Residual disease and deoxyribonucleic acid content retained independent prognostic value for stage III tumors but not for stage IV tumors. CONCLUSION: Deoxyribonucleic acid analysis with flow cytometry provides prognostic information about long-term progression-free survival from advanced ovarian carcinoma and should be considered in the stratification processes of patients in future clinical trials. This prognostic information appears to be inversely related to tumor burden. (Am J Obstet Gynecol 1996;175:1217-25.)
Sulfur poisoning mechanism of steam reforming catalysts: an X-ray absorption near edge structure (XANES) spectroscopic study

The present XANES study aims at elucidating the roles of carbon deposits and metal sulfides in the catalyst deactivation in steam reforming reactions with the presence of sulfur. CeO2–Al2O3-supported Ni and Rh-based catalysts were tested in steam reforming of liquid hydrocarbon fuel containing 350 ppm sulfur for H2 production at 800 °C. The Rh catalyst demonstrated much better sulfur tolerance than the Ni catalyst. XANES revealed that there are various sulfur species (metal sulfide, sulfonate, sulfate and organic sulfide) on the used Ni and Rh catalysts. Metal sulfide and organic sulfide are the dominant sulfur species on the Ni catalyst whereas sulfonate and sulfate predominate on the Rh catalyst. Meanwhile organic sulfide and sulfate are also observed on the support alone. Furthermore, there are more carbon deposits formed in the presence of sulfur on both catalysts. More carboxyl groups occur on the carbon deposits formed on the same catalyst when there is no sulfur in the fuel. From correlation analysis of the amounts of nickel sulfide and carbon deposits along with the relative catalytic activity loss, we conclude that sulfur causes the initial deactivation of the Ni catalyst by metal sulfide formation in the first few hours while build-up of carbon deposits contributes mainly to the subsequent deactivation.
Ticlopidine inhibits phenytoin clearance

Because cases of phenytoin toxicity during concomitant ticlopidine therapy have been reported, we investigated the effects of multiple doses of ticlopidine on phenytoin pharmacokinetics in six patients receiving phenytoin monotherapy. Two steady-state dosing rate and serum phenytoin minimum concentration (Cmin) pairs were obtained for each patient administered oral phenytoin alone, then phenytoin plus 250 mg ticlopidine twice daily. All patients had serum Cmin ticlopidine values of 0.06 to 0.25 microg/mL when receiving ticlopidine. Individual pharmacokinetic parameters for phenytoin were calculated. The Michaelis-Menten constant (Km) was determined as the slope and maximum velocity (Vmax; equivalent to the maximal rate of elimination or the maximum daily dose that can be metabolized) as the y-intercept of the linear Michaelis-Menten plot. Mean phenytoin Km significantly increased from 5.8 to 12.3 during ticlopidine coadministration compared with administration of phenytoin alone (P = .02). Mean phenytoin Vmax was not significantly changed by the coadministration of ticlopidine. These data indicate that ticlopidine inhibits the clearance and alters the clinical pharmacokinetics of phenytoin so that dosage adjustment of phenytoin should be considered when ticlopidine is coadministered. The results are consistent with previous human liver microsome findings that ticlopidine is a potent inhibitor of CYP2C19, a P450 isozyme that is significantly responsible for phenytoin metabolism.
Cloning of a novel phosphoprotein regulated by colony-stimulating factor 1 shares a domain with the Drosophila disabled gene product.

A unique protein with an apparent molecular mass of 96 kilodaltons (p96) was detected in the murine macrophage cell line, BAC1.2F5. The murine cDNA encoding p96 was cloned and sequenced, along with cDNAs representing two alternatively spliced forms of the protein. All three proteins possessed identical amino-terminal domains with significant similarity to the amino-terminal domain of the Drosophila disabled gene product and carboxyl-terminal domains containing proline-rich sequences characteristic of src homology region (domain 3) binding regions. BAC1.2F5 cells predominately expressed the p96 protein, although mRNA and protein corresponding to the p67 splice variant were also detected. Electrophoretic gel retardation of p96 in response to stimulation of the cells with colony-stimulating factor 1 was noticeable within 5 min after growth factor addition and reached a maximum at 60 min. Metabolic labeling experiments showed that the gel retardation of p96 was associated with increased phosphorylation of the protein exclusively on serine residues. These data identify a novel protein that is phosphorylated in response to mitogenic growth factor stimulation.
Ca2+-regulated secretory granule exocytosis in pancreatic and parotid acinar cells

Protein secretion from acinar cells of the pancreas and parotid glands is controlled by G-protein coupled receptor activation and generation of the cellular messengers Ca(2+), diacylglycerol and cAMP. Secretory granule (SG) exocytosis shares some common characteristics with nerve, neuroendocrine and endocrine cells which are regulated mainly by elevated cell Ca(2+). However, in addition to diverse signaling pathways, acinar cells have large ∼1 μm diameter SGs (∼30 fold larger diameter than synaptic vesicles), respond to stimulation at slower rates (seconds versus milliseconds), demonstrate significant constitutive secretion, and in isolated acini, undergo sequential compound SG-SG exocytosis at the apical membrane. Exocytosis proceeds as an initial rapid phase that peaks and declines over 3 min followed by a prolonged phase that decays to near basal levels over 20-30 min. Studies indicate the early phase is triggered by Ca(2+) and involves the SG proteins VAMP2 (vesicle associated membrane protein2), Ca(2+)-sensing protein synatotagmin 1 (syt1) and the accessory protein complexin 2. The molecular details for regulation of VAMP8-mediated SG exocytosis and the prolonged phase of secretion are still emerging. Here we review the known regulatory molecules that impact the sequential exocytic process of SG tethering, docking, priming and fusion in acinar cells.
Olfactory organ of acipenseriformes and comparison with other actinopterygians: Patterns of diversity

The position and structure of the olfactory organ and its openings vary among actinopterygians. The anterior nasal opening is a simple perforation in the skin in many extant actinopterygians (e.g., acipenseriforms, lepisosteids, and primitive Recent teleosts) and represents the primitive condition. Polypterids and Amia each exhibit a derived condition, in which the anterior nasal opening extends into a tube. The olfactory organ is relatively far away from the anterior end of the elongate rostrum in acipenseriforms, whereas the olfactory organs are closer to the anterior end of the snout in extant actinopterygians (e.g., polypterids, lepisosteids, and amiids). In adults, olfactory organs are cuplike structures in most actinopterygians, but these organs are tubelike in polypterids. Among extant actinopterygians, a nasal diverticulum is present only in polypterids. Teleosts have accessory nasal sacs, but chondrosteans, polypterids, lepisosteids, and amiids lack them. The olfactory rosette is formed by primary folds or lamellae that may be placed anterior, lateral, posterior, and/or medial to the axis of the organ. Large acipenserids have 20–32 lamellae, polyodontids have 13–18 lamellae, lepisosteids have 8–10 lamellae, and Amia may have over 100. In teleosts, the number of lamellae varies from none or a few to over 200. Secondary lamellae are present in acipenseriforms, lepisosteids, and some advanced teleosts; secondary lamellae are interpreted as independently acquired in these lineages. Secondary lamellae are absent in Amia and primitive teleosts such as Elops and Hiodon. Tertiary lamellae are present in Acipenser oxyrhynchus. The arrangement of the primary lamellae in relation to the axis of the organ results in at least 11 patterns of the olfactory rosette in actinopterygians. Lamellae that are enclosed in a tubelike sac and that have an anteromedial diverticulum are specializations of polypterids. Primary lamellae anterior, lateral, and posterior to an elongate axis are characteristic of lepisosteids. The presence of primary lamellae lateral, medial, and posterior to an elongate olfactory axis is a synapomorphy of Halecomorpha (Amia plus teleosts). The absence of secondary lamellae is a synapomorphy of Halecomorpha. © 1994 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Distribution and significance of cordierite in paragneisses of the Hudson Highlands, southeastern New York

Cordierite occurs locally and sporadically in biotite-quartz-two feldspar paragneisses of the Precambrian Highlands complex in southeastern New York. Cordieritic and associated non-cordieritic gneisses were compared to determine the significance of cordierite for the metamorphic history of the complex.
Building Connections to Culture: A Student‐Centered Approach

ABSTRACT This paper provides a model for becoming more student-centered when addressing cultural materials in the classroom. The model is comprised of three phases: (1) an information-gathering phase; (2) a target-language communication phase, and (3) a phase in which cultural values are discussed. Phases (1) and (2) shift the task of gathering and presenting cultural materials from the teacher to the student, leaving the teacher free to act as facilitator. The teacher's expertise is also required to guide students as they subsequently reflect on the values of the culture they are studying. This student-centered focus on culture helps students to strengthen their research skills, allows them practice in communicating in the target language, and builds greater understanding of the values inherent in foreign cultures.
Learning Causes Reorganization of Neuronal Firing Patterns to Represent Related Experiences within a Hippocampal Schema

According to schema theory as proposed by Piaget and Bartlett, learning involves the assimilation of new memories into networks of preexisting knowledge, as well as alteration of the original networks to accommodate the new information. Recent evidence has shown that rats form a schema of goal locations and that the hippocampus plays an essential role in adding new memories to the spatial schema. Here we examined the nature of hippocampal contributions to schema updating by monitoring firing patterns of multiple CA1 neurons as rats learned new goal locations in an environment in which there already were multiple goals. Before new learning, many neurons that fired on arrival at one goal location also fired at other goals, whereas ensemble activity patterns also distinguished different goal events, thus constituting a neural representation that linked distinct goals within a spatial schema. During new learning, some neurons began to fire as animals approached the new goals. These were primarily the same neurons that fired at original goals, the activity patterns at new goals were similar to those associated with the original goals, and new learning also produced changes in the preexisting goal-related firing patterns. After learning, activity patterns associated with the new and original goals gradually diverged, such that initial generalization was followed by a prolonged period in which new memories became distinguished within the ensemble representation. These findings support the view that consolidation involves assimilation of new memories into preexisting neural networks that accommodate relationships among new and existing memories.
Contraceptive Orientation in Young Inner-City Adolescents: A Discriminant Analysis

The results of a discriminant analysis on sexual knowledge and attitudes are reported for a sample of 265 Black inner-city adolescents divided according to their contraceptive orientation. Twenty-one percent (56) of the sample stated that they would have sexual intercourse without using any kind of birth control. This group did not differ from their 209 contraceptively oriented peers on knowledge of human sexuality, self-esteem or orientation toward the future, but differed significantly on three attitudinal dimensions directly related to sexual intercourse. Eighty-one percent of the sample of young adolescents was correctly classified according to their contraceptive orientation based on the linear discriminant function identified in the analysis (accounting for 38.4% of the variance). The findings are discussed in the context of peer pressure and familial factors which may alter a young adolescent's intentions to engage in contraceptively protected intercourse.