cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Recent Advances in Molecular Technologies and Their Application in Pathogen Detection in Foods with Particular Reference to Yersinia

Yersinia enterocolitica is an important zoonotic pathogen that can cause yersiniosis in humans and animals. Food has been suggested to be the main source of yersiniosis. It is critical for the researchers to be able to detect Yersinia or any other foodborne pathogen with increased sensitivity and specificity, as well as in real-time, in the case of a foodborne disease outbreak. Conventional detection methods are known to be labor intensive, time consuming, or expensive. On the other hand, more sensitive molecular-based detection methods like next generation sequencing, microarray, and many others are capable of providing faster results. DNA testing is now possible on a single molecule, and high-throughput analysis allows multiple detection reactions to be performed at once, thus allowing a range of characteristics to be rapidly and simultaneously determined. Despite better detection efficiencies, results derived using molecular biology methods can be affected by the various food matrixes. With the improvements in sample preparation, data analysis, and testing procedures, molecular detection techniques will likely continue to simplify and increase the speed of detection while simultaneously improving the sensitivity and specificity for tracking pathogens in food matrices.
Subvalvular Aortic Membrane Masquerading as Valvular Aortic Stenosis

Discrete subvalvular aortic membrane is an unusual cause of left ventricular outflow tract obstruction. While commonly presenting during childhood, one quarter of the individuals are asymptomatic in childhood but remain vulnerable to progressive outflow tract obstruction as well as bacterial endocarditis in adulthood. Unfortunately, because the condition is so uncommon in adults, the diagnosis of subvalvular membrane is often missed or delayed. We recently had the opportunity to care for an adult patient who finally had subvalvular membrane identified as the cause of a left ventricular outflow obstruction, only after a protracted series of diagnostic investigations. Pitfalls in the noninvasive and invasive diagnosis of this condition are reviewed.
Risk of early or severe preeclampsia related to pre-existing conditions

Results Pre-existing hypertension, diabetes, obesity or multiple gestation were associated with 22.3% (19.8–24.9) of all PE cases among nulliparous women. These conditions, or a prior preeclamptic pregnancy, were associated with 52.2% (46.4–57.9) of PE among multiparous women. Early PE was preceded by these pre-existing conditions among 34% (28.3–40.0) of affected nulliparous women and among 50% (37.5–63.4) of multiparous women. The fraction of severe PE associated with these conditions was 23% among nulliparas and 59% among multiparas. Being obese or overweight was associated with 15–17% of the population risk of early PE among nulliparous and multiparous women. Conclusions Pre-existing maternal and obstetric conditions are associated with a high proportion of severe or early cases of PE. Obesity and overweight contributed independently to the risk of pre-term PE, a finding with potentially profound public health implications.
Relevant and Robust: A Response to Marcus and Davis (2013)

The authors discuss computational models in psychology. They are exact, fully stated scientific hypothesis. Probabilistic models specifically formalize hypotheses about the beliefs of agents, their knowledge and assumptions about the world, utilizing the structured collection of probabilities regarded as priors and likelihoods.
Androgen Regulates Follicle-Stimulating Hormone β Gene Expression in an Activin-Dependent Manner in Immortalized Gonadotropes

Little is known about the molecular mechanisms of androgen regulation of the FSHβ gene; however, studies suggest that it consists of a complex feedback loop that involves multiple mechanisms acting at both the level of the hypothalamus and the pituitary. In the present study, we address androgen regulation of the FSHβ gene in immortalized gonadotrope cells and investigate the roles of activin and GnRH in androgen action. Using transient transfection assays in the FSHβ-expressing mouse gonadotrope cell line, LβT2, we demonstrate that androgens stimulate expression of an ovine FSHβ reporter gene in a dose-dependent manner. Mutation of either of two conserved androgen response elements at −245/−231 and −153/−139 within the proximal region of the ovine FSHβ gene promoter abolishes this stimulation, and androgen receptor binds directly to the −244 ARE in vitro. Androgen induction of the FSHβ reporter gene is also dependent upon the activin autocrine loop present in the LβT2 cells, as well as an activin-respons...
Liouville-space pathways for spectral diffusion in photon statistics from single molecules

The factorial moments of photon counting statistics from a single molecule coupled to a quantum bath are expressed in terms of multipoint quantum correlation functions and represented by double-sided Feynman diagrams, in close formal analogy with nonlinear spectroscopy. At infinite temperature we recover the results of stochastic models of spectral diffusion where the bath dynamics is independent on the state of the system and the moments are described by lower-order correlation functions.
Diffuse algorithm for robotic multi-source localization

This paper describes a new robotic multi-source localization algorithm based on diffusion of robots. Our DIFFUSE algorithm accelerates source localization by combining robot diffusion from purely local communication with random local search. We evaluate our approach on a set of validation benchmarks that provide ground-truth for comparative analysis of multi-source algorithms. Our DIFFUSE algorithm locates all sources in all benchmarks, unlike the BRW, GSO, and HYBRID algorithms tested previously. The algorithm excels when the initial robot deployment is non-uniform because the diffusion of robots facilitates broad exploration of the search space. The performance of the DIFFUSE algorithm improves as the communication range of the robots increases, up to a critical communication range. At this critical range, the robots diffuse across the entire search space, and search performance is independent of the initial robot distribution.
Vortex Dynamics on a Pitching Delta Wing

A study of the dynamic behavior of the leading-edge vortices on a delta wing undergoing oscillatory pitching motions is presented, A sharp-edged, flat-plate, delta wing having a sweep angle of 70 deg was used in this investigation. The wing was sinusoidally pitched about its one-half chord position at reduced frequencies ranging from /r = 2ir/c/i/ = 0.05 to 0.30 at root chord Reynolds numbers between 9xl04 and 3.5 x 10s, for angle-ofattack ranges of a = 29 to 39 deg and a = 0 to 45 deg. During these dynamic motions, visualization of the leadingedge vortices was obtained by injecting TiCl4 through ports located near the model apex. The location of vortex breakdown was recorded using high-speed motion-picture photography. The motion-picture records were analyzed to determine the vortex trajectory and breakdown position as a function of angle of attack. When the wing was sinusoidally pitched, hysteresis was observed in the location of the breakdown position. This hysteresis increased with reduced frequency. The velocity of breakdown propagation along the wing and the phase-lag between model motion and breakdown location were also determined. Detailed information was also obtained on the oscillation of breakdown position in both static and dynamic cases.
Pathogenic virus-specific T cells cause disease during treatment with the calcineurin inhibitor FK506: implications for transplantation

Recently, several cases of fatal lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV) infection occurred in transplant recipients being treated with the immunosuppressive calcineurin inhibitor FK506. These findings were surprising because LCMV is a noncytolytic virus. To understand how a noncytolytic virus can cause disease under conditions of immunosuppression, we used the mouse LCMV model and found that, similar to the observations in human transplant recipients, LCMV infection of FK506-treated mice resulted in a lethal disease characterized by viremia, lack of seroconversion, and minimal lymphocytic infiltrates in the tissues. However, despite the apparent absence of an antiviral immune response, this disease was orchestrated by virus-specific T cells. FK506 did not prevent the generation and proliferation of LCMV-specific T cells but instead altered their differentiation so that these effector T cells lost the ability to control virus but were still capable of mediating disease. These pathogenic T cells initiated a cytokine storm characterized by high levels of tumor necrosis factor (TNF) and interleukin 6 (IL-6), and depletion of T cells or blockade of these inflammatory cytokines prevented the lethal disease. Our study shows that inhibiting calcineurin can generate pathogenic T cells and indicates that T cell–mediated viral disease can occur even under conditions of immunosuppression. Furthermore, we identify a potential strategy (blockade of TNF and IL-6) for treatment of transplant recipients who have acute complications of viral infection.
The legend of the flying tomato

Once a victim of bullying, Frida finds a hero in the legendary Luchador El Pirana. However, she finds herself at her lowest when she's ridiculed during the biggest wrestling match of her life. Through an unexpected meeting with a mysterious taco salesman, Frida learns that she must find strength in herself to overcome her demons.
Decreases in rat extracellular hippocampal glucose concentration associated with cognitive demand during a spatial task.

raditional models of the distribution of glucose through the brain make two key statements: first, that the level of glucose is the same throughout the brain, which is viewed as a single compartment with respect to glucose; and second, that this level is invariant, with transport capacity always exceeding demand (1-3). Such models pose significant problems for interpretation of the large body of data showing that administration of glucose, either peripherally or directly into the brain, produces dose- dependent effects on cognition, including enhancement of mem- ory in a range of tasks (4-11). Most potential mechanisms for glucose effects on cognition, such as provision of additional energy, provision of additional substrate for neurotransmitters, and modulation of transmitter release, require that glucose administration lead to increased extracellular glucose availabil- ity in the brain. Moreover, because neuronal enzymes involved in the metabolism of glucose already are maximally active in the absence of exogenous glucose administration (12), it seemed perhaps likely that administration of glucose would act to reverse a reduction in available glucose caused by increased demand rather than to elevate the baseline extracellular concentration. Previous work has shown that the level of glucose in the brain's extracellular fluid (ECF) increases in line with increases in blood glucose (13-16) and that the level of glucose in the ECF is lower than that predicted by traditional models (17, 18). However, such findings do not address the question of whether provision of glucose to the brain is always sufficient to meet demand. To investigate this issue, we measured the levels of glucose in the hippocampus of freely moving rats before, during, and after tests of spontaneous alternation, a task requiring spatial working memory and which is sensitive to lesions and drug manipulations of the hippocampus (refs. 19-28; for a review of the underlying behavioral significance of performance in this task, see ref. 29). To determine further the effects of variation in cognitive de- mand on ECF glucose, two mazes of differing cognitive demand were used. We also assessed the effects on both performance and hippocampal extracellular glucose of systemic glucose adminis- tration. In this paper, we report that the ECF glucose level in the hippocampus decreased in rats during performance of spatial working memory tasks, with larger decreases seen during per- formance of a more complex task. Administration of systemic glucose before testing prevented decreases in ECF glucose and improved performance on the more complex task, suggesting that cognitive demand can deplete hippocampal glucose and that exogenous glucose administration reverses the depletion while enhancing memory processing.
Spectral characterization of mammographic tissue for computer aided diagnosis of malignant masses

An approach for the analysis of the spectral properties of digitized mammograms for computer aided diagnosis is presented. The approach is developed using 206 regions of interest (ROIs) extracted from 103 normal and 103 malignant mass cases selected from the Digital Database for Screening Mammography (DDSM) available from the University of South Florida. A spectral definition is proposed in terms of a linear function of the local slope of the modified, circularly averaged periodogram across the entire spectrum. The local slope is estimated in a least squares sense for each point in the spectrum as a function of local neighboring samples. The proposed spectral definition is evaluated for the discrimination of malignant versus normal ROIs. Results are summarized by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis. For the cases studied, maximum detection performance is achieved with an area under the ROC curve (AUC) of 0.9223 and a partial AUC at 90% sensitivity of 0.712. These results suggest that the proposed spectral signature is useful as a computationally fast and effective approach for the characterization of malignant masses in digitized mammograms.
Test-Length and TAM Optimization for Wafer-Level Reduced Pin-Count Testing of Core-Based SoCs

Wafer-level testing (wafer sort) is used in the semiconductor industry to reduce packaging and test cost. However, a large number of wafer-probe contacts lead to higher yield loss. Therefore, it is desirable that the number of chip pins contacted by tester channels during wafer sort be kept small to reduce the yield loss resulting from improper contacts. Since test time and the number of contacted chip pins are major practical constraints for wafer sort, not all scan-based digital tests can be applied to the die under test. We propose an optimization framework based on mathematical programming (integer linear programming, nonlinear programming, and geometric programming) and fast heuristic methods. This framework addresses test-access mechanism (TAM) optimization and test-length selection for wafer-level testing of core-based digital system-on-chips (SoCs). The objective here is to design a TAM architecture and determine test lengths for the embedded cores such that the overall SoC defect-screening probability at wafer sort is maximized. Defect probabilities for the embedded cores, obtained using statistical yield modeling, are incorporated in the optimization framework. Simulation results are presented for five of the ITC'02 SoC Test benchmarks.
The translation machinery and 70 kd heat shock protein cooperate in protein synthesis

The function of the yeast SSB 70 kd heatshock proteins (hsp70s) was investigated by a variety of approaches. The SSB hsp70s (Ssb1/2p) are associated with translating ribosomes. This association is disrupted by puromycin, suggesting that Ssb1/2p may bind directly to the nascent polypeptide. Mutant ssb1 ssb2 strains grow slowly, contain a low number of translating ribosomes, and are hypersensitive to several inhibitors of protein synthesis. The slow growth phenotype of ssb1 ssb2 mutants is suppressed by increased copy number of a gene encoding a novel translation elongation factor 1 alpha (EF-1 alpha)-like protein. We suggest that cytosolic hsp70 aids in the passage of the nascent polypeptide chain through the ribosome in a manner analogous to the role played by organelle-localized hsp70 in the transport of proteins across membranes.
Embolization To Diminish High Output Failure Secondary To Systemic Angiomatosis (Ullman's Syndrome)

Embolization of multiple arteriove nous malformations was performed to alleviate high-output cardiac failure. The malformations were diagnosed as systemic angiomatosis, also known as Ullmann's syndrome. The resulting reduced cardiac output and improved emotional outlook lasted 2 years.
Above-ground competition does not alter biomass allocated to roots in Abutilon theophrasti

We tested whether plants allocate proportionately less biomass to roots in response to above-ground competition as predicted by optimal partitioning theory. Two population densities of Abutilon theophrasti were achieved by planting one individual per pot and varying spacing among pots so that plants in the two densities experienced the same soil volume but different degrees of canopy overlap. Density did not affect root∶shoot ratio, the partitioning of biomass between fine roots and storage roots, fine root length, or root specific length. Plants growing in high density exhibited typical above-ground responses to neighbours, having higher ratios of stem to leaf biomass and greater leaf specific area than those growing in low density. Total root biomass and shoot biomass were highly correlated. However, storage root biomass was more strongly correlated with shoot biomass than was fine-root biomass. Fine-root length was correlated with above-ground biomass only for the small subcanopy plants in crowded populations. Because leaf surface area increased with biomass, the ratio between absorptive root surface area and transpirational leaf surface area declined with plant size, a relationship that could make larger plants more susceptible to drought. We conclude that A. theophrasti does not reallocate biomass from roots to shoots in response to above-ground competition even though much root biomass is apparently involved in storage and not in resource acquisition.
Reactive oxygen species inhibited by titanium oxide coatings.

Titanium is a successful biomaterial that possesses good biocompatibility. It is covered by a surface layer of titanium dioxide, and this oxide may play a critical role in inhibiting reactive oxygen species, such as peroxynitrite, produced during the inflammatory response. In the present study, titanium dioxide was coated onto silicone substrates by radio-frequency sputtering. Silicone coating with titanium dioxide enhanced the breakdown of peroxynitrite by 79%. At physiologic pH, the peroxynitrite donor 3-morpholinosydnonimine-N-ethylcarbamide (SIN-1) was used to nitrate 4-hydroxyphenylacetic acid (4-HPA) to form 4-hydroxy-3-nitrophenyl acetic acid (NHPA). Titanium dioxide-coated silicone inhibited the nitration of 4-HPA by 61% compared to aluminum oxide-coated silicone and 55% compared to uncoated silicone. J774A.1 mouse macrophages were plated on oxide-coated silicone and polystyrene and stimulated to produce superoxide and interleukin-6. Superoxide production was measured by the chemiluminescent reaction with 2-methyl-6-[p-methoxyphenyl]-3,7-dihydroimidazo[1,2-a]pyrazin-3-one (MCLA). Titanium dioxide-coated silicone exhibited a 55% decrease in superoxide compared to uncoated silicone and a 165% decrease in superoxide compared to uncoated polystyrene. Titanium dioxide-coated silicone inhibited IL-6 production by 77% compared to uncoated silicone. These results show that the anti-inflammatory properties of titanium dioxide can be transferred to the surfaces of silicone substrates.
Preventing recurrence of bipolar I mood episodes and hospitalizations: family psychotherapy plus pharmacotherapy versus pharmacotherapy alone.

Objectives: This study compared the efficacy of three treatment conditions in preventing recurrence of bipolar I mood episodes and hospitalization for such episodes: individual family therapy plus pharmacotherapy, multifamily group therapy plus pharmacotherapy, and pharmacotherapy alone. Methods: Patients with bipolar I disorder were enrolled if they met criteria for an active mood episode and were living with or in regular contact with relatives or significant others. Subjects were randomly assigned to individual family therapy plus pharmacotherapy, multifamily group therapy plus pharmacotherapy, or pharmacotherapy alone, which were provided on an outpatient basis. Individual family therapy involved one therapist meeting with a single patient and the patient’s family members, with the content of each session and number of sessions determined by the therapist and family. Multifamily group psychotherapy involved two therapists meeting together for six sessions with multiple patients and their respective family members, with the content of each session preset. All subjects were prescribed a mood stabilizer, and other medications were used as needed. Subjects were assessed monthly for up to 28 months. Following recovery from the index mood episode, subjects were assessed for recurrence of a mood episode and for hospitalization for such episodes. Results: Of a total of 92 subjects that were enrolled in the study, 53 (58%) recovered from their intake mood episode. The analyses in this report focus upon these 53 subjects, 42 (79%) of whom entered the study during an episode of mania. Of the 53 subjects who recovered from their intake mood episode, the proportion of subjects within each treatment group who suffered a recurrence by month 28 did not differ significantly between the three treatment conditions. However, only 5% of the subjects receiving adjunctive multifamily group therapy required hospitalization, compared to 31% of the subjects receiving adjunctive individual family therapy and 38% of those receiving pharmacotherapy alone, a significant difference. Time to recurrence and time to hospitalization did not differ significantly between the three treatment groups. Conclusion: For patients with bipolar I disorder, adjunctive multifamily group therapy may confer significant advantages in preventing hospitalization for a mood episode.
On the efficacy of fine-grained traffic splitting protocols in data center networks

Current multipath routing techniques split traffic at a per-flow level because, according to conventional wisdom, forwarding packets of a TCP flow along different paths leads to packet reordering which is detrimental to TCP. In this paper, we revisit this "myth" in the context of cloud data center networks which have regular topologies such as multi-rooted trees. We argue that due to the symmetry in the multiple equal-cost paths in such networks, simply spraying packets of a given flow among all equal-cost paths, leads to balanced queues across multiple paths, and consequently little packet reordering. Using a testbed comprising of NetFPGA switches, we show how cloud applications benefit from better network utilization in data centers.
Processing of MnBi bulk magnets with enhanced energy product

We report magnetic properties and microstructure of high energy-product MnBi bulk magnets fabricated by low-temperature ball-milling and warm compaction technique. A maximum energy product (BH)max of 8.4 MGOe and a coercivity of 6.2 kOe were obtained in the bulk MnBi magnet at room temperature. Magnetic characterization at elevated temperatures showed an increase in coercivity to 16.2 kOe while (BH)max value decreased to 6.8 MGOe at 400 K. Microstructure characterization revealed that the bulk magnets consist of oriented uniform nanoscale grains with average size about 50 nm.
High-density liquid-like component facilitates plastic flow in a model amorphous silicon system

Molecular dynamics simulations show that plastic deformation behavior of model Stillinger-Weber amorphous Si is very sensitive to the density of the initial unstressed state. Low-density systems exhibit a pronounced yield phenomenon, strain softening, and a dramatic drop in pressure during deformation at constant volume. This behavior is explained by the interplay in every system of the prevailing solid-like and liquid-like components, with the latter being denser and more amenable to plastic flow.
Characterization and Correction of Geometric Distortions in 814 Diffusion Weighted Images.

Author(s): Treiber, Jeffrey Mark; White, Nathan S; Steed, Tyler Christian; Bartsch, Hauke; Holland, Dominic; Farid, Nikdokht; McDonald, Carrie R; Carter, Bob S; Dale, Anders Martin; Chen, Clark C | Abstract: IntroductionDiffusion Weighted Imaging (DWI), which is based on Echo Planar Imaging (EPI) protocols, is becoming increasingly important for neurosurgical applications. However, its use in this context is limited in part by significant spatial distortion inherent to EPI.MethodWe evaluated an efficient algorithm for EPI distortion correction (EPIC) across 814 DWI scans from 250 brain tumor patients and quantified the magnitude of geometric distortion for whole brain and multiple brain regions.ResultsEvaluation of the algorithm's performance revealed significantly higher mutual information between T1-weighted pre-contrast images and corrected b = 0 images than the uncorrected b = 0 images (p l 0.001). The distortion magnitude across all voxels revealed a median EPI distortion effect of 2.1 mm, ranging from 1.2 mm to 5.9 mm, the 5th and 95th percentile, respectively. Regions adjacent to bone-air interfaces, such as the orbitofrontal cortex, temporal poles, and brain stem, were the regions most severely affected by DWI distortion.ConclusionUsing EPIC to estimate the degree of distortion in 814 DWI brain tumor images enabled the creation of a topographic atlas of DWI distortion across the brain. The degree of displacement of tumors boundaries in uncorrected images is severe but can be corrected for using EPIC. Our results support the use of distortion correction to ensure accurate and careful application of DWI to neurosurgical practice.
AV.TK-mediated killing of subcutaneous tumors in situ results in effective immunization against established secondary intracranial tumor deposits

Gene transfer vectors expressing herpes simplex thymidine kinase (HSVtk), in addition to direct killing of tumor cells, often have an associated local ‘bystander effect’ mediated by metabolic coupling of tumor cells. A systemic antitumor effect mediated by the immune system, termed the distant bystander effect, has also been reported. We have observed the development of cytotoxic T-lymphocyte (CTL) populations and long-lasting antitumor immunity following treatment of subcutaneous tumors with an adenoviral vector expressing HSVtk (AV.TK) and ganciclovir (GCV) in rat glioma model. This vaccination effect seen with AV.TK/GCV treatment of subcutaneous tumor could even abrogate or retard growth of previously established secondary intracranial tumors.
Analysis of monitoring results of hand-foot-and-mouth disease in the three gorges reservoir area of Chongqing in 2011

Objective:To analyze the etiology and epidemic characteristics of HFMD monitoring cases in the three gorges reservoir area of Chongqing in 2011,and provide scientific basis for control and prevention of the disease.Methods: Real-time RT-PCR method was used to detect universal type of intestinal virus,enterovirus 71 and coxsackie virus A16.Results:The results demonstrated that 619 samples were positive for intestinal virus universal type,the detection rates of throat swabs,rectal swab and herpes liquid were 60.25%,72.99% and 72.53%.The detection rates of throat swab and anal swab from the same cases had no statistical significance(χ2=0.4444,P=0.5050).HFMD patients in different age groups had no statistical significance between men and women.April to June and November to December were the high frequency period for incidence of HFMD in one year.Conclusion:HFMD pathogens were mainly CoxA16 and EV71 in the three gorges reservoir area of Chongqing in 2011.The etiology detection showed that positive rate of nucleic acid in HFMD cases had no correlation with the types of specimens,but positively correlated with the quality and quantity of specimens.
Experimental Study on Relationship Between Thermal Decomposition of SF_6 and Overheat Temperature

Taking an SF_6 transformer shell as chamber,we locally heated the SF_6 gas in transformer to measure the gaseous decomposition products during heating process.The results show that HF,SOF_2,SO_2,and SO_2F_2 appear orderly with rising temperature.By analyzing the measurements,the relationship between thermal decomposition of SF_6 gas and overheat temperature is discovered,and the temperature range corresponding to each gaseous decomposition product is revealed,which may facilitate running condition evaluation and internal fault determination of electrical devices.
Reliability and Running Speed Effects of In-shoe Loading Measurements During Slow Treadmill Running

In-shoe measurement systems allow the clinician and researcher to examine the loading parameters within the shoe. This study sought to investigate the test retest reliability and speed effects of in-shoe loading parameters using the Pedar System (Novel GMBH Munich) during slow treadmill running. The results indicated good to excellent test retest reliability between the two days tested. Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC's) ranged from 0.84–0.99 depending on the plantar region and variable analyzed. All plantar loading variables increased (peak pressure, peak pressure time impulse, peak force, and force time impulse) with the exception of contact area when treadmill running speed was increased from 2.24 m/s to 3.13 m/s. Results indicate that control of running speed is essential in obtaining reproducible data using this system to measure in-shoe loading data.
Mechanism of heat shock Protein 72 induction in primary cultured astrocytes after oxygen-glucose deprivation

AbstractInduction of stress proteins is thought to be important in the protection of cells from a variety of environmental insults including heat, hypoxia and ischemia. The aim of this study was to compare the mechanism of induction of heat shock protein 72 (HSP72) in primary cultures of murine cortical astrocytes by heat and combined oxygen-glucose deprivation (OGD), a model of in vitro ischemia. 35S-methionine labeling and immunoblotting showed increased HSP72 synthesis and accumulation lasting for up to 24 h following heat or OGD. Heat induced a markedly greater amount of HSP72 mRNA and protein than did OGD. We then sought evidence of heat shock transcription factor-1 (HSF-1) activation. An increase in apparent molecular weight of nuclear HSF-1 after heat or OGD was observedconsistent with increased phosphorylation. To seek an explanation of the difference between heat and OGD as inducers of HSP72 we examined the binding activity of HSP72 + 73 to other proteins. More cellular protein was found to co-im...
Readings in philosophy and cognitive science

Part 1 Epistemology: visual object recognition, Irving Biederman deductive reasoning, John H. Holland et al probabilistic reasoning, Amos Tversky and Daniel Kahneman our native inferential tendencies, Hilary Kornblith epistemic folkways and scientific epistemology, Alvin I. Goldman. Part 2 Science and mathematics: observation reconsidered, Jerry A. Fodor perceptual plasticity and theoretical neutrality - a reply to Jerry Fodor, Paul M. Churchland explanatory coherence, Paul R. Thagard scientific discovery, Pat Langley et al evidence against empiricist accounts of the origins of numerical knowledge, Karen Wynn. Part 3 Mind: troubles with functionalism, Ned Block eliminative materialism and the propositional attitudes, Paul M. Churchland Fodor's guide to mental representation, Jerry A. Fodor misrepresentation, Fred I. Dretske how we know our minds - the illusion of first-person knowledge of intentionality, Alison Gopnik the psychology of folk psychology, Alvin I. Goldman quining qualia, Daniel C. Dennett neuropsychological evidence for a consciousness system, Daniel L. Schacter. Part 4 Metaphysics: object perception, Elizabeth S. Spelke ontological categories guide young children's inductions of word meaning, Nancy N. Soja et al some elements of conceptual structure, Ray Jackendoff colour subjectivism, C.L. Hardin. Part 5 Language: on the nature, use, and acquisition of language, Noam Chomsky on learning the past tenses of English verbs, David E. Rumelhart and James L. McClelland critique of Rumelhart and McClelland, Andy Clark the mental representation of the meaning of words, Philip N. Johnson-Laird brain and language, Antom R. Damasio and Hanna Damasio meaning, other people, and the world, Hilary Putnam. Part 6 Ethics: ethics and cognitive science, Alvin I. Goldman the contribution of empathy to justice and moral judgment, Martin L. Hoffman situations and dispositions, Owen Flanagan. Part 7 Conceptual foundations: autonomous psychology and the belief-desire thesis, Stephen P. Stich individualism and psychology, Tyler Burge the co-evolutionary research ideology, Patrica S. Churchland on the proper treatment of connectionism, Paul Smolensky connectionism and cognitive architecture, Jerry A. Fodor and Zenon W. Pylyshyn the computer model of the mind, Ned Bock the critique of cognitive reason, John R. Searle.
Increased susceptibility of the sickle cell membrane Ca2+ + Mg(2+)- ATPase to t-butylhydroperoxide: protective effects of ascorbate and desferal

Normal and sickle cell erythrocyte membranes were examined for significant differences in their ATPase activities, thiobarbituric acid reactive products formed (measured relative to malondialdehyde), membrane protein polymerization, and number of protein-free sulfhydryl groups when treated with 0.5 mmol/L t-butylhydroperoxide (tBHP) for 30 minutes. Isolated sickle cell membranes treated with tBHP produced significantly greater inhibition in both their basal and calmodulin-stimulated Ca2+ + Mg(2+)-ATPase activities (75% inhibition in both cases) compared with that of control membranes. In addition, there was significantly more malondialdehyde formed from sickle cell membranes compared with control membranes. Oxidation caused greater protein polymerization in sickle cell membranes compared with normal membranes as demonstrated by the formation of high molecular weight polymers separated on sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gels. The number of free sulfhydryl groups present in spectrin and actin decreased more in sickle cell membranes as measured by 3H-N-ethyl maleimide autoradiography and gel scanning. To prevent enzyme inhibition, erythrocyte membranes were treated with tBHP in the presence of 1 mmol/L ascorbate, a potential antioxidant, and 1 mmol/L desferal, an iron chelator. Both ascorbate and desferal added alone with tBHP were effective in preventing inhibition of the basal and calmodulin-stimulated Ca2+ + Mg(2+)-ATPase activities in normal membranes, but in sickle cell membranes only the addition of ascorbate and desferal together offered significant protection. The enhanced oxidation observed with sickle cell membranes can be mimicked in normal white membranes by adding hemoglobin, hemin, or ferrous chloride in the presence of tBHP. In contrast to hemoglobin, ferrous chloride has the ability to enhance membrane oxidation in the presence of ascorbate with or without tBHP. Furthermore, the addition of desferal to these membranes greatly decreased the iron-ascorbate-tBHP oxidation of erythrocyte membranes as determined by the sustained ATPase activities and the reduced formation of malondialdehyde. Maximal protection was provided by 1 mmol/L desferal in the presence of 1 mmol/L ascorbate, although some protection was observed even at 10 mumol/L, the lowest concentration tested. These results are discussed in light of the pro- and anti-oxidant effects of ascorbate in the absence and presence of iron and tBHP.
Minimax Kernels for nonparametric curve estimation

Minimax kernels for nonparametric curve estimation are investigated. They are defined to be the solutions to the kernel variational problem arising from the asymptotic maximum risk of the kernel density or derivative estimation established in this paper. A δ-perturbation method is employed to solve the kernel variational problem. Such a δ-perturbation method can be used in solving other variational problems such as the variational problem of Gasser, Muller and Mammitzsch (1985). We obtain the explicit expressions of the minimax kernels by an algorithm developed in the Appendix and tabulate the asymptotic relative efficiencies among the minimax kernels, optimal kernels and Gaussian-based kernels for further reference. The minimax kernels are shown to possess not only the minimax property, but also have higher asymptotic efficiency in the conventional, non-minimax sense. As a by-product of our study, the asymptotic minimax risks for the kernel density and derivative estimators are also obtained.
Public Opinion and Public Policy

Public policy in communist states usually is regarded as detached from ‘public opinion’.1 This inference can be drawn from both the general neglect of public opinion in studies of communist systems and an occasional explicit reference to the futility of such an explanation for policy in such states: As for such nondemocratic countries as the Soviet Union and East Germany, we can offer little empirical evidence to support the contention that public opinion acts as an important constraint on policy makers.2 In an authoritarian political system, where citizens’ participation activities are limited primarily to voting for a single party’s candidate, it is unlikely that many citizens will develop much confidence in themselves as able to influence national affairs. At the most, they will become ‘subject-participants,’ taking advantage of opportunities to contact bureaucrats, or informal ‘fixers,’ in order to shape governmental action as it affects their lives. Their citizenship roles are confined to the political output process.3 Where authors focus on the opinion-policy connection in the US, knowledge about public preferences in totalitarian systems is thought to provide an ‘excellent method’ for ‘monitoring and controlling popular dissatisfaction’.4
Overcoming implementation barriers for nanotechnology in drinking water treatment

Nanotechnology enabled water treatment is a promising approach to enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of purifying water in many areas of the world. Nanotechnology offers significant opportunities to revolutionize approaches towards drinking water treatment by enhancing the multifunctionality and versatility of treatment systems while reducing reliance on stoichiometric chemical addition (thus minimizing associated waste streams), shrinking large facilities with relatively long hydraulic contact times and minimizing energy intensive processes. The unique material properties that emerge at the nano-scale enable solutions to treat pollutants in water for which existing technologies are inefficient or ineffective. This perspective describes the rationale, opportunities and barriers for translating this nascent technology from promising bench-scale discoveries to full-scale commercialization and production of safe drinking water.
Racial/ethnic differences in preterm perinatal outcomes

Background Racial disparities in preterm birth and infant death have been well documented. Less is known about racial disparities in neonatal morbidities among infants who are born at Objective The purpose of this study was to determine whether the risk for morbidity and death among infants who are born preterm differs by maternal race. Study Design A retrospective cohort design included medical records from preterm deliveries of 19,325 black, Hispanic, and white women in the Consortium on Safe Labor. Sequentially adjusted Poisson models with generalized estimating equations estimated racial differences in the risk for neonatal morbidities and death, controlling for maternal demographics, health behaviors, and medical history. Sex differences between and within race were examined. Results Black preterm infants had an elevated risk for perinatal death, but there was no difference in risk for neonatal death across racial groups. Relative to white infants, black infants were significantly more likely to experience sepsis (9.1% vs 13.6%), peri- or intraventricular hemorrhage (2.6% vs 3.3%), intracranial hemorrhage (0.6% vs 1.8%), and retinopathy of prematurity (1.0% vs 2.6%). Hispanic and white preterm neonates had similar risk profiles. In general, female infants had lower risk relative to male infants, with white female infants having the lowest prevalence of a composite indicator of perinatal death or any morbidity across all races (30.9%). Differences in maternal demographics, health behaviors, and medical history did little to influence these associations, which were robust to sensitivity analyses of pregnancy complications as potential underlying mechanisms. Conclusion Preterm infants were at similar risk for neonatal death, regardless of race; however, there were notable racial disparities and sex differences in rare, but serious, adverse neonatal morbidities.
Effects of different tagging protocols on survival, growth, and tag retention in juvenile least cisco Coregonus sardinella

Abstract Passive integrated transponder (PIT) and T-bar anchor tags are often used in fisheries evaluations. To collect unbiased data, tags must not alter behavior, growth, or survival and have high retention rates. We examined tag retention, growth, and survival of age-2 juvenile least cisco Coregonus sardinella over a 60-day experiment following handling, anesthesia, tagging, and recovery using PIT and T-bar anchor tags. Fish were assigned to one of 12 treatment groups (20 fish per group), with individuals first assigned to one of three tagging treatments (internally implanted PIT tag, externally attached T-bar anchor tag, no tag [control]). Tag treatment groups were next assigned to a pre-handling anesthesia treatment (clove oil or no anesthetic) and a post-handling recovery treatment (elevated [10 ppt] saline or ambient [3 ppt] saline solution). Tag retention for least cisco was greater for fish that received PIT tags (100%) compared to T-bar anchor tags (25–45%). The majority of T-bar anchor tag loss (50%) occurred between days 25 and 45 of the experiment. Fish in all treatments exhibited positive growth, with no differences among treatments for specific growth rates, Fulton condition, or survival (80–100%). Most mortality (13 of 18 fish) occurred by day 5 of the study. The lowest survival (80%) occurred for fish that were not anesthetized, received PIT tags, and recovered in a 10-ppt saline solution. Our results indicate that T-bar anchor tags are sufficient for short-term studies ( 30 d) of this species.
The back pain outcome assessment team: Background and progress

Objectives: To describe the federal initiative in outcomes research, the organization and structor of a Patient Outcomes Research Team [PORT] concerned with low back pain, and the early progress of this research team. Findings: Back pain is a leading reason for physician visits, hospitalization, and work disability. However, there is a paucity of valid evidence to support most current methods of treating spine disorders. This PORT was funded to study geographic variation in the use of back surgery and to better characterize its outcomes; evaluate the reasons for nonsurgical hospitalization for back pain; examine the accuracy and optimal sequencing of expensive diagnostic tests; and disseminate information to clinicians and patients to improve the process of care. This effort requires a multidisciplinary team of clinicans and methodologist, and a network of government and professional organizations concerned about the problem of low back pain. The team has documented wide geographic variations in rates of ...
Novel Homotopy Theory for Nonlinear Networks and Systems and Its Applications to Electrical Grids

Homotopy methods have several useful applications in biology, economics, nonlinear circuit design, and electric power networks, among others. A novel homotopy theory and a convergence theorem are presented in this paper for general-purpose homotopy methods. It is shown that the derived analytical results are applicable to a class of large-scale integrated-circuit designs and protein interaction networks. In addition, an application of this theory is illustrated to prove the convergence of the homotopy-enhanced implicit Z-bus power-flow method. The existence of power-flow solutions for general distribution networks with distributed generators modeled as photovoltaic nodes is also justified. Numerical studies on the IEEE 37-bus, 123-bus, and 8500-node distribution networks are conducted to illustrate the set of sufficient conditions for the main theorem.
On pigeons and people: A preliminary look at the columban simulation project.

Simulations of complex human behaviors with pigeons are providing plausible environmental accounts of such behaviors, as well as data-based commentaries on non-behavioristic psychology. Behaviors said to show “symbolic communication,” “insight,” “self-awareness,” and the “spontaneous use of memoranda” have thus far been simulated, and other simulations are in progress.
Resilient quadratic time-frequency distribution for FM signals with gapped missing data

Frequency modulated (FM) signals are frequently encountered in radar signal processing. In practice, such signals may experience distortions due to target radar cross section fluctuation, propagation fading, and line-of-sight obstruction. Such distortions make time-frequency presentations and analyses challenging. The problem becomes even more difficult for data with gapped missing samples, i.e., data samples are missing consecutively. In this paper, we address this problem in the context of resilient quadratic time-frequency distributions, which are achieved by applying robust spectrum analysis techniques to the instantaneous autocorrelation functions. In addition, utilization of compressive sensing and sparse reconstruction techniques, in lieu of the conventional Fourier transform, further improves the quality of the estimated time-varying instantaneous frequency signatures.
Hybrid peptide-small molecule oxytocin analogs are potent and selective agonists of the oxytocin receptor

Abstract Oxytocin (OT) is a peptide hormone agonist of the oxytocin receptor (OTR) that has been proposed as a therapeutic to treat a number of social and emotional disorders in addition to its current clinical use to induce labor and treat postpartum bleeding. OT is administered intravenously and intranasally rather than orally, in part because its low passive permeability causes low oral bioavailability. Non-peptidic OTR agonists have also been reported, but none with the exquisite potency of the peptide based agonists. In this report, we describe the OTR agonist activity and exposed polarity of a set of truncated OT analogs as well as hybrid peptide-small molecule analogs of OT. Examples of both truncated analogs and peptide-small molecule hybrid analogs are potent and selective OTR agonists. Hybrid agonist 13 , which is 232 Da smaller than OT, still retains subnanomolar potency, full agonist activity, and selectivity over V1a. While these compounds were designed to address the low permeability of OT and other full length analogs, we found that reduction in molecular weight and the removal or replacement of the three amino acid tail of OT did not have a significant effect on passive permeability.