cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Multi-index summer flow regime characterization to inform environmental flow contexts: A New England case study

Abstract Summer flow regime is an important determinant of the health and integrity of riverine ecosystems. In particular, summertime low flows and the range of variability impact the extent and connectivity of habitat, production in and composition of ecosystems, as well as water quality. Four streamflow-based metrics are used in the analysis and assessment of summertime hydrologic variability and trends: Lane Index, UK Institute of Hydrology Index, Base Flow Index, and 7-day Minimum Flow Index. In this study, historical streamflow records at 33 locations in New England (USA) were analyzed to understand the nature of trends as well as the extent of changes, individually and collectively, for the four indices. The main contribution of this paper is to develop a comprehensive characterization of the regional flow regime and trends therein. Two complementary statistical analyses applied in this study are: (a) quantile regression-based estimates of the spatial and temporal patterns of changes in flow indices variability over the past six decades and (b) interrelationship between flow indices based on non-parametric probability density estimation approach. The multi-index regional analysis revealed that flow variability (based on the Lane Index) within the summer season has increased significantly, with 25 out of the 33 streamgages showing increases, of which 12 are highly significant. Similar trends are mirrored in the UK Institute of Hydrology Index based analysis. Base Flow Index trends show decreases across 30 of the 33 streamgages at the median level, and 19 are highly significant. Trends are most pronounced at the upper quartile level, with 21 highly significant. Regional analysis of 7-day Minimum Flow Index reveal broad patterns towards increases at the three selected quantile levels ( τ = 0.25 , 0.5 , 0.75 ) with 29, 22, and 19 streamgages showing increases, of which 13, 10, and 6 are highly significant respectively. There is also diversity in trends across quantiles, wherein 17 locations show increases at all quantile levels, while 22 stations showed increases at the median level. The analysis of interrelationships between the four indices revealed inverse variations between Lane Index and 7-day Minimum Flow, and also a diversity of relationships ranging from weakly to strongly nonlinear. As such, our analysis underscores the importance of the use of multiple indices to fully assess variability and change of relevance to management and policy concerns, such as Maine’s water allocation rulemaking.
Expanding the scope of L2 intelligibility research

Abstract This study investigated relationships among intelligibility, comprehensibility, and accentedness in the speech of L2 learners of Spanish who completed a prompted response speaking task. Thirty native Spanish listeners from Spain were recruited through Amazon Mechanical Turk to transcribe and rate extracted utterances, which were also coded for grammatical and phonemic errors, and speaking rate. Descriptively, although most utterances were intelligible, their comprehensibility and accentedness varied substantially. Mixed-effects modeling showed that comprehensibility was significantly associated with intelligibility whereas accentedness was not. Additionally, phonemic and grammatical errors were significant predictors of intelligibility and comprehensibility, but only phonemic errors were significantly related to accentedness. Overall, phonemic errors displayed a stronger negative association with the listener-based dimensions than grammatical errors. These findings suggest that English-speaking learners of Spanish are not as uniformly intelligible and comprehensible as FL instructors might believe and shed light on relationships among speech constructs in an L2 other than English.
A Call for Critical Reads of “Trouble” Texts that Inform Urban Mathematics Education

Alesia Mickle Moldavan, the section editor of Critical Reads in the Journal of Urban Mathematics Education, encourages interested contributors to submit reviews of critical texts (e.g., books, research articles, short stories, social media posts, poetry, play/film scripts) in order to push conversations in the field that offer an empowering and transformative vision for urban mathematics education. This call urges scholars to engage in critical thinking and creative rethinking of teaching and learning in the urban context to inspire new critical perspectives that interrogate systemic inequities and illuminate urban excellence. Submissions to Critical Reads ought to critique “trouble” texts to improve educational experiences and outcomes in mathematics for historically marginalized students in urban communities.
Tracking break-induced replication shows that it stalls at roadblocks

Break-induced replication (BIR) repairs one-ended double-strand breaks in DNA similar to those formed by replication collapse or telomere erosion, and it has been implicated in the initiation of genome instability in cancer and other human diseases1,2. Previous studies have defined the enzymes that are required for BIR1-5; however, understanding of initial and extended BIR synthesis, and of how the migrating D-loop proceeds through known replication roadblocks, has been precluded by technical limitations. Here we use a newly developed assay to show that BIR synthesis initiates soon after strand invasion and proceeds more slowly than S-phase replication. Without primase, leading strand synthesis is initiated efficiently, but is unable to proceed beyond 30 kilobases, suggesting that primase is needed for stabilization of the nascent leading strand. DNA synthesis can initiate in the absence of Pif1 or Pol32, but does not proceed efficiently. Interstitial telomeric DNA disrupts and terminates BIR progression, and BIR initiation is suppressed by transcription proportionally to the transcription level. Collisions between BIR and transcription lead to mutagenesis and chromosome rearrangements at levels that exceed instabilities induced by transcription during normal replication. Together, these results provide fundamental insights into the mechanism of BIR and how BIR contributes to genome instability.
Cubital Tunnel with Anterior Transposition

The bulky compressive dressing is removed and a light compressive dressing and/or other edema control measures are initiated as necessary.
Gonzo Text: Disentangling Meaning in Hunter S. Thompson's Journalism

Hunter S. Thompson occupies a unique place in the history of journalism. He came along at about the same time as the “New Journalism” and often gets lumped in with that group of prose-drunk Sixties...
Isolation and Characterization of a Pseudomonas Strain That Restricts Growth of Various Phytopathogenic Fungi

The characterization of a novel Pseudomonas strain exhibiting antagonism towards many important corn fungal pathogens is presented. This strain was isolated from the caryopses of the grass Tripsacum dactyloides and was identified as Pseudomonas cepacia. The antagonistic activity is due to the production of an antifungal compound. The chromatographic properties of this partially purified compound isolated from growth medium differ from those reported previously for other pseudomonads. The suppression of the growth of economically important phytopathogens by this strain and by the partially purified compound indicates a potential biocontrol agent.
Diagenetic Origin of Quartz Silt in Mudstones and Implications for Silica Cycling

Mudstone—the most abundant sedimentary rock type1, composed primarily of clay- or silt-sized particles—contains most of the quartz found in sedimentary rocks2. These quartz grains, which are chemically and mechanically resistant and therefore preserve their characteristics well, have long been considered to be derived from the continental crust1. Here we analyse quartz silt from black shales in the eastern USA, dating back to the Late Devonian period (about 370 million years ago), using backscattered electron and cathodoluminescence imaging and measure oxygen isotopes with an ion probe. Our results indicate that up to 100% of the quartz silt in our samples does not originate from the continental crust. Instead, it appears to have precipitated early in diagenesis in algal cysts and other pore spaces3, with silica derived from the dissolution of opaline skeletons of planktonic organisms, such as radiolaria and diatoms. Transformation of early diatoms into in situ quartz silt might explain the time gap between the earliest fossil occurrences of diatoms about 120 Myr ago4 and molecular evidence for a much earlier appearance between 266 or even 500 Myr ago5,6. Moreover, if many other mudstone successions show similarly high proportions of in situ precipitated—rather than detrital—quartz silt, the sedimentary record in mudstones may have been misinterpreted in the past, with consequences for our estimates of palaeoproductivity as well as our perceptions of the dynamics and magnitude of global biogeochemical cycling of silica.
Electron and light microscopic identification of the mast cell of the gastrointestinal tract.

Light and electron microscopic features of mast cells of the human gastrointestinal tract are described. The submucosal mast cell is easily identified in periodic acid- Schiff stained sections routinely prepared in this laboratory. Their unique cytoplasmic granules, microvilli, rounded nuclei with densely packed chromatin, sparse endoplasmic reticulum, and prominent cytoplasmic filaments afford unequivocal electron microscopic identification. Mast cells in the lamina propria and submucosa are frequent enough to make easy their detection at electron microscopy. The presence of mast cells within the intestinal epithelium is demonstrated for the first time using electron microscopy. The relationship of some of the structural aspects of the cells as they may relate to function is discussed.
Health Care Systems - An Integrated Approach

The use of computer systems in health care institutions is increasing at a rapid pace. Computer systems can provide clinical services, meet record keeping requirements, manage patient scheduling, provide interactive screening and serve other needs within the health center. The Sisters of Saint Mary Data Center has implemented a second generation hospital information system in a 400 bed acute care institution; St. Francis Hospital, Blue Island, Illinois. The system is a micro-computer based system that provides an integrated system for clinical, financial, clerical and patient oriented activities. An earlier version of this system has been in operation at Saint Mary's Health Center in Saint Louis, Missouri since May, 1972.
Managing Academic Electronic Publishing: Six Case Studies

Academic publishing faces major challenges such as increasing costs and a reduced subscription base. Electronic publishing promises benefits and solutions to these and other challenges. This study examines six cases of academic electronic journals and the management practices used by their editorial boards. The cases indicate that many of the anticipated benefits of e-journals can be achieved given structured management practices. However, electronic publishing presents several previously unknown challenges some of which can be resolved by individual journals but others, which we term Universal Issues, require new academic structures and a globally agreed upon set of policies. The case studies reported in this article are part of a larger study that interprets the cases in terms of an 8-M framework developed by the first author.
Ireland’s Fiscal Framework: Options for the Future

The Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2012 established fiscal policy rules and an independent fiscal watchdog, the Irish Fiscal Advisory Council (IFAC) – patterned after the new EU template for fiscal rules and the Swedish fiscal council, respectively. These elements, along with budgetary procedural rules, comprise the core of Ireland’s fiscal framework. Although the present framework meets most criteria of international good practice, there is considerable scope for improvement to meet Ireland’s future needs, especially for restoring public debt sustainability – as it is no longer under the direct tutelage and protection of the EU and IMF. To this end, the paper outlines a set of options to strengthen the fiscal framework consisting, among others, of (a) a binding public debt rule; (b) an indicative structural budget balance rule; (c) a pay-go rule, and (d) steps to broaden the mandate and amplify the resources of IFAC. It is argued that these options should help pave the way to further gains in credibility in financial markets, and ultimately, to higher economic growth and stability.
Sharing stories: narrative medicine in an evidence-based world.

.” are common openings of themedical encounter.But stories do more than facilitate conversation. Narrativeprobes the depths of medical experience [1], and allowsfor greater understanding of our patients [2], our work, andourselves [3]. Stories, for the writer, and often for the reader,can be the work of meaning, and even creation [4–7]. Thisallows for great possibilities. “To do its work, writing createsand recreates the past in the present moment. It reaches intothe shadows and pulls what cannot be seen or spoken ontothe page where it is open to discussion and revision
An Interpretation of Typed Concurrent Objects in the Blue Calculus

We propose an interpretation of a typed concurrent calculus of objects based on the imperative object calculus of Abadi and Cardelli. The target of our interpretation is a version of the blue calculus, a variant of the π-calculus that directly contains functions, with record and first-order types. We show that reductions and type judgments are derivable in a rather simple and natural way, and that our encoding can be extended to recursive and self-types, as well as to synchronization primitives. We also use our encoding to prove some equational laws on objects.
Voice And Dialogue In Teaching Reading/Writing To Qatari Students

This paper describes an attempt to improve the reading comprehension and writing skills of students coming from an oral culture. The proposed approach involves using voice and dialogue understood literally and metaphorically as a tool in teaching students how to engage texts and write with a reader in mind. The author discusses a pilot study incorporated into a writing course in the Pre-medical Education Program at Weill Cornell Medical College in Qatar.
Assembly of nuclear pore complexes and annulate lamellae promotes normal pronuclear development in fertilized mammalian oocytes

In addition to functional nuclear pore complexes engaged in nucleo-cytoplasmic transport, the cytoplasmic stacks of pore complexes, called annulate lamellae, exist in numerous cell types. Although both annulate lamellae and nuclear pore complexes are present in fertilized mammalian oocytes, their relative roles in the process of fertilization and preimplantation development are not known. Using epifluorescence and electron microscopy, we explored their fate during bovine fertilization. The assembly of annulate lamellae in bovine oocytes was triggered by sperm-oocyte binding and continued concomitantly with the incorporation of the nuclear pores in the nuclear envelopes of the developing male and female pronuclei. This process was also induced by the parthenogenetic activation of metaphase-II-arrested oocytes. Depletion of Ca2+, previously implicated in oocyte activation and in the insertion of pore complexes into the nuclear envelope, prevented the formation of nuclear pore complexes, but not the assembly of annulate lamellae in oocyte cytoplasm. Injection of the nuclear pore antagonist, wheat germ agglutinin, into the cytoplasm of mature oocytes that were subsequently fertilized caused the arrest of pronuclear development, indicating the requirement of nuclear pore complexes for normal pronuclear development. Treatment of the fertilized oocytes with the microtubule inhibitor, nocodazole, prevented gathering of annulate lamellae around the developing pronuclei, insertion of nuclear pores into their nuclear envelopes, and further pronuclear development. The formation of the male pronuclei was reconstituted in Xenopus egg extracts and reflected the behavior of nuclear pores during natural fertilization. These data suggest that nuclear pore complexes are required for normal pronuclear development from its beginning up until pronuclear apposition. Annulate lamellae may be involved in the turnover of nuclear pore complexes during fertilization, which is in turn facilitated by the reorganization of oocyte microtubules and influx of Ca2+ into oocyte cytoplasm.
Human Enhancers Are Fragile and Prone to Deactivating Mutations

To explore the underlying mechanisms whereby noncoding variants affect transcriptional regulation, we identified nucleotides capable of disrupting binding of transcription factors and deactivating enhancers if mutated (dubbed candidate killer mutations or KMs) in HepG2 enhancers. On average, approximately 11% of enhancer positions are prone to KMs. A comparable number of enhancer positions are capable of creating de novo binding sites via a single-nucleotide mutation (dubbed candidate restoration mutations or RSs). Both KM and RS positions are evolutionarily conserved and tend to form clusters within an enhancer. We observed that KMs have the most deleterious effect on enhancer activity. In contrast, RSs have a smaller effect in increasing enhancer activity. Additionally, the KMs are strongly associated with liver-related Genome Wide Association Study traits compared with other HepG2 enhancer regions. By applying our framework to lymphoblastoid cell lines, we found that KMs underlie differential binding of transcription factors and differential local chromatin accessibility. The gene expression quantitative trait loci associated with the tissue-specific genes are strongly enriched in KM positions. In summary, we conclude that the KMs have the greatest impact on the level of gene expression and are likely to be the causal variants of tissue-specific gene expression and disease predisposition.
MicroRNA and mRNA Expression Changes in Steroid Naïve and Steroid Treated DMD Patients.

Author(s): Liu, Da Zhi; Stamova, Boryana; Hu, Shengyong; Ander, Bradley P; Jickling, Glen C; Zhan, Xinhua; Sharp, Frank R; Wong, Brenda | Abstract: BackgroundDuchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD) is a recessive X-linked form of muscular dystrophy. Steroid therapy has clinical benefits for DMD patients, but the mechanism remains unclear.ObjectiveThis study was designed to identify mRNAs and microRNAs regulated in Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy patients prior to and after steroid therapy.MethodsGenome wide transcriptome profiling of whole blood was performed to identify mRNAs and microRNAs regulated in DMD patients.ResultsThe data show many regulated mRNAs and some microRNAs, including some muscle-specific microRNAs (e.g., miR-206), that were significantly altered in blood of young (age 3-10) DMD patients compared to young controls. A total of 95 microRNAs, but no mRNAs, were differentially expressed in older DMD patients compared to matched controls (age 11-20). Steroid treatment reversed expression patterns of several microRNAs (miR-206, miR-181a, miR-4538, miR-4539, miR-606, and miR-454) that were altered in the young DMD patients. As an example, the over-expression of miR-206 in young DMD patients is predicted to down-regulate a set of target genes (e.g., RHGAP31, KHSRP, CORO1B, PTBP1, C7orf58, DLG4, and KLF4) that would worsen motor function. Since steroids decreased miR-206 expression to control levels, this could provide one mechanism by which steroids improve motor function.ConclusionsThese identified microRNA-mRNA alterations will help better understand the pathophysiology of DMD and the response to steroid treatment.
A neural network for solving optimization problems with linear equality constraints

It is shown that Hopfield-like neural networks can compute good solutions to complex optimization problems. One difficulty of this approach is the selection of an energy function, particularly for the problems with constraints. Adding a 'constraint violation penalty' term to the energy function sometimes causes undesired local minimums corresponding to invalid solutions. A novel approach to the derivation of a neural network is introduced. This approach can always obtain valid solutions for problems with linear equality constraints. Instead of using penalty, a projection factor is incorporated in the neural network synthesis so that the convergence trace will stay in the constraint plan, and thus always return a valid solution. >
Lame equation in the algebraic form

Lame equation arises from deriving Laplace equation in ellipsoidal coordinates; in other words, it’s called ellipsoidal harmonic equation. Lame fun ctions are applicable to diverse areas such as boundary value problems in ellipsoidal geometry, chaotic Hamiltonian systems, the theory of Bose-Einstein condensates, etc. In this paper I will apply three term recurrence formula[10] to the power series expansion in closed forms of Lame function in the algebraic form (infini te series and polynomial) and its integral forms including all higher terms of An’s. I will show how to transform power series expansion of Lame function to an integral formalism mathematically for cases of infinite series and polynomial. One interesting observation resulting from the calculations is the fact that a 2F1 function recurs in each of sub-integral forms: the first sub- integral form contains zero term
The Revised Sign and Symptom Check-List for HIV (SSC-HIVrev)

Symptom management for persons living with HIV/AIDS is recognized as an extremely important component of care management. This article reports on the continuing validation of the revised Sign and Symptom Check-List for Persons With HIV Disease (SSC-HIVrev). The initial validation study used a combined sample of 933 HIV-positive persons and concluded that the validity and reliability of the instrument were adequate to measure patients' self-report of HIV-related signs and symptoms. The revised scale includes items to measure gynecological-related symptoms and the impact of lipodystrophy (body fat redistribution) due to antiretroviral therapy on patients' symptom experience. The scale structure (factor analysis) and reliability estimates were recalculated in a new sample of 372 HIV-positive persons. Based on reviewing the clusters of items, factor loadings, reliability estimates, and clinical interpretability, an 11-factor solution was determined that explained 73.3% of the variance. Of the retained factors, 4 had eigenvalues less than 1, yet they explained significant amounts of variance in the rotated sums of squares loading (5.0%, 4.3%, 4.3%, and 3.6%, respectively), the reliability estimates were good, and the factors had clinical meaning. The revised scale (SSC-HIVrev) has three parts: Part 1 consists of 45 items that clustered into 11 factor scores along with a total score, with reliability estimates ranging from .76 to .91; Part 2 consists of 19 HIV-related symptoms that do not cluster into factor scores but may be of interest from a clinical perspective; and Part 3 consists of 8 items related to gynecological symptoms for women. These 8 items were submitted to a principal components factor analysis with varimax rotation (n = 118 HIV-positive women), and a 1-factor solution explained 71.8% of the variance, with a reliability estimate of .94. The psychometric properties of the SSC-HIVrev are presented.
Identification of two novel alternatively spliced Neuropilin-1 isoforms

Neuropilin-1 (NRP1) is a coreceptor to a tyrosine kinase receptor for both the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) family and semaphorin (Sema) family members. NRP1 plays versatile roles in angiogenesis, axon guidance, cell survival, migration, and invasion. NRP1 contains three distinct extracellular domains, a1a2, b1b2, and c. We report here the identification of two novel soluble human NRP1 isoforms, which we named sIIINRP1 and sIVNRP1. These soluble NRP1 isoforms were generated by alternative splicing of the NRP1 gene, a common regulatory mechanism occurring in cell surface receptor families. Both sIIINRP1 and sIVNRP1 contain a1a2 and b1b2 domains, but no c domain, and the rest of the NRP1 sequence. Additionally, sIIINRP1 is missing 48 amino acids within the C-terminus of the b2 domain. Both sIIINRP1 and sIVNRP1 are expressed in human cancerous and normal tissues. These molecules are capable of binding to VEGF165 and Sema3A. Furthermore, recombinant sIIINRP1 and sIVNRP1 proteins inhibit NRP1-mediated MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cell migration. These results indicate the multiple levels of regulation in NRP1 function and suggest that these two novel NRP1 isoforms are useful antagonists for NRP1-mediated cellular activities.
Cell cycle-dependent expression of the CHO2 antigen, a minus-end directed kinesin-like motor in mammalian cells

A 69 kDa protein present in the interphase centrosome and mitotic spindle/pole was identified with the CHO2 monoclonal antibodies raised against mitotic spindles isolated from Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells. Isolation and characterization of antigen-specific cDNAs and recombinant proteins demonstrated that the protein is a minus-end-directed microtubule motor with the motor domain located at the C terminus. Affinity-purified polyclonal antibodies prepared to bacterially expressed fusion proteins revealed the presence of the antigen in interphase nuclei, and the degree of nuclear immunostaining intensity varied among cells at different cell cycle stages. In order to examine the change of antigen expression during the cell cycle, we prepared synchronized populations of CHO cells, double stained with CHO2 and PCNA (proliferating cell nuclear antigen) antibodies, and quantitated the amounts of nuclear fluorescence using the MetaMorpho image analysis software package. Cells right after cell division contained nuclei with the lowest level of CHO2 immunofluorescence. The immunofluorescence intensity progressively increases through G1 to S, reaching a maximum level by the end of G2. The antibody uniformly stained the entire nuclear region, and the total amount of fluorescence detected in G2 cells was greater than three times that of G1 cells. Cell cycle dependent accumulation of the CHO2 antigen was further confirmed by immunoblot analysis of the protein included in whole cell extracts and nuclei isolated from synchronized CHO cells. Northern blot analysis showed that, although the CHO2-transcript accumulated during later stages of the cell cycle, its abundance declined through G1 to S, and was lowest in cells at the early S phase. The difference in the expression pattern of the antigen protein and its transcript may suggest the presence of multiple mechanisms controlling the level of CHO2 antigen during the course of the cell cycle.
Separation of dispersed phases from liquids in acoustically driven chambers

Abstract A separation process for the collection and processing of fine secondary phases in liquids has been developed, in which a stationary acoustic field at ultrasonic frequencies is superimposed on suspensions flowing through filled chambers. The acoustic radiation force acts to drive second-phase inclusions to either the nodes or antinodes of the stationary field, and acts to hold the secondary-phase material in position relative to the bulk liquid flow. Separation devices consisting of broadband lead-zirconate—lead-titanate transducers, bonded to the ends of glass and aluminium tubes (up to 4 cm in diameter and 25 cm in length, and ranging from 0.9 to 2 mm in wall thickness), were constructed. These were driven with continuous a.c. voltages at specific frequencies in the range of 0.35–1.4 MHz to obtain a forced coincidence response in which the flexural vibrations of the tube wall are matched in phase and geometry with higher-order acoustic duct modes in the liquid. This excitation produced stationary fields with peak acoustic pressures of the order of 1 MPa in water. Particles ranging in size from 0.1 to 100 μm have been concentrated in aqueous media into nodal zones with characteristic times of less than 1 s. Chambers with 0.11 volume, driven at frequencies near 625 kHz, use approximately 25 W of electrical power. Collection efficiencies of up to 97.5% have been measured. The trapped particles can be moved to either end of the cell and removed through an exit port by repeatedly sweepping the driving frequency over a known range and period. Applications of these principles include separations from fluid mixtures of fine solids, immiscible liquids, or biological cells.
Support and dispersion effects on the CO-H2 reaction-on silica and alumina supported pt catalysts

Abstract The CO-H 2 reaction was used as a catalytic probe to study the effect of pretreatment on support-metal interactions and Pt dispersion for a series of silica- and alumina-supported Pt catalysts. In general, it was found that pretreatment in an inert gas atmosphere as the temperature was linearly increased resulted in catalysts having higher Pt dispersions than catalysts pretreated in a H 2 atmosphere. For alumina-supported Pt catalysts, the effect of pretreatment had a marked effect on the adsorption of CO. The infrared spectrum of CO adsorbed on alumina-supported Pt treatment in He, suggested a very heterogeneous Pt crystal structure, as evidenced by three infrared CO stretching bands centered at 2062, 2050, and 2025 cm −1 . In contrast, only one infrared CO stretching band centered at 2057 cm −1 was observed for alumina-supported Pt catalysts pretreated in H 2 . CO adsorption on silica-supported Pt catalysts was insensitive to pretreatment conditions. This is explained in terms of a possible orienting influence attributed to the alumina support. The influence of dispersion and pretreatment schedule on the CO + H 2 reaction was small. However, slightly larger variations in rate with changes in dispersion were observed on the Pt-Al 2 O 3 catalysts. Higher turnover numbers for methane formation were observed on the larger Pt crystallites. Support effects on the CO + H 2 reaction were considerably larger than dispersion effects. Turnover numbers for methane formation on the alumina-supported Pt catalysts were half an order of magnitude greater than those observed on the silica-supported Pt catalysts. This is explained in terms of decreased C-O bond strength. Increases in surface heterogeneity had little effect on the rate of the CO-H 2 reaction.
Complement in local biliary tract defense: Dissociation between bile complement and acute phase reactants in cholecystitis☆

Abstract Biliary complement concentrations and activity are lower in patients with infected bile than in those with sterile bile in cholecystitis. Plasma complement is increased during the acute phase response to inflammation. To determine whether low biliary complement in infected bile is a specific response to biliary tract infection or part of a general systemic reaction, we analyzed bile complement proteins (C3 and C4) and activity (C4H50) and acute phase reactants fibronectin, C-reactive protein, and α1-antitrypsin concentrations in acute and chronic cholecystitis. Results were correlated with bile cultures and gallbladder histology using the Wilcoxon rank sum test. While biliary C3, C4, and C4H50 were significantly lower in infected bile than in sterile bile, none of the acute phase reactants were different. The biliary acute phase reactants were all significantly higher in acute cholecystitis than in chronic disease, but there was no difference in the biliary C3, C4, or C4H50 levels. There was no clear relationship between plasma levels of complement and the acute phase reactants. The dissociation between biliary complement and acute phase reactants indicates that bile complement is not a reflection of a systemic reaction to inflammation. We propose that biliary complement is a specific host defense mechanism against bacterial infection in the biliary tract.
Residual Myelotoxicity of Lindane in Mice

Abstract Residual Myelotoxicity of Lindane in Mice. Hong, H. L., and Boorman, G. A. (1993). Fundam. Appl. Toxicol. 21, 500-507. Lindane (γ-1,2,3,4,5,6-hexachlorocyclohexane), a widely used insecticide, may be found at low concentrations in the human diet. Male B6C3F1 mice given lindane daily at doses of 20 and 40 mg/kg body wt by gavage in corn oil for 3 days had suppressed bone marrow cellularity, erythrocyte precursors, granulocyte-macrophage progenitor cells (CFU-GM), and residual progenitor cell damage, which could be demonstrated by two whole-body irradiations (WBI) at 200 rads. Lindane exposure for 10 consecutive days at doses of 0, 10, or 20 mg/kg did not cause clinical abnormality or changes in body weights, but there were dose-dependent decreases in marrow cellularity, in more pluripotent stem cells and in committed CFU-GMs, which returned to control values by 4 weeks. These mice were then subjected to two 100-rad exposures of WBI at 4 and 9 weeks following cessation of lindane treatment. This level of irradiation caused only a transient drop in number of marrow progenitor cells. Control and lindane-exposed mice were examined at 1 and 6 weeks following the last irradiation, which was 10 and 15 weeks following the final lindane exposure. The lindane-exposed mice had lower progenitor cell numbers and slower recovery from the irradiation. These results indicate that lindane has significant myelotoxicity in mice and short-term lindane exposure can induce residual progenitor cell damage that can be demonstrated by subsequent irradiation.
Characterization of a Multisubunit Transcription Factor Complex Essential for Spliced-Leader RNA Gene Transcription in Trypanosoma brucei

In the unicellular human parasites Trypanosoma brucei, Trypanosoma cruzi, and Leishmania spp., the spliced-leader (SL) RNA is a key molecule in gene expression donating its 5'-terminal region in SL addition trans splicing of nuclear pre-mRNA. While there is no evidence that this process exists in mammals, it is obligatory in mRNA maturation of trypanosomatid parasites. Hence, throughout their life cycle, these organisms crucially depend on high levels of SL RNA synthesis. As putative SL RNA gene transcription factors, a partially characterized small nuclear RNA-activating protein complex (SNAP(c)) and the TATA-binding protein related factor 4 (TRF4) have been identified thus far. Here, by tagging TRF4 with a novel epitope combination termed PTP, we tandem affinity purified from crude T. brucei extracts a stable and transcriptionally active complex of six proteins. Besides TRF4 these were identified as extremely divergent subunits of SNAP(c) and of transcription factor IIA (TFIIA). The latter finding was unexpected since genome databases of trypanosomatid parasites appeared to lack general class II transcription factors. As we demonstrate, the TRF4/SNAP(c)/TFIIA complex binds specifically to the SL RNA gene promoter upstream sequence element and is absolutely essential for SL RNA gene transcription in vitro.
ABSOLUTE CONFIGURATION OF THE POLYAZAMACROLIDES, MACROCYCLIC POLYAMINES PRODUCED BY A LADYBIRD BEETLE

Abstract The absolute configuration of the polyazamacrolides, oligomeric macrocycles from the pupal defensive secretion of Epilachna borealis , was determined by comparison of derivatives of the natural material with enantiomerically pure synthetic samples. Samples of a mixture of three (ω-1)-(2-hydroxy-ethylamino)alkanoic acids and of the corresponding aza-lactones were synthesized from (R) -malanimol. Gas chromatographic comparison of MTPA-amides of the synthetic aza-lactones with the MTPA-amides of aza-lactones prepared from the natural material established that the polyazamacrolides have the (R) -configuration at all stereogenic centers.
Rho1 Directs Formin-Mediated Actin Ring Assembly during Budding Yeast Cytokinesis

Abstract In eukaryotic cells, dynamic rearrangement of the actin cytoskeleton is critical for cell division. In the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae , three main structures constitute the actin cytoskeleton: cortical actin patches, cytoplasmic actin cables, and the actin-based cytokinetic ring [1–4]. The conserved Arp2/3 complex and a WASP-family protein mediate actin patch formation, whereas the yeast formins (Bni1 and Bnr1) promote assembly of actin cables [5–9]. However, the mechanism of actin ring formation is currently unclear. Here, we show that actin filaments are required for cytokinesis in S. cerevisiae , and that the actin ring is a highly dynamic structure that undergoes constant turnover. Assembly of the actin ring requires the formin-like proteins and profilin, but is not Arp2/3-mediated. Furthermore, the formin-dependent actin ring assembly pathway is regulated by the Rho-type GTPase Rho1 but not Cdc42. Finally, we show that the formins are not required for localization of Cyk1/Iqg1, an IQGAP-like protein previously shown to be required for actin ring formation, suggesting that formin-like proteins and Cyk1 act synergistically but independently in assembly of the actin ring.
111Indium labeling of hepatocytes for analysis of short-term biodistribution of transplanted cells

Hepatocyte transplantation is useful for ex vivo gene therapy and liver repopulation. Methods for hepatic reconstitution have recently been developed but optimization of hepatocyte transplantation systems is necessary. To develop systems for noninvasive assessment of the biodistribution of transplanted cells, we labeled hepatocytes with 111indium-oxine. Our initial studies showed that hepatocytes incorporated 111indium-oxine with an efficiency of approximately 20%. After labeling, cell viability was unchanged and 111indium was present in hepatocytes after overnight culture, as well as after intrasplenic transplantation. Transplanted cells were successfully localized by means of scintigraphic imaging. The scintigraphic patterns of cell distribution were different when hepatocytes were transplanted by means of either spleen or internal jugular vein, which deposit cells into separate vascular beds. Quantitative analysis of the biodistribution of 111indium-labeled hepatocytes indicated that within 2 hr of intrasplenic transplantation, cells were predominantly localized in liver and spleen, and occasionally in lungs. To determine whether the rate of intrasplenic cell injection influenced translocation of hepatocytes, we transplanted cells in normal rats. Despite intrasplenic cell injection at a variety of rates, organ-specific distribution of 111indium-labeled hepatocytes remained unchanged. Labeling with 111indium did not affect long-term survival of transplanted hepatocytes. These results indicate that 111indium-labeling of hepatocytes should greatly assist noninvasive analysis in the short-term of the biodistribution of transplanted hepatocytes.
Implementation of a finite element software system with h and p extension capabilities

Abstract Some aspects of implementation of an advanced finite element software system is described. The software system, called PROBE, permits assessment of the quality of finite element solutions through p-extension, (i.e. increase in the polynomial degree of elements), and permits the user to control of the quality of finite element solution through a combination of mesh refinement and p-extension. An example, showing how feedback information generated by p-extension can be used for controlling the quality of the finite element solution, is presented
Determination and use of haplotypes: ethnic comparison and association of the lipoprotein lipase gene and coronary artery disease in Mexican-Americans.

Purpose: To illustrate an approach of deriving haplotypes for genetic association studies, using the lipoprotein lipase (LPL) gene and coronary artery disease. Methods: Six polymorphisms sufficient to distinguish the most common haplotypes in the 3′ end of LPL were identified by genotyping 10 polymorphisms in a small pilot population. These were used to haplotype LPL in large family samples of Mexican-Americans and non-Hispanic Caucasians. A case-control association study was performed comparing Mexican-Americans with and without coronary artery disease. Results: The two ethnic groups exhibited significant genetic differences. Among Mexican-Americans, homozygosity for LPL haplotype 1 was protective against coronary artery disease (OR = 0.50, 95% CI 0.27–0.91). Conclusion: This study outlines the haplotype structure of the LPL gene, illustrates the utility of haplotype-based analysis in association studies, and demonstrates the importance of defining haplotype frequencies for different ethnic groups.
AI, biomedicine and the NIH

The relevance and potential of artificial intelligence (AI) for biology and medicine should not be judged by NIH attitudes toward the field. However, NIH is the principal funding source for biomedically relevant R&D, and its enthusiasm (or apathy) for a domain can significantly alter the pace of development and the projects to which scientists devote their time. The notorious "AI winter", usually attributed to the disappointment of exaggerated expectations, more or less froze funding for AI development in general. Biomedicine was not spared, and the relatively small but enthusiastic funding provided by the National Library of Medicine dried up in the 1990s. NIH as a whole has never embraced AI, and in fact, did not develop much enthusiasm for computation in general until 2000. Even today, enthusiasm for AI (broadly defined) is modest. However, the emergence of new and complex problems for clinicians and biologists, as well as the federal interest in electronic health records, has stimulated some renewed interest in the potential of AI. Some AI can be seen in a number of funded projects, including the Strategic Health IT Advanced Research Projects (SHARP) Program, the Clinical and Translational Science Awards, and the National Centers for Biomedical Computing. The National Library of Medicine recently awarded 13 research contracts for projects in "computational thinking" relevant to biomedicine. Funding opportunities for AI projects are becoming available at NIH for applicants who can identify important problems, know where to look for support, and wordsmith with sufficient shrewdness.
Telaprevir for chronic hepatitis C virus infection.

Telaprevir is a recently approved direct-acting antiviral against hepatitis C virus (HCV) that works through inhibition of the NS3/4A serine protease inhibitor. Phase 2b and 3 studies have shown marked increase in sustained virologic response rates in both treatment-naive and treatment-experienced patients with HCV genotype 1 treated with a telaprevir-containing regimen compared with pegylated interferon (Peg-IFN) and ribavirin alone. The most commonly observed side effects of telaprevir therapy are anemia to a greater degree than that observed with Peg-IFN/ribavirin alone; eczematous rash, which can be severe in a minority of patients; and anorectal discomfort.
Effect of Electron Beam Irradiation and Storage at 5 °C on Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances and Carbonyl Contents in Chicken Breast Meat Infused with Antioxidants and Selected Plant Extracts

This study evaluated the effectiveness of synthetic and natural antioxidants, green tea, commercial grape seed extracts/combinations, and TBHQ, with varying concentrations of lipid oxidation of nonirradiated and irradiated chicken breast meats stored at 5 degrees C for 12 days. Fresh boneless and skinless chicken breast meats were vacuum-infused with varying concentrations of antioxidants: green tea, grape seed extracts alone/in combination, and TBHQ. The irradiation dosage was 3.0 kGy. Carbonyl values of raw chicken meat and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) values of raw and cooked chicken meat were determined for 0-12 days at 5 degrees C storage. TBARS values for 0-12 days of storage at 5 degrees C ranged from 1.21 to 7.3 and 1.22 to 8.51 mg malondialdehyde/100 g chicken for nonirradiated and irradiated raw chicken, respectively. TBARS values of cooked chicken ranged from 2.19 to 35.83 and 2.45 to 45.72 mg malondialdehyde/100 g chicken for nonirradiated and irradiated chicken, respectively. Irradiation increased TBARS values of both controls and plant extracts. The carbonyl content in meat lipid ranged from 1.7 to 2.9 and 1.7 to 4.41 micromol acetophenone/10 g of nonirradiated and irradiated chicken meat, respectively, and meat protein ranged from 1.4 to 2.07 and 1.41 to 2.72 micromol/10 g meat. Infusion of chicken meat with selected plant extracts is an effective method to minimize lipid oxidation and volatiles developments caused by irradiation.
The spirit that strengthens me: Merging the “life of the mind” with “life in the spirit”

Traditional Christian hymns and journal entries are intertwined to illustrate how the author's faith sustains and allows her to meet the challenges and triumphs of academia. Lyrics and excerpts from journal entries are the foundation for discussing obstacles, gratitude, and resilience as a black female in academia.
Treatment of poikiloderma of Civatte with an intense pulsed light source.

Background.Effective treatment of poikiloderma of Civatte combines elimination of both the vascular and pigmented components simultaneously. A broad spectrum, noncoherent, intense pulsed light (IPL) source delivers multiple wavelengths with software controlled pulse durations and sequencing, which p
Very low prevalence of endophthalmitis in very low birthweight infants who survive candidemia.

Very Low Prevalence of Endophthalmitis in Very Low Birthweight Infants who Survive Candidemia
Investigation of porosity of carbon materials and related effects on gas separation properties

Carbon molecular sieving membranes are chemically robust materials with tailorable gas transport properties for O2/N2, CO2/CH4 and C3H6/C3H8 separations. Such carbon materials were formed in this study by the pyrolysis of polyimide precursors. The final pyrolysis temperature was varied to alter the carbon structure, which changed the average pore size. Characterization of the porosity of these materials and how this feature changes when pyrolysis conditions are varied could guide the systematic control of these materials. However, the carbon is an amorphous, microporous material, which makes it difficult to characterize compared to crystalline materials. From separation studies of penetrants on these materials it appears that these materials have both ultramicropores (<7 A) and larger micropores. The ultramicropores are believed to be mainly responsible for molecular sieving while the micropores provide negligible resistance to diffusion but provide high capacity sorption sites for penetrants. Techniques such as wide angle X-ray diffraction and the analysis of carbon dioxide adsorption isotherms using density functional theory were employed to characterize the microporosity of the material. The small dimensions of the key ultramicropores make accurate determination of their pore size distribution difficult. Therefore, to effectively discuss the differences in transport properties when different pyrolysis temperatures are used as well as penetrants with different dimensions, a hypothetical ultramicropore size distribution was used as a tool to discuss and interpret a combination of parameter effects and trends of separation properties.
Strength of iron during allotropic transformation

Abstract The influence of concurrent phase transformation on the deformation of Armco iron and electrolytic vacuum cast (EVC) iron was studied under compressive and torsional stresses from 200 to 1085 psi. It is shown that transformation strain is greater on heating from alpha to gamma than on cooling from gamma to alpha, that it is a non-linear increasing function of applied stress, and that high heating and cooling rates lead to smaller transformation strains. It is suggested that the origin of phase transformation softening may be associated with the generation of excess lattice vacancies created during heating, since the nucleating gamma phase is more dense than the alpha matrix, and the generation of excess interstitial atoms during cooling when, the opposite is true. The role of these excess point defects is to cause creep to take place, since dislocation climb will be enhanced.