cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Autopsy: Its Decline and a Suggestion for Its Revival

The hospital autopsy rate in the United States dropped from 41 per cent in 1964 to 22 per cent in 1975. This reduction is attributable to a declining interest for many reasons by clinicians, surgeons, pathologists, families of the deceased and hospital administrators and hospital accreditors. Various advances in medicine and surgery in recent years have not replaced the value of the autopsy; indeed they have increased the potential information to be gained from it. For interest in autopsies to be revived among physicians and surgeons, pathologists must provide more expert information from the autopsy. To provide the type of information sought from autopsies by physicians and surgeons, the training of pathologists must be altered so that there can be more specialization in anatomic pathology and more subspecialization in the various organ systems, as in internal medicine. In addition, the means of communication between anatomic pathologists and clinicians needs altering so that important clinical questions are recognized by pathologists, and the answers sought and promptly, understandably and diplomatically communicated to physicians and surgeons. Moreover, the large body of information obtained in recent years from autopsies alone needs to be better recognized by clinicians so that they may better understand the value of these examinations.
Cloning and functional characterization of a novel mitochondrial N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive glycerol-3-phosphate acyltransferase (GPAT2) ☆

Glycerol-3-phosphate acyltransferase (GPAT) catalyzes the initial and rate-limiting step in glycerolipid synthesis. Several mammalian GPAT activities have been recognized, including N-ethylmaleimide (NEM)-sensitive isoforms in microsomes and mitochondria and an NEM-resistant form in mitochondrial outer membrane (GPAT1). We have now cloned a second mitochondrial isoform, GPAT2 from mouse testis. The open-reading frame encodes a protein of 798 amino acids with a calculated mass of 88.8kDa and 27% amino acid identity to GPAT1. Testis mRNA expression was 50-fold higher than in liver or brown adipose tissue, but the specific activity of NEM-sensitive GPAT in testis mitochondria was similar to that in liver. When Cos-7 cells were transiently transfected with GPAT2, NEM-sensitive GPAT activity increased 30%. Confocal microscopy confirmed a mitochondrial location. Incubation of GPAT2-transfected Cos-7 cells with trace (3 microM; 0.25 microCi) [1-(14)C]oleate for 6h increased incorporation of [(14)C]oleate into TAG 84%. In contrast, incorporation into phospholipid species was lower than in control cells. Although a polyclonal antibody raised against full-length GPAT1 detected an approximately 89-kDa band in liver and testis from GPAT1 null mice and both 89- and 80-kDa bands in BAT from the knockout animals, the GPAT2 protein expressed in Cos-7 cells was only 80 kDa. In vitro translation showed a single product of 89 kDa. Unlike GPAT1, GPAT2 mRNA abundance in liver was not altered by fasting or refeeding. GPAT2 is likely to have a specialized function in testis.
Mid/far-infrared photodetectors based on quantum coherence in coupled quantum wells

We propose mid/far-infrared photodetectors based on coherent sum-frequency generation in a near-resonant cascade of interband and intersubband transitions in high optical nonlinearity asymmetric quantum well structures. Such structures can yield high detectivity and responsivity in the bandwidth of the order of 30% of a central frequency in the mid-infrared range. Resonant up-conversion detectors can be designed for both collinear and perpendicular pump and signal beams. They can be integrated with semiconductor pump lasers to yield compact devices. We present specific device designs based on GaAs/AlGaAs and InGaAs/AlInAs heterostructures and calculate their expected figures of merit.
Explanation of the anomalous thermal conductivity of crosslinked cis-1,4 polybutadiene☆

Abstract An anomaly in the low-temperature thermal conductivity of crosslinked polybutadiene is found to be due to partial crystallization. The behaviour is qualitatively explained, and compared with other semi-crystalline polymers.
Deep brain stimulation for Parkinson's disease. A critical re-evaluation of STN versus GPi DBS.

Deep brain stimulation (DBS) in the subthalamic nucleus (STN) and the internal segment of the globus pallidus (GPi) is increasingly being used for the treatment of advanced Parkinson's disease (PD). Although both targets have demonstrated clinical efficacy in the treatment of the cardinal motor signs of PD, the STN has gained greater popularity and is now considered the site of choice by most centers performing these procedures. This preference stems predominately from the belief that STN DBS provides greater improvement in reducing the motor manifestations of PD and allows a reduction in dopaminergic medication not permitted with GPi DBS. There are, however, a number of issues that must be considered before abandoning GPi in favor of STN as the surgical target of choice for DBS. The maximal benefit reported for GPi stimulation is not significantly different than that reported for the STN, 67 versus 71%, and while reductions in medication are required with STN stimulation to avoid inducing dyskinesia, GPi stimulation may directly suppress dyskinesia obviating any need to reduce medication. As such, many centers may not attempt to reduce antiparkinsonian medication with GPi DBS. In addition, there are significantly more reports of changes in mood, behavior and a higher incidence of adverse events reported for STN stimulation. Most studies of DBS are nonrandomized, assessment protocols are not standardized, and lead locations are not reported. Thus, before drawing conclusions regarding the optimal site for DBS for advanced PD we must take a critical eye to the present data and address the outstanding questions that remain with well-designed clinical trials that evaluate motor, nonmotor and adverse events and address the above clinical variables by randomizing patients, using standardized methods of assessment and defining the lead location.
The Banded Chromosomes of Coquerel's Sifaka, Propithecus verreauxi coquereli (Primates, Indriidae)

The karyotype of Propithecus verreauxi coquereli isdescribed in this report using G-, Q-, and C-banding and silver staining for nucleolus organizer regions. The banded chromosomes of P. v. coquereli(family Indriidae) are compared with those of Lemur fulvus fulvus(family Lemuridae), revealing few karyotypic similarities between the two groups and suggesting a wellestablished phylogenetic divergence between these families.
The computation of discontinuous solutions of linear hyperbolic equations

Let L be a linear hyperbolic operator in any number of variables with C/sup infinity/ coefficients. A solution u of Lu - 0 which has C/sup infinity/ initial data is C/sup infinity/ for all time. Let L/sub h/ be a difference approximation to L that is stable, and accurate of order v. Denote by U the solution of L/sub h/U = 0 the initial values of which agree with those of u on the lattice points, h denoting the mesh width of the lattice. At all times t at which U is available, and in any fixed range 0 less than or equal to t less than or equal to T, the absolute value of (u(t) - U(t)) = O(h/sup v/). Consider piecewise C/sup infinity/ initial data whose discontinuities occur across C/sup infinity/ surfaces. It is known that solutions u of Lu = 0 with such initial data are themselves piecewise C/sup infinity/, and their discontinuities occur across characteristic surfaces issuing from the discontinuity surface of the initial data. What happens when such a solution is approximated by a solution of L/sub h/U = 0 is discussed. It is shown that, for a scheme of any order v, the momentsmore » of U approximate those of u with accuracy O(h/sup v/), provided that the initial data of U are pre-processed appropriately near the discontinuities; this is true for equations in any number of variables, and with variable coefficients. It is further shown that post-processing the approximate solution can recover the exact solution, as well as its derivatives, with an error O(h/sup v-delta/, delta as small as desired, at all points, no matter how close to the discontinuity. (RWR)« less
E.S.R. of Spin-trapped Radicals in Aqueous Solutions of Deuterated Amino Acids and Alcohols

Selectively deuterated compounds can be utilized in spin-trapping to obtain conclusive evidence for the structures of the trapped radicals. Radicals formed from DL-alanine-2-d1, DL-alanine-3, 3, 3-d3, DL-alanine-d4, glycine-d5, isopropyl-2-d1 alcohol, isopropyl-d7 alcohol and t-butyl-d9 alcohol were studied. The hydrogen abstraction, deamination and decarboxylation radicals generated from deuterated alanines were investigated by spin-trapping using t-nitrosobutane. Since nitroxides of the type XYZC-CH2-N(O)-tBu which contain an asymmetric centre next to the CH2 group exhibit unequal beta-proton splittings and temperature-dependent line width alternations, the effects of temperature on the e.s.r. spectra were studied. By these methods the structures of the trapped radicals were verified and the hyperfine coupling constants could be assigned without ambiguity. In gamma-irradiated polycrystalline amino acids, the observed deuterium exchange can be conveniently surveyed by dissolution in aqueous solutions containing t-nitrosobutane.
Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D deficiency; a risk factor for chronic kidney disease in ambulatory indigent patients.

Objective: To assess whether 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25[OH]D) deficiency is a risk factor for chronic kidney disease (CKD) in ambulatory indigent patients.Methods: Data for all serum 25(OH)D concentrations measured during 2010 in our ambulatory nondialysis-dependent patients were analyzed along with CKD-related parameters. Patients were stratified into groups based on 25(OH)D levels of <10, 10 to 19, 20 to 29, and ≥30 ng/mL. CKD was defined by estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR; Chronic Kidney Disease-Epidemiology Collaboration [CKD-EPI] equation) and abnormal urine protein to creatinine ratios. CKD-associated parameters included serum parathyroid hormone (PTH), 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D (1,25[OH]2D), alkaline phosphatase, albumin, corrected calcium, and total CO2 levels.Results: A total of 2,811 patients had 25(OH)D levels measured. Patients with 25(OH)D levels <10 ng/mL had significantly increased relative risk (RR) of an eGFR <15 mL/min/1.73 m2 (RR, 4.0), an eGFR of 15 to 29 mL/min/1.73 m2 (RR, 2.6)...
Lipotropes alter casein gene expression in bovine mammary acinar culture

Abstract Lipotropes (methyl group containing nutrients, including methionine and choline, folic acid, and vitamin B 12 ) are essential for cell proliferation and differentiation of mammary tissues. Lipotropes interact in the supply and regulation of intracellular methyl group pools, thereby affecting synthesis and methylation of DNA. To determine the effect of lipotropes on milk protein gene expression, acini isolated from mammary tissues of lactating cows were cultured in one of three treatment media: (1) control, (2) lipotrope deficient, and (3) lipotrope supplemented. β-Casein mRNA was determined by Northern blotting, and milk protein secretion was measured by a pulse-chase method. The level of β-casein mRNA was lower in cells grown in lipotrope-deficient medium than in cells grown in the lipotrope-supplemented and control media. Acinar cells cultured in lipotrope-deficient medium also had approximately threefold less milk protein secretion than that of cells in either control or lipotrope-supplemented media. Protein secretion did not differ in the control and lipotrope-supplemented groups. The present study indicates that lipotrope deficiency suppresses total protein secretion and β-casein gene expression in bovine mammary alveolar epithelial cells in culture.
Human butyrylcholinesterase-cocaine binding pathway and free energy profiles by molecular dynamics and potential of mean force simulations.

In the present study, we have performed combined molecular dynamics and potential of mean force (PMF) simulations to determine the enzyme–substrate (ES) binding pathway and the corresponding free energy profiles for wild-type butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) binding with (−)/(+)-cocaine and for the A328W/Y332G mutant binding with (−)-cocaine. According to the PMF simulations, for each ES binding system, the substrate first binds with the enzyme at a peripheral anionic site around the entrance of the active-site gorge to form the first ES complex (ES1-like) during the binding process. Further evolution from the ES1-like complex to the nonprereactive ES complex is nearly barrierless, with a free energy barrier lower than 1.0 kcal/mol. So, the nonprereactive ES binding process should be very fast. The rate-determining step of the entire ES binding process is the subsequent evolution from the nonprereactive ES complex to the prereactive ES complex. Further accounting for the entire ES binding process, the PMF-bas...
Gender, Video Game Playing Habits and Visual Memory Tasks

The current research examined whether visuospatial recall of both abstract and common objects was related to gender or object familiarity. Seventy two undergraduates from a university in the Southern U.S. were asked to draw the Rey Complex Figure and a series of common objects from memory. A pilot sample of seventy three undergraduates had previously identified common objects as “male” “female” and “neutral” exemplars. Males were significantly better at drawing “male” and “neutral” exemplars whereas females were better at drawing “female” exemplars. Neither gender was significantly better at the Rey task. These results question whether males have an inherent advantage in visual memory. Results also found that experience with playing violent video games was associated with higher visual memory recall.
Friction of polyaromatic thiol monolayers in adhesive and nonadhesive contacts

We have used friction force microscopy to study the effects of adhesion on the boundary friction of self-assembled monolayers of the aromatic compounds thiophenol, p-phenylthiophenol, p-terphenyl thiol, 2-naphthalenethiol, and benzyl mercaptan on gold. To control the adhesion between the monolayer-covered tip and substrate, the friction measurements were made in dry N2 gas or in ethanol. At low loads, low adhesion (in ethanol) resulted in a linear dependence of the friction force on load (i.e., F = μL) whereas higher adhesion between the same monolayers (in N2) gave an apparent area-dependent friction. The friction in the adhesive systems was well described by F = ScA with the contact area, A, calculated for a thin, linearly elastic film confined between rigid substrates using the thin-coating contact mechanics (TCCM) model in a transition regime between its DMT- and JKR-like limits. With increasing packing density of the monolayers, a systematic decrease was found in the friction coefficient (μ) obtained...
YycH Regulates the Activity of the Essential YycFG Two-Component System in Bacillus subtilis

Of the numerous two-component signal transduction systems found in bacteria, only a very few have proven to be essential for cell viability. Among these is the YycF (response regulator)-YycG (histidine kinase) system, which is highly conserved in and specific to the low-G+C content gram-positive bacteria. Given the pathogenic nature of several members of this class of bacteria, the YycF-YycG system has been suggested as a prime antimicrobial target. In an attempt to identify genes involved in regulation of this two-component system, a transposon mutagenesis study was designed to identify suppressors of a temperature-sensitive YycF mutant in Bacillus subtilis. Suppressors could be identified, and the prime target was the yycH gene located adjacent to yycG and within the same operon. A lacZ reporter assay revealed that YycF-regulated gene expression was elevated in a yycH strain, whereas disruption of any of the three downstream genes within the operon, yycI, yycJ, and yycK, showed no such effect. The concentrations of both YycG and YycF, assayed immunologically, remained unchanged between the wild-type and the yycH strain as determined by immunoassay. Alkaline phosphatase fusion studies showed that YycH is located external to the cell membrane, suggesting that it acts in the regulation of the sensor domain of the YycG sensor histidine kinase. The yycH strain showed a characteristic cell wall defect consistent with the previously suggested notion that the YycF-YycG system is involved in regulating cell wall homeostasis and indicating that either up- or down-regulation of YycF activity affects this homeostatic mechanism.
Positron emission tomography of 5-HT reuptake sites in the human brain with C-11 McN5652 extraction of characteristic images by artificial neural network analysis

Abstract The goal of this work was to identify the distribution of serotonin transporters in the human brain with [ 11 C](+)McN5652/PET. Four healthy volunteers were studied. To determine non-specific binding, a PET study was also performed with the inactive enantiomer [ 11 C](−)McN5652 as well as with [ 11 C](+)McN5652 after pretreatment with fluoxetine. For pattern extraction the PET data sets were analyzed by a back-propagation neural network. Two pharmacokinetic patterns and two characteristic images were separated; one representing specific binding, the other representing non-specific binding. The specific binding image showed characteristic distribution of serotonin transporters with [ 11 C](+)McN5652. The pattern images demonstrated an improvement in image quality compared to the original PET images (reduced variance, higher region-to-cerebellum ratio, good correlation with known density of serotonin transporters). The non-specific binding images extracted from [ 11 C](−)McN5652/PET were similar to those of [ 11 C](−)McN5652 and [ 11 C](−)McN5652 with fluoxetine. Thus, PET studies obtained with [ 11 C](+)McN5652/largely represent the regional distribution of the serotonin transporters and the inactive enantiomer [ 11 C](−)McN5652 shows the distribution of its nonspecific binding.
H2 and Cl2 production in the radiolysis of calcium and magnesium chlorides and hydroxides.

The production of H2 has been examined in the γ-ray and 5 MeV He ion radiolysis of CaCl2·2H2O, CaCl2·6H2O, Ca(OH)2, MgCl2·2H2O, MgCl2·6H2O, and Mg(OH)2. The highest yield for the formation of H2 is observed in the γ-radiolysis of MgCl2·2H2O (0.72 molecule/(100 eV), 75 nmol/J), but the yield decreases with dose due to the relative instability of the dihydrate. The H2 yields with the other compounds range from 0.04 to 0.2 molecule/(100 eV) (4.2−21 nmol/J), which is lower than that from pure water or 2 M chloride solutions. There appears to be no relationship between the results for H2 from waters of hydration with that from aqueous salt brines. No particular trend is observed in the radiation chemical yields of H2 with respect to the cation or the degree of hydration. The production of Cl2 is found only in the γ-radiolysis of CaCl2 with a few weight percent of excess water. No Cl2 was found in the 5 MeV He ion radiolysis of identical systems. None of the other compounds examined here showed detectable amoun...
Vortex filament calculations by Analytical/Numerical Matching with comparison to other methods

The calculation of fluid velocity from the Biot-Savart law integrated over vortex filaments has traditional1 been computationally expensive. Discretizing the filaments into N vortex elements results l in order N elemental velocity evaluations per time step. Further, the elemental resolution has been governed by the need to resolve the large velocity gradients in the near field of the filaments, resulting in unnecessarily high element densities in the far field, where the velocities are slowly varying. The method of Analytical/Numerical Matching (ANM) improves the efficiency of the filament velocity calculation without loss of near-field accuracy. This is done by using a far field comprised of computationally inexpensive vortex particles with a large core size for smoothing. The near field is done by an analytical correction which uses a thin physically correct core size to predict the large rapidly varying near-field velocities, and a second correction with the large core size to cancel the local vortex particle error and match to the far-field solution. As such, the ANM method is similar to the method of matched asymptotic expansions. The entire approach has been analytically linearized, which provides additional efficiency and allows unique solution opportunities. Examples are given which illustrate the efficiency and accuracy of the ANM method in vortex dynamics calculations.
Cemented Endoprosthetic Reconstruction of the Proximal Tibia: How Long Do They Last?

Background The few available studies documenting the long-term survival of cemented proximal tibial endoprostheses for musculoskeletal tumors do not differentiate between stem designs or patient diagnosis. There is wide variation in survival rates reported, possibly a result of this heterogeneity in patient population and implant design.
Nitrogen availability to citrus seedlings from urea and from mineralization of citrus leaf or compost

Abstract A pot experiment was conducted using a Candler fine sand (hyperthermic, uncoated, Typic Quartzipsamments) amended with either citrus leaves or compost, to measure the nitrogen (N) mineralization and its availability to two citrus rootstock seedlings. A rapid increase in NH4‐N concentration was evident in the soil amended with citrus leaves as compared to compost during the initial 14 to 20 d. Subsequently, the concentration of NH4‐N decreased in the citrus leaves amended soil. The extractable NO3‐N concentration was greater in the soil amended with citrus leaves as compared to compost, throughout the 270 d duration of the study. The N concentrations and N uptake by Cleopatra mandarin (CM) and Swingle citrumelo (SC) seedlings grown in citrus leaf amended soil were very similar to those in urea amended soil. Therefore, mineralization of N from dry ground citrus leaves was quite rapid. The N concentrations in both rootstock seedlings were much lower in the compost amended and unamended soils as comp...
New information technology (nit) and productivity measurement : Changes and consequences

In measuring productivity, the choice of a productivity measure or indicator should be determined by its corresponding degree of ambiguity. Each organisation should look for a match of its ambiguity profile with its measurement profile. The new information technology (NIT) in the public sector will affect not only its productivity but also the ambiguity profiles and, hence, the measurement profiles of organisations.
Geometric reconstruction using tracked ultrasound strain imaging

The accurate identification of tumor margins during neurosurgery is a primary concern for the surgeon in order to maximize resection of malignant tissue while preserving normal function. The use of preoperative imaging for guidance is standard of care, but tumor margins are not always clear even when contrast agents are used, and so margins are often determined intraoperatively by visual and tactile feedback. Ultrasound strain imaging creates a quantitative representation of tissue stiffness which can be used in real-time. The information offered by strain imaging can be placed within a conventional image-guidance workflow by tracking the ultrasound probe and calibrating the image plane, which facilitates interpretation of the data by placing it within a common coordinate space with preoperative imaging. Tumor geometry in strain imaging is then directly comparable to the geometry in preoperative imaging. This paper presents a tracked ultrasound strain imaging system capable of co-registering with preoperative tomograms and also of reconstructing a 3D surface using the border of the strain lesion. In a preliminary study using four phantoms with subsurface tumors, tracked strain imaging was registered to preoperative image volumes and then tumor surfaces were reconstructed using contours extracted from strain image slices. The volumes of the phantom tumors reconstructed from tracked strain imaging were approximately between 1.5 to 2.4 cm 3 , which was similar to the CT volumes of 1.0 to 2.3 cm 3 . Future work will be done to robustly characterize the reconstruction accuracy of the system.
Building concept ontology for medical video annotation

Most existing systems for content-based video retrieval (CBVR) are now amenable to support automatic low-level video content analysis and feature extraction, but they have limited effectiveness from a user's perspective. To support semantic video retrieval via keywords, we have proposed a novel framework by incorporating the concept ontology to enable more effective modeling and representation of semantic video concepts. Specifically, this novel framework includes: (a) Using the salient objects to achieve a middle-level understanding of the semantics of video contents; (b) Building a domain dependent concept ontology to enable multi-level modeling and representation of semantic video concepts; (c) Developing a multi-task boosting technique to achieve hierarchical video classifier training for automatic multi-level video annotation. The experimental results in a certain domain of medical education videos are also provided.
Liberty and its economies

The revival of classical liberal thought has reignited a debate about economic freedom and social justice. Classical liberals claim to defend expansive economic freedom, while their critics wish to restrict this freedom for other values. However, there are two problems with the role ‘economic freedom’ plays in this debate: inconsistency in the use of the concept and indeterminacy with respect to its definition. Inconsistency in the use of the concept ‘freedom’ has mistakenly made a certain kind of ‘left-wing’ critique of poverty, and of markets generally, appear to be a concern with inequality in means to enjoy freedom, not with freedom itself. Indeterminacy about which beings and doings the basic liberties protect misrepresents the left-wing position as about something other than economic freedom. Inconsistency and indeterminacy lead to artificial narrowness in current debates and to a failure to see that disagreement is based not just on moral differences but also on conceptual confusion. This confusion...
Decoding the X-ray Properties of Pre-Reionization Era Sources

Evolution in the X-ray luminosity -- star formation rate ($L_X$-SFR) relation could provide the first evidence of a top-heavy stellar initial mass function in the early universe, as the abundance of high-mass stars and binary systems are both expected to increase with decreasing metallicity. The sky-averaged (global) 21-cm signal has the potential to test this prediction via constraints on the thermal history of the intergalactic medium, since X-rays can most easily escape galaxies and heat gas on large scales. A significant complication in the interpretation of upcoming 21-cm measurements is the unknown spectrum of accreting black holes at high-$z$, which depends on the mass of accreting objects and poorly constrained processes such as how accretion disk photons are processed by the disk atmosphere and host galaxy interstellar medium. Using a novel approach to solving the cosmological radiative transfer equation (RTE), we show that reasonable changes in the characteristic BH mass affects the amplitude of the 21-cm signal's minimum at the $\sim 10-20$ mK level --- comparable to errors induced by commonly used approximations to the RTE --- while modifications to the intrinsic disk spectrum due to Compton scattering (bound-free absorption) can shift the position of the minimum of the global signal by $\Delta z \approx 0.5$ ($\Delta z \approx 2$), and modify its amplitude by up to $\approx 10$ mK ($\approx 50$ mK) for a given accretion history. Such deviations are larger than the uncertainties expected of current global 21-cm signal extraction algorithms, and could easily be confused with evolution in the $L_X$-SFR relation.
Primary sclerosing cholangitis clinical trials: mission impossible … for now

This issue of Clinical Investigation has an excellent review of the inherent difficulties in performing clinical trials in patients with primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) [1]. The low number of suitable patients, need for a prolonged follow-up, and search for outcomes other than liver transplantation or death offer important challenges to investigators. These difficulties are seemingly insurmountable, but with more epidemiologic insights into the natural history of disease, these obstacles could be overcome. PSC is a chronic inflammatory disease of the bile ducts and is strongly associated with inflammatory bowel disease. The median time from diagnosis to progression to cirrhosis is between 10 and 15 years. Many patients do not progress to cirrhosis; they can be followed expectantly for their lifetime, but do not ever require therapy. Alternatively, patients who have already developed cirrhosis are not likely to benefit from innovative treatment. The ideal PSC patient to be entered into a clinical trial is one who is early in the course of their disease, but one who is likely to progress to cirrhosis. How can we identify such ‘progressors’? Histologic abnormality is a likely candidate for identifying patients. Histologic staging for PSC patients is listed in Table 1 in the artcle by Imam et al. [1]. By the time stage 3 or 4 disease is detected, it is not likely that an anti-inflammatory medication will help – these patients should be excluded from clinical trials. Patients with stage 1 disease may not be progressors and should be followed expectantly outside of a clinical trial. Stage 2 patients are ones who have progressed but are early on in the progression process. These patients may be the best candidates to be included in a clinical trial. Of course, limiting entry to only stage 2 patients limits the sample size dramatically and makes multicenter trials a necessity. Interestingly, liver biopsies are not routinely undertaken on PSC patients, may suffer from sampling error (leading to misclassification of staging), and are not included in the Mayo PSC Risk Score. While appealing, histologic staging may not be an ideal candidate to identify the appropriate patient for a clinical trial. The Mayo PSC Risk Score uses five variables (age, bilirubin, albumin, AST and variceal bleeding) to estimate survival in PSC patients [1]. Perhaps, progressors can be identified by documenting a change in Mayo PSC Risk Score over a defined period of time. Such a strategy seems very reasonable in designing trials. Are there certain populations of PSC patients that have a particularly high proportion that progress rapidly to cirrhosis? A better understanding of the natural history of the disease is needed in patients with: “The ideal PSC patient to be entered into a clinical trial is one who is early in the course of their disease, but one who is likely to progress to cirrhosis. How can we identify such ‘progressors’?”
Physical Crosslinking Modulates Sustained Drug Release from Recombinant Silk-Elastinlike Protein Polymer for Ophthalmic Applications

We evaluated the drug release capability of optically transparent recombinant silk-elastinlike protein polymer, SELP-47K, films to sustainably deliver the common ocular antibiotic, ciprofloxacin. The ciprofloxacin release kinetics from drug-loaded SELP-47K films treated with ethanol or methanol vapor to induce different densities of physical crosslinking was investigated. Additionally, the drug-loaded protein films were embedded in a protein polymer coating to further prolong the release of the drug. Drug-loaded SELP-47K films released ciprofloxacin for up to 132 h with near first-order release kinetics. Polymer coating of drug-loaded films prolonged drug release for up to 220 h. The antimicrobial activity of ciprofloxacin released from the drug delivery matrices was not impaired by the film casting process or the ethanol or methanol treatments. The mechanism of drug release was elucidated by analyzing the physical properties of the film specimens, including equilibrium swelling, soluble fraction, surface roughness and hydrophobicity. Additionally, the conformation of the SELP-47K and its physical crosslinks in the films was analyzed by FTIR and Raman spectroscopy. A three-parameter physics based model accurately described the release rates observed for the various film and coating treatments and attributed the effects to the degree of physical crosslinking of the films and to an increasing affinity of the drug with the polymer network. Together, these results indicate that optically transparent silk-elastinlike protein films may be attractive material candidates for novel ophthalmic drug delivery devices.
No bilateral asymmetry in wild-caught, endangered Poeciliopsis o. occidentalis(Gila topminnows)

A well-known example of a positive association between the level of genetic variation and fitness in endangered species is the studies in Gila topminnow. The work of Vrijenhoek and his colleagues showed lower values for four fitness correlates in laboratory-raised fish from a population that was monomorphic for all 25 allozyme loci examined (Monkey Spring) than for fish from a population that was heterozygous for two of the allozyme loci (Sharp Spring). Here, bilateral asymmetry in wild-caught fish from these sites is examined to determine if the same environmental stressor (or one with similar effects) was present in natural populations of Gila topminnows. There were no differences for all three traits, lateral-line scales, pectoral-fin rays and pelvic-fin rays, previously found to be significantly different between Monkey Spring and Sharp Spring. This, coupled with our earlier finding that fish raised in our laboratory (where there is low mortality) had low bilateral asymmetry, supports the hypothesis that some unknown, and perhaps unnatural, environmental factor in the Vrijenhoek laboratory was responsible for the differences observed in bilateral asymmetry between Monkey Spring and Sharp Spring.
Assessment of the associated particle prompt gamma neutron activation technique for total body nitrogen measurement in vivo

Total body nitrogen (TBN) can be used to estimate total body protein, an important body composition component at the molecular level. A system using the associated particle technique in conjunction with prompt gamma neutron activation analysis has been developed for the measurement of TBN in vivo. The system uses a compact D, T neutron generator (~107 n/s) coupled to an internal alpha-particle detector, and a counting system with six bismuth germinate detectors. 14 Subjects were scanned from shoulders to hips (20 min scan time, <0.4 mSv dose) generating complex spectra dominated by signals from C, O, H, and N, with significant peak overlap. Fractional contributions from these elements to regions of interests (ROI) spanning a 4–8 MeV range were determined by algorithms comparing ratios of interrelated ROIs. In addition, multi-component least squares fitting was done to further resolve individual peak activities (MATLAB R2011b). Total body potassium (TBK) was also measured using a whole body gamma counter. Predicted TBN values, based on fat-free mass estimated from TBK, were compared to measured TBN results. Measured versus predicted results for all subjects were not statistically different. Separating subjects by gender also showed no difference between measured and predicted values. The associated particle system showed good agreement with predicted TBN values, but measurement precision was not better than that commonly seen in traditional prompt gamma thermal neutron activation analysis systems.
IUTA: a tool for effectively detecting differential isoform usage from RNA-Seq data

Background Most genes in mammals generate several transcript isoforms that differ in stability and translational efficiency through alternative splicing. Such alternative splicing can be tissue- and developmental stage-specific, and such specificity is sometimes associated with disease. Thus, detecting differential isoform usage for a gene between tissues or cell lines/types (differences in the fraction of total expression of a gene represented by the expression of each of its isoforms) is potentially important for cell and developmental biology.
Thinking space/seeing space: Thamesmead revisited

It has become fashionable in the 1990s to speak about the importance of spatial form. This paper explores what we might learn about policy by looking at the design of Thamesmead. It argues that by looking at spatial design attitudes otherwise hidden are made manifest. It also suggests that neither modernist nor postmodernist have any monopolistic claim to understanding their import, and that we need to think not only about how we might understand space but how, by looking at our spatial practices and the spaces we produce, we can understand ourselves.
Identity for and against Itself: Religion, Criticism, and Pluralization

Confronted as we are with new sorts of postcolonial political orderings, the study of postcolonial religion demands a new practice of criticism. Meeting this demand, among other things, involves a different kind of rethinking of still taken-for-granted assumptions about the liberal distinction between religion and secularism and related concepts like nation, tolerance, and unity. Secularists of varying disciplinary persuasions remain unable to offer an alternative view of the distinction, as they obtain their conceptions of "religion" in advance of the conjunctures in which differing definitions of religion come into being. Through a reading of a particular public dispute among Buddhist parties contending to define Buddhist identity and difference in varying terms in late 1990 Sri Lanka, I offer a refashioned conceptualization of the relation between the secular and the religious that helps us understand how agonistic spaces of dispute can oblige religious identity to be both for and against itself, producing a new postcolonial politics of care for the "Other." Finally, with some help from Foucault and Heidegger, I argue that conceptualizing these agonistic spaces as public sites that demand such a "care for the Other" can constitute an ethic of intervention and affirmation.
Streptococcal Endocarditis Temporally Related to Transesophageal Echocardiography

A case of streptococcal sanguis endocarditis temporally related to a transesophageal echocardiogram is reported; and the literature on the incidence of bacteremia occurring during transesophageal echocardiography is reviewed. On the basis of this case and review of the literature, a reevaluation of the current guidelines for endocarditis prophylaxis during this procedure is recommended.
A Fast Algorithm for Streaming Betweenness Centrality

Analysis of social networks is challenging due to the rapid changes of its members and their relationships. For many cases it impractical to recompute the metric of interest, therefore, streaming algorithms are used to reduce the total runtime following modifications to the graph. Centrality is often used for determining the relative importance of a vertex or edge in a graph. The vertex Between ness Centrality is the fraction of shortest paths going through a vertex among all shortest paths in the graph. Vertices with a high between ness centrality are usually key players in a social network or a bottleneck in a communication network. Evaluating the between ness centrality for a graph G=(V, E) is computationally demanding and the best known algorithm for unweighted graphs has an upper bound time complexity of O(V^2+VE). Consequently, it is desirable to find a way to avoid a full re-computation of between ness centrality when a new edge is inserted into the graph. In this work, we give a novel algorithm that reduces computation for the insertion of an edge into the graph. This is the first algorithm for the computation of between ness centrality in a streaming graph. While the upper bound time complexity of the new algorithm is the same as the upper bound for the static graph algorithm, we show significant speedups for both synthetic and real graphs. For synthetic graphs the speedup varies depending on the type of graph and the graph size. For synthetic graphs with 16384 vertices the average speedup is between 100X-400X. For five different real world collaboration networks the average speedup per graph is in range of 36X-148X.
Software Firm Cost Structure and Its Impact on IPOs in the E-Commerce Era

The first decade of the e-commerce era saw an increase in activity in the software development industries as new firms were created and existing firms made acquisitions. Many firms pursued a growth strategy and this growth required capital that was often obtained through an initial public offering IPO of equity. Software firm cost structures are very different from traditional physical goods firms because their marginal costs are much lower, but what is not known is whether this affects their financing strategies. In this study we compare software firm and traditional firm IPOs using data from 780 IPOs offered during the late dot-com era 1998-2002 to identify differences in firm and offer characteristics, investment risk, initial returns, and underwriting activity. We find that the characteristics and performance of software firm IPOs are significantly different from IPOs offered by raditional firms during this time period providing supporting for our conclusion that firm cost structure should be considered when analyzing IPOs and other strategic issues.
X-ray fluorescence mapping and micro-XANES spectroscopic characterization of exhaust particulates emitted from auto engines burning MMT-added gasoline.

The elemental distribution and compositional homogeneity in auto exhaust particulates emitted from methylcyclopentadienyl manganese tricarbonyl-(MMT-)added gasoline engines have been investigated using a newly installed synchrotron X-ray microprobe. Two representative groups of exhaust particulate matter, as defined in a recent bulk X-ray absorption fine structure (XAFS) spectroscopic study at the Mn K-edge, were studied. The micro-X-ray absorption near-edge structure (XANES) spectra indicate a relatively homogeneous distribution of phases within a given particulate sample, down to a spatial extent of 40 μm (the resolution of microprobe). The micro-XANES also enabled analysis of several areas which displayed compositions different from the bulk sample, supporting the general theory describing manganese species formation in the exhaust. The ability to evaluate small regions also enabled direct verification of manganese sulfate from the S XANES despite the vast excess of sulfur present in other forms. The p...
Duodenogastroesophageal reflux in a patient with postoperative esophageal cancer shown on Tc-99m tetrofosmin raw data images of dual-isotope gated cardiac SPECT.

Extracardiac activity as a manifestation of duodenogastroesophageal reflux may have accounted for the patient’s chest pain. Raw data images should be included during interpretation, and extracardiac findings such as duodenogastroesophageal activity in the thorax should be included in the myocardial SPECT interpretation.
Aortic atherosclerosis in exotic avians

Abstract Spontaneous arterial disease is documented in 14 exotic avian orders, and contrasted with that previously found in 333 mammals from the Oklahoma City Zoo. Arteriosclerosis, primarily fatty streaks and fibrous plaques, was noted in 65 (90%) of the 72 birds examined. True atheromata with central necrosis and foci of calcification, often containing doubly refractile cystals, were very common, being observed in 24% of the birds, as opposed to 1% of the hoofed mammals, 3% of the nonhuman primates, 10% of the exotic mammals and none of the carnivores or pinnipeds. Medial degeneration was seen in 6 birds, predominantly the large, nonflying types, and was closely allied to intimal disease, as opposed to medial disease in mammals, which is not related to intimal disease. Atheromatous plaques were noted in the penguins, previously thought to have species-resistance to atherosclerosis in spite of elevated serum cholesterol levels. The carnivorous birds exhibited a high incidence of arterial disease with extensive lipid deposition, in marked contrast to the lipid-poor lesions characteristic of the carnivorous mammals. The relatively high blood pressure and serum cholesterol levels of birds are felt to be responsible for the high incidence of atherosclerosis observed. The paucity of mural thrombi in birds may explain the absence of ischemic complications in the face of rather extensive atherosclerosis.
Field injection probes for field coupled Electrostatic Discharge sensitivity database of ICs

An ESD (Electrostatic Discharge) sensitivity database gives a guidance in estimating if, for a given ESD scenario and IC location soft-error (e.g., resets) problems are likely to occur or not. This paper reports on the field probes used.
Efficacy of ozone against Escherichia coli O157:H7 on apples.

: Apples were inoculated with Escherichia coli O157:H7 and treated with ozone. Sanitization treatments were more effective when ozone was bubbled during apple washing than by dipping apples in pre-ozonated water. The corresponding decreases in counts of E. coli O157:H7 during 3-min treatments were 3.7 and 2.6 log10 CFU on apple surface, respectively, compared to < 1 log10 CFU decrease in the stem-calyx region in both delivery methods. Optimum conditions for decontamination of whole apples with ozone included a pretreatment with a wetting agent, followed by bubbling ozone for 3 min in the wash water, which decreased the count of E. coli O157:H7 by 3.3 log10CFU/g.
Electrostatic charging and manipulation of semiconductor nanowires

It was observed that silicon and germanium nanowires can exhibit significant electrostatic charging and respond strongly to externally applied electric fields. This includes nanowires in air and dispersed in low-conductivity, low-dielectric-constant solvents such as hexane, toluene, and benzene. The electrostatic charging of semiconductor nanowires was investigated as a tool for nanowire manipulation. By charging a substrate, nanowires could be deposited on surfaces with very high coverage and onto selected locations of the surface. The density of deposited nanowires could be adjusted systematically by varying the strength of the electric field. Alternating electric fields, applied between two electrodes, resulted in nanowires oriented with respect to the field orientation.
Précis of After Phrenology: Neural Reuse and the Interactive Brain

Neural reuse is a form of neuroplasticity whereby neural elements originally developed for one purpose are put to multiple uses. A diverse behavioral repertoire is achieved by means of the creation of multiple, nested, and overlapping neural coalitions, in which each neural element is a member of multiple different coalitions and cooperates with a different set of partners at different times. Neural reuse has profound implications for how we think about our continuity with other species, for how we understand the similarities and differences between psychological processes, and for how best to pursue a unified science of the mind. After Phrenology: Neural Reuse and the Interactive Brain (2014; henceforth After Phrenology in this Precis) surveys the terrain and advocates for a series of reforms in psychology and cognitive neuroscience. The book argues that, among other things, we should capture brain function in a multidimensional manner, develop a new, action-oriented vocabulary for psychology, and recognize that higher-order cognitive processes are built from complex configurations of already evolved circuitry.
B ( E 2) Value and Configuration Mixing in 32 Mg

Suggested Citation: Fortune, H. T. (2012). B(E2) Value and Configuration Mixing in 32Mg. Physical Review C, 85, 014315. © 2012 American Institute of Physics. This article may be downloaded for personal use only. Any other use requires prior permission of the author and the American Institute of Physics. The following article appeared in Physical Review C and may be found at http://link.aps.org/doi/10.1103/ PhysRevC.85.014315