cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Enterprise-wide and multisite imaging and archiving in academic radiology departments: articles based on the 2011 AUR-Carestream Innovations in Academic Radiology course.

In this issue, Academic Radiology is presenting a number of articles reviewing different aspects of medical informatics (1–3). These articles collect the information provided in the Association of University Radiologists (AUR)-Carestream Innovations in Academic Radiology course given during the 2011 AUR meeting held in Boston, MA. Since 2009, the AUR has partnered with Carestream Health to sponsor a yearly course centered on innovative aspects of academic radiology. The maiden course was entitled, ‘‘Cutting Edge in Optical Imaging’’ and was moderated by David J. Hill, PhD, and Robert F. Mattrey, MD; in 2010, the topic was ‘‘Quality and Safety in Academic Radiology’’ moderated by Kimberly E. Applegate, MD. The 2011 course focused on ‘‘Enterprise-Wide and Multisite Imaging and Archiving’’ and the course moderator was Keith J. Dreyer, DO.We are thankful for the support and vision of Carestream Health as a key industry partner of the AUR, promoting and training in the key innovations in our specialty and how they affect academic radiology departments. Academic Radiology provides the ideal vehicle to have in print the valuable teaching that was provided to the attendees of the 2011 AUR-Carestream course. In this issue, Academic Radiology readership has the opportunity to enjoy a primer on imaging informatics that focuses on academic radiology departments. This area of knowledge is certainly becoming a key element of our technology based specialty. Any practicing radiologist is aware of the many benefits of imaging informatics including increase in 1) our efficiency via picture archiving and communication systems (PACS), voice recognition (VC), radiology information systems (RIS), and structured reporting; 2) our flexibility such as distance reading,
Dissociation between increased growth hormone and prolactin secretion during the morning hours of early pregnancy in the rat

Abstract We investigated whether serum growth hormone (GH) concentration changes in association with the rise in serum prolactin (PRL) concentration known to occur during the early morning hours in the pregnant rat. Animals were kept in a room with the lights on from 0500 to 1900 hours (hr) daily and decapitated for the collection of trunk blood at 2200 or 2400 hr on Day 6 of pregnancy or at 0200, 0400, 0800 or 1000 hr on Day 6 of pregnancy. Serum GH concentration rose more than 4-fold from low levels at 2200 and 2400 hr to higher levels at 0400 and 0800 hr and then declined by 1000 hr. Serum prolactin (PRL) concentration followed a similar pattern except that it returned to low levels earlier, by 0800 hr. Serum luteinizing hormone, follicle-stimulating hormone and thyroid-stimulating hormone concentrations showed no significant changes. Serum GH levels at 0800 hr in pregnant rats were higher than those observed in cyclic rats (13 time periods sampled). The results demonstrate that serum GH concentration is elevated during a circumscribed period in the 6- to 7-day pregnant rat. The time of onset of the rise is similar to that for serum PRL but the elevation in GH levels persists longer than that for PRL.
Molecular dynamics of wetting layer formation and forced water invasion in angular nanopores with mixed wettability

The depletion of conventional hydrocarbon reservoirs has prompted the oil and gas industry to search for unconventional resources such as shale gas/oil reservoirs. In shale rocks, considerable amounts of hydrocarbon reside in nanoscale pore spaces. As a result, understanding the multiphase flow of wetting and non-wetting phases in nanopores is important to improve oil and gas recovery from these formations. This study was designed to investigate the threshold capillary pressure of oil and water displacements in a capillary dominated regime inside nanoscale pores using nonequilibrium molecular dynamics (NEMD) simulations. The pores have the same cross-sectional area and volume but different cross-sectional shapes. Oil and water particles were represented with a coarse grained model and the NEMD simulations were conducted by assigning external pressure on an impermeable piston. Threshold capillary pressures were determined for the drainage process (water replaced by oil) in different pores. The molecular dynamics results are in close agreements with calculations using the Mayer-Stowe-Princen (MS-P) method which has been developed on the premise of energy balance in thermodynamic equilibrium. After the drainage simulations, a change in wall particles’ wettability from water-wet to oil-wet was implemented based on the final configuration of oil and water inside the pore. Waterflooding simulations were then carried out at the threshold capillary pressure. The results show that the oil layer formed between water in the corner and in the center of the pore is not stable and collapses as the simulation continues. This is in line with the predictions from the MS-P method.
Using the HFS+ journal for deleted file recovery

This paper describes research and analysis that were performed to identify a robust and accurate method for identifying and extracting the residual contents of deleted files stored within an HFS+ file system. A survey performed during 2005 of existing tools and techniques for HFS+ deleted file recovery reinforced the need for newer, more accurate techniques. Our research and analysis were based on the premise that a transactional history of file I/O operations is maintained in a Journal on HFS+ file systems, and that this history could be used to reconstruct recent deletions of active files from the file system. Such an approach offered a distinct advantage over other current techniques, including recovery of free/unallocated blocks and ''file carving'' techniques. If the journal entries contained or referenced file attributes such as the extents that specify which file system blocks were occupied by each file, then a much more accurate identification and recovery of deleted file data would be possible.
Cues of predation risk induce instar- and genotype-specific changes in pea aphid colony spatial structure.

Deploying collective antipredator behaviors during periods of increased predation risk is a major determinant of individual fitness for most animal groups. Pea aphids, Acyrthosiphon pisum, which live in aggregations of genetically identical individuals produced via asexual reproduction warn nearby conspecifics of pending attack by secreting a volatile alarm pheromone. This alarm pheromone allows clone-mates to evade predation by walking away or dropping off the host plant. Here, we test how a single alarm pheromone emission influences colony structure and defensive behavior in this species. Relative to control colonies, groups exposed to alarm pheromone exhibited pronounced escape behavior where many individuals relocated to adjacent leaves on the host plant. Alarm pheromone reception, however, also had subtle instar-specific effects: The proportion of 1st instars feeding nearest the leaf petiole decreased as these individuals moved to adjacent leaves, while the proportion of 2nd–3rd instars feeding nearest the leaf petiole remained constant. Fourth instars also dispersed to neighboring leaves after pheromone exposure. Lastly, alarm pheromone reception caused maternal aphids to alter their preferred feeding sites in a genotype-specific manner: Maternal aphids of the green genotype fed further from the petiole, while maternal aphids of the pink genotype fed closer to the petiole. Together, our results suggest that aphid colony responses to alarm pheromone constitute a diversity of nuanced instar- and genotype-specific effects. These behavioral responses can dramatically change the spatial organization of colonies and their collective defensive behavior.
Comment on Steven C. Bourassa and William G. Grigsby's “income tax concessions for owner‐occupied housing”

Abstract Federal income tax deductions for mortgage interest and property taxes are defensible on grounds of both economic efficiency and the social benefits of homeownership. Homeowners should be treated as landlords renting to themselves; as such, they benefit because they do not pay a tax on the imputed rental income they receive, while rental property owners do. Both receive deductions for mortgage interest and property taxes, and both should. The mortgage interest deduction generates symmetry between debt and equity financing of a home; if interest were not deductible, those whose income derives largely from property would have an advantage over those whose income comes from labor. Because workers would be disadvantaged, repeal is unlikely to generate the revenues Bourassa and Grigsby expect or modify the distribution of the tax burden in the way they favor. Finally, the deductions promote homeownership, which is socially desirable.
The role of tree leaf mulch and nitrogen fertilizer on turfgrass soil quality

The influence of tree leaf amendment and N fertilization on soil quality in turfgrass environments was evaluated. Our objective was to assess changes in soil quality after additions of leaf materials and N fertilization by monitoring soil chemical and physical parameters, microbial biomass and soil enzymes. Established perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne) plots were amended annually with maple (Acer spp.) leaves at three different rates (0, 2240, and 4480 kg ha–1 year–1) and treated with three nitrogen rates (0, 63, and 126 kg N ha–1 year–1). Tree leaf mulching did not significantly affect water infiltration or bulk density. However, trends in the data suggest increased infiltration with increasing leaf application rate. Tree leaf mulching increased total soil C and N at 0–1.3 cm depth but not at 1.3–9.0 cm. Extracted microbial phospholipid, an indicator of microbial biomass size, ranged from 28 to 68 nmol phospholipid g–1 soil at the 1.3–9.0 cm depth. The activity of β-glucosidase estimated on samples from 0–1.3 cm and 1.3–9.0 cm depths, and dehydrogenase activity estimated on samples from 1.3–9.0 cm were significantly increased by leaf mulching and N fertilizer application. Changes in microbial community composition, as indicated by phospholipid fatty acid methyl ester analysis, appear to be due to seasonal variations and did not reflect changes due to N or leaf amendment treatments. There were no negative effects of tree leaf mulching into turfgrass and early data suggest this practice will improve soil chemical, physical, and biological structure.
The role of the gas diffusion layer on slug formation in gas flow channels of fuel cells

Abstract Water drops emerge from large pores of the hydrophobic Gas Diffusion Layers (GDL) into the cathode gas flow channel of Polymer Electrolyte Membrane (PEM) Fuel Cells. The drops grow into slugs that span the cross-section of the flow channels. The slugs detach and are forced out the gas flow channel by the air flow. An acrylic micro-fluidic flow cell with a 1.6 mm gas flow channel and a 100 μm liquid pore through a carbon paper GDL has been used to quantitatively determine slug volumes, velocity of slug motion, and the force required to move slugs as functions of the gas and liquid flow rates. In a channel with 4 acrylic walls, slugs detach immediately upon formation. A porous GDL wall allows gas flow to bypass the slugs, thus allowing slugs to continue to grow after spanning the open area of the channel. The differential pressure to detach and move slugs is equal to the dynamic interfacial force on a slug normalized by the cross-sectional area of the channel. The dynamic interfacial force is equal to the difference between the downstream (advancing) and upstream (receding) contact lines of the water with the channel walls. Slugs will stop moving if the differential pressure drop for gas flow to bypass the slug and flow through the GDL under the rib separating the channels is less than the differential pressure required to move the slug. The results improve our physical insight into the state of water hold up in PEM fuel cells.
Temperature programmed desorption spectroscopy of N2H4 decomposition on Al2O3-supported Ir catalyst

At room temperature the steady-state decomposition of N 2 H 4 over an alumina-supported Ir catalyst was found to yield NH 3 and N 2 while at temperatures above 800 K the products were N 2 and H 2 . Following exposure of the catalyst surface to N 2 H 4 the adsorbed species were studied by the temperature programmed desorption technique at a heating rate of 2 K s −1 . The desorption products included N 2 , NH 3 and H 2 originating from different binding states. For the more strongly bound nitrogen [N 2 (β 2 )] the kinetics of desorption following exposure to N 2 H 4 are of first-order with a desorption rate constant of 3 × 10 7 exp(−26,800/ RT )s −1 . Adsorption of oxygen on the iridium catalyst was found to decrease the nitrogen binding energy and increase the nitrogen coverage. The surface coverage of all adsorbed species was found to be significantly smaller on catalysts that had been used in pulse mode fuel thrusters. The differences observed were correlated with the loss in metal surface area of the catalyst. However, no differences in the binding energies of the various adspecies were detectable between fresh catalyst and used catalyst.
An ultrastructural study of the development of the dermal iridophores and structural pigmentation in Poecilia reticulata (peters).

Three general stages of iridophore development were found in Poecilia reticulata that correspond to the development of structural pigmentation. The first stage was prevalent in fish embryos about to hatch to young fish 4 months old. Dermal cells containing elements of endoplasmic reticulum and a Golgi apparatus developed into iridophores. The endoplasmic reticulum early in iridophore development became a few sparse cisternae, and the Golgi apparatus elaborated long rectangular vacuoles with two membranes. From 5 to 15 vacuoles were arranged in parallel stacks in each developing iridophore. Crystals of guanine were deposited within the inner compartment of each vacuole. At this stage of development, the young fish had only a few dermal iridophores next to the lateral muscle. Fish 4 to 6 months old had a more advanced type of iridophore development including several layers of iridophore cells in the dermis. The innermost iridophores near the muscle had many mature crystal-containing vacuoles (iridosomes). Each cell had upt to three stacks of 10-20 iridosomes with their long axis oriented at a slight oblique angle to the surface of the fish. The outer layers of iridophores resembled the immature developing cells found in very young fish. The third developmental stage was found in sexually functional adults. All dermal iridophores contained 2-3 groups of 10-20 mature iridosomes. In mature iridophores, the Golgi apparatus was not found in the cytoplasm. The thickness of the guanine crystals (70 nm) and cytoplasmic intervals (90 nm) results in a constructive interference reflection of 496 nm (blue-green). This iridescence increased concomitantly with the increase in iridophore cells in the dermis and the maturation of their iridosomes.
SU‐FF‐T‐118: Can the Use of Respiratory Gating Reduce Radiation Dose to Heart in Whole Left Breast Irradiation Treatment? — A Preliminary Study

Purpose: To investigate the potential benefit of using respiratory gating technique to reduce radiation doses to patient's heart in whole left breast irradiation treatment.Method and Materials: Conventional helical CT scan and retrospective 4D CT scans were acquired for 5 left sided breast patients. The 4DCT scans were sorted into 10 phases per respiratory cycle. Treatment plans, which consisted of two wedged tangential fields, were designed based on the helical CT scan. The PTV coverage, heart and lungdoses in this plan were used as references for comparison. 10 separate optimal plans were generated from the 10 different phases obtained from the 4DCT images. All beam parameters, except for beam energy and wedges, were adjusted so that the PTV coverage in these plans was similar to or better than that in the corresponding reference plan. The heart and lungdoses were then computed from these plans and compared to the corresponding doses in the reference plan. Results: The present results show that one patient would benefit from gated treatment at any given phase in terms of heartdose reduction. For four other patients respiratory gating would reduce dose to the heart. Gating at a given phase would reduce mean dose to the heart by 24%, 17%, 8% for 3 patients; for another patient a 17% reduction in maximum dose to the heart was found while the impact to the mean dose was insignificant. Conclusion: The use of respiratory gating in the irradiation of whole left breast treatment has the potential to reduce dose to the heart.
Comparison of analgesic effects of isosteric variations of salicylic acid and aspirin (acetylsalicylic acid)

A reliable and sensitive method was used to compare the analgesic activities of salicylic acid and'aspirin (acetylsalicylic acid) and several phenoxy substituted isosteric pairs. Those isosteric compounds studied did not show analgesic activity. The analgesic activity of aspirin was more than twofold greater than that of salicylic acid.
SOME CORRELATIONS OF CLIMATIC AND CULTURAL CHANGE IN EASTERN NORTH AMERICAN PREHISTORY

There is thus far relatively little direct evidence for climatic change from archaeological sites in the eastern United States. Archaeologists have considered for many years that the dividing line between eastern and western is the eastern side of the Rocky Mountains. This whole area then, has become a convenient unit of prehistoric studies because of the obvious connections and similarities at all known time periods and all of the cultural levels. Since A. D. Krieger, in his paper in this volume, emphasizes the initial occupation in North America, my attention will be primarily devoted to the last 4000 to 5000 years. Before one can interpret cultural changes as resulting from climatic variation it is highly desirable to have one’s prehistoric house in reasonable order. Sound chronological and stratigraphic sequences need to be developed over a wide area, and cultural complexes need to be carefully defined in local areas and in their correct and reasonably precise temporal position in order to observe the effects of climatic change on cultural behavior. Not only is a sound and laboriously obtained archaeological framework necessary, but there needs to be a sound corpus of data regarding floral and faunal changes, of soil zones, and of other climatic indicators in general ecological areas or zones. The pollen studies of the past 30 years have been a great help, and radiocarbon dating is providing an increasingly accurate chronological scale. Three years ago, while working on a paper on the prehistory of the Winnebago tribe of Wisconsin (Griffin, 19606), I developed the thesis that the observed cultural decline in the Upper Mississippi Valley of the Winnebago and their ancestors could be explained, at least to some degree, as the result of a climatic deterioration that corresponded to that accurately documented in Northern Europe and Greenland from about A.D. 1200 to 1700. Beginning a few hundred years before A.D. 1000 there developed in the East St. Louis area an agricultural, sedentary culture type that is a regioiial expression of an increasing emphasis on agriculture known in much of the eastern area as the Mississippi culture (Griffin, 1952). The Old Village complex of Mississippi culture in the St. Louis area exerted a strong influence to the north and northwest, up the Illinois, Mississippi, and the Missouri valleys. I t is certain that there was a strong movement of people into southern and western Wisconsin by about A.D. 700 to 800 (M-1037) and into eastern Minnesota, taking with them their customary cultural characteristics and their predominantly agricultural economy. Somewhat similar but apparently less strong influences moved into northwest Iowa and ioutheastern South Dakota. From the archaeological evidence, we had known for some time that the late prehistoric and early historic culture of the Upper Mississippi area, called Oneota, was a descendant of the Old Village tradition (Griffin, 1943, p. 302) that had shifted away from a marked dependence on agriculture to a heavier
Development of Sensitive Esterase Assays Based on α-Cyano-Containing Esters

A novel approach is reported for the development of fluorogenic esterase reporters using α-cyano-containing esters as substrates. After ester hydrolysis, the released alcohol, a cyanohydrin, rapidly eliminates HCN to yield the corresponding aldehyde resulting in strong fluorescence. The π conjugation of the resulting aldehyde also greatly enhances UV absorption and red shifts fluorescence emission relative to a corresponding alcohol or phenol. Two substrates, R/S-acetic acid cyano-(6-methoxynaphthalen-2-yl)-methyl ester (compound I) and trans/cis-3-(2,2-dichlorovinyl)-2,2-dimethylcyclopropanecarboxylic acid R/S-cyano-(6-methoxynaphthalen-2-yl)-methyl ester (compound II), were synthesized and evaluated as substrates. Such α-cyano substrates possess very low background fluorescence and are more stable under enzyme assay conditions than phenolic substrates due to the aliphatic cyano group. The higher molar absorbtivity and quantum yield of the aldehyde, along with its larger Stokes' shift combined with the increased stability and lower background signal of the cyanohydrin substrate, increases the utility and sensitivity of the resulting assays over current methods. Moreover, compound II showed high selectivity to pyrethroid-cleaving esterases and may provide a direct tool to monitor pyrethroid resistance in insects.
Teachers and the Integrated Curriculum: An Intergenerational View

Abstract This report documents a conversation among teachers regarding the conceptualization and application of curriculum integration. Drawing on recent research about the emergence of curriculum integration as a positive force in basic education, the article establishes some of the perceived obstacles to and benefits of such integration. Specifically, it relates the observations of five teachers, at various stages of professional growth, on their ability to accomplish the task of curriculum integration. The teachers also provide their opinions about novice teachers' ability to achieve such goals. Implications for curriculum integration and teacher education are described.
Screening for gestational diabetes mellitus with a reflectance photometer: Accuracy and precision of the single-operator model

OBJECTIVE To investigate the accuracy and precision of a recent-generation reflectance photometer, Accu-Chek III, for gestational diabetes mellitus screening with a single operator. METHODS Four hundred ten paired capillary and serum glucose samples collected prospectively were evaluated by a reflectance photometer and a glucose oxidase method (Beckman), respectively, during routine gestational diabetes mellitus screening with a single operator. RESULTS The mean Accu-Chek III result was 12% greater than serum glucose oxidase (115.5 +/- 1.4 and 103.4 +/- 1.3 mg/dL, respectively). A serum glucose level of at least 135 mg/dL by glucose oxidase produced sensitivity and specificity of 0.81 and 0.68, respectively. At 155 mg/dL, the Accu-Chek III sensitivity was 0.81 and specificity 0.74, and the method produced fewer false-positive results (37 of 410 [9.0%] versus 41 of 410 [10%]) than a 135-mg/dL serum cutoff. Adjusting the Accu-Chek III threshold by two times the coefficient of variation resulted in the same number of false positives as the Beckman technique at 135 mg/dL. The receiver operating characteristic curve cutoff for the venous value of 135 mg/dL was an Accu-Chek III value of 141 mg/dL. Linear regression analysis predicted y = 20.6 + 0.919x, r = 0.838. The mean coefficient of variation was 3.9%. CONCLUSIONS The Accu-Chek III produced accurate and precise gestational diabetes mellitus screening results with a single operator. Because capillary blood is a combination of arterial and venous blood, an Accu-Chek III cutoff of 155 mg/dL may be more appropriate for screening, considering the 10-15% higher capillary glucose level in the fed state. An Accu-Chek III cutoff of 155 mg/dL produced a higher specificity than venous serum at 135 mg/dL, with no decrease in sensitivity.
Comment on “Peer review, politics and pluralism” by Chris Harrison, Environmental Science and Policy 7, 357–368

The major point Chris Harrison makes in his account of the publication of Lomborg is that the reaction on the part of the book’s fiercest critics ‘‘went beyond the usual unpicking of a thesis and concentrated instead on the role of the publisher in publishing the book at all.’’ This is a highly unusual, but not unheard of, state of affairs in university press publishing. It invites a publisher to explore the considerations leading up to the publishing decision, and in this case the same publisher’s actions in defending its decision after the book’s publication. In both cases, Harrison’s account reflects a high degree of professionalism on the part of Cambridge University Press. In the first place, Cambridge drew on the experience of its social science and natural science editors to pick four peer reviewers of the English translation of the manuscript—not two, as is usual, and is usually adequate, for most university presses. Knowing full well the controversial character of this Danish book from the start, Harrison and his colleagues took every reasonable measure necessary to ensure the quality of their publishing decision—and this decision, made on the basis of four positive reviews, was to recommend to the academic Syndics of the Press that they accept this book for
The Inner Core and the Strictly Inhibitive Set

Abstract The inner core, motivated by the study of competitive outcomes in the cores of market games, is shown to be contained in the strictly inhibitive set, and coincides with the strictly inhibitive set for a large class of games. Journal of Economic Literature Classification Numbers: C71, C78.
Extension of Master Sintering Curve Theory to Organic Decomposition

The ability to predict and control organic decomposition of a material under arbitrary thermal treatments is one of the main objectives of thermogravimetric studies. The development of this ability provides significant potential to ensure reliability and reproducibility for a given processing method and can be used in planning optimized thermal treatment strategies. Based on this report, the master sintering curve theory has been successfully extended to similar kinetically controlled phenomena. The theory has been applied to organic decomposition reaction kinetics to develop a master organic decomposition curve. The fundamental kinetics are assumed to be governed by an Arrhenius-type reaction rate, making master sintering and decomposition curves analogous to one another. The formulation and construction of a master decomposition curve are given in this paper. Simultaneous thermogravimetric and differential thermal analysis of a low-temperature co-fire glass/ceramic dielectric tape (Dupont 951 Green Tape{trademark}) is analyzed and used to demonstrate this new concept. The results reveal two independent organic decomposition reactions, the first occurring at {approx}245 C and the second at {approx}365 C. The analysis is used to produce a master decomposition curve and to calculate the activation energy for these reactions, at 86 {+-} 6 and 142 {+-} 4 kJ/mol, respectively. Inmore » addition, the weight loss of product and the rate of decomposition can be predicted under varying thermal paths (time-temperature trajectories) following a minimal set of preliminary experiments.« less
Generating Valid Interface Definition Language from Succinct Models

Source code generation from models (e.g., domain specific models) for distributed real-time and embedded (DRE) systems is intended to alleviate tedious, error-prone, and time consume tasks associated with manually hand-crafting the same code. When generating code from models for DRE system programming languages that accidentally support circular dependencies, e.g., the Interface Definition Language (IDL) and C++, it is necessary to resolve circular dependencies in order to generate valid and usable code. Moreover, it is important to do some automatically instead of requiring modelers to construct models that do not contain any circular dependencies, which is hard. This paper provides two contributions to research on source code generation from models for DRE systems. First, it presents A-Circle, an algorithm that automatically removes circular dependencies when generating source code from models for programming languages that inherently enable circular dependencies. Secondly, this paper quantitatively evaluates A-Circle when generating CORBA IDL files. The results show that A Circle algorithm is able to generate IDL files in linear-time.
Note on the chemical mechanics of cell-division

1) If a thread moistened with a base, or a sufficiently concentrated solution of the base, be laid across a diameter of a drop of oil containing a trace of fatty acid, the drop undergoes division along that diameter. 2) If the thread be merely smeared with a soap of the base, even in the presence of considerable excess of fatty acid, the same result is achieved; the effect is therefore due to soap formation and not to hydroxylions. 3) The mechanical division of the droplets is brought about by violent streaming movements from the equator of the drop towards the poles, due to the lowering of the surface-tension in the equatorial region brought about by the soap. It is pointed out that these facts confirmLoeb's hypothesis that cell-division is brought about through the mechanical agency of streaming phenomena. 4) It is suggested that the equatorial lowering of surface-tension and consequent streaming phenomena which lead to cell-division are brought about by cholin or soaps of cholin liberated in the cell through the splitting of Lecithin in Nuclein synthesis.
Taking Aim at Islet Hormones With GLP-1: Is Insulin or Glucagon the Better Target?

The last decade has seen a shift in the therapeutics of type 2 diabetes from insulin-centric to more multifarious approaches. Whereas previously drug treatment was based almost entirely on increasing insulin action—either by giving drugs to raise plasma insulin levels or to increase tissue responsiveness to insulin—it is now clear that addressing other processes controlling glucose metabolism is also fruitful. To wit, drugs that delay gastric emptying or carbohydrate digestion or promote renal glucose elimination have been shown to be effective for treating hyperglycemia. Compounds that affect hepatic glucose production directly or act through the central nervous system to lower blood glucose are in various phases of development. Moreover, glucagon, long known to contribute to abnormal glucose regulation in diabetes (1,2), is now amenable to therapeutic manipulation using drugs based on the naturally occurring hormones islet amyloid polypeptide (IAPP, also known as amylin) and glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1). GLP-1 is an essential component of the system regulating blood glucose and has been the basis for two new classes of drugs to treat diabetes, GLP-1 receptor (GLP-1r) agonists and dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4) inhibitors (3,4). GLP-1r activation has a broad reach that affects islet hormone secretion, gastrointestinal motility, food intake, and glucose production, all in a manner that lowers blood glucose (5). While enhanced β-cell function is generally accepted to be central in the glycemic response to GLP-1, it is noteworthy that plasma levels of insulin and C-peptide in patients treated with GLP-1r agonists and DPP-4 inhibitors are not dramatically increased (6–8). This is due in part to the overall effect of GLP-1 signaling to lower blood glucose, reducing the glycemic stimulus to the β-cells. With sophisticated modeling of plasma C-peptide levels, the insulinotropic effects of GLP-1–based drugs are clear (6,7), but the subtlety …
Polyhedral modeling of the elastic properties of corundum (α-Al2O3) and chrysoberyl (Al2BeO4)

Coordination polyhedra in a crystal structure are considered to be the structural units in a modified rigid-ion model. In the polyhedral model the elastic constants of coordination polyhedra are used as input parameters to calculate the single-crystal elastic constants of corundum and chrysoberyl. The average deviation of the calculated elastic constants from the measured elastic constants is within 6% for corundum and within 1% for chrysoberyl. The corundum crystal structure is composed entirely of AlO6 octahedra, which are also major polyhedral constituents of the chrysoberyl crystal structure. The nonelectrostatic contribution of the bulk compressibility of an ideal (regular) AlO6 octahedron is found to be 10.5 ± 0.2 Mbar, an invariant in these two crystal structures. The polyhedral elastic constants and the associated perturbational parameters are not universal, however, as demonstrated in the two crystal structures studied.
Jet Noise Shielding for Advanced Hybrid Wing-Body Configurations

*† We present an experimental study of jet noise shielding with an advanced design for the Hybrid WingBody airplane. The design, called N2AEXTE, features an extended trailing edge over its predecessor, the N2A. Static acoustic tests were conducted at a scale factor of 90 with realistic exhaust conditions of a bypass ratio 10 nozzle. The acoustic data show cumulative (downward +sideline) EPNL reductions of up to 10 dB with the nozzle at its nominal position and up to 13 dB with the nozzle traversed upstream by one fan diameter. These reductions are 2-3 dB better than with the basic N2A design. Redistribution of the jet noise source and incorporation of inboard vertical fins are essential elements for achieving those reductions. Devices used to alter the jet noise source comprised aggressive chevrons, a porous wedge fan flow deflector, and their combination. Two shapes for the vertical fins were tested - a nominal design and an alternate design featuring longer chord and shorter height. The alternate fin design offered slight noise benefits.
Characterization of the Streptococcus gordonii chromosomal region immediately downstream of the glucosyltransferase gene

The Streptococcus gordonii glucosyltransferase gene, gtfG, is positively regulated by the upstream determinant rgg. In the present study, two ORFs, transcribed on the opposite DNA strand, were identified immediately downstream of gtfG. The first, designated dsg, shares a convergent putative transcriptional terminator with gtfG, and encodes a predicted 46 kDa transmembrane protein similar to the Yersinia enterocolitica TrsA involved in polysaccharide biosynthesis. Insertional inactivation of dsg resulted in only approximately approximately 60% of the parental level of glucosyltransferase activity. The 870 bp gene 5' to dsg is similar to the gtfG regulatory determinant. Designated rggD, this rgg-like determinant downstream of gtfG encodes a putative 33.6 kDa cytoplasmic protein. Despite their sequence similarity, the functions of rgg and rggD appear specific. Strains in which rggD was insertionally inactivated and strains containing plasmid-borne rggD had parental levels of glucosyltransferase activity. Northern blot hybridization analyses showed approximately 1.3 kb dsg-specific and approximately 1.0 kb rggD-specific mRNA transcripts associated with this region; no polycistronic transcript was observed. Although rgg-like gene products have been demonstrated to function as positive transcriptional regulators of adjacent genes in several streptococcal species, Northern blot analysis suggested that rggD did not influence the transcription of dsg or the divergent downstream ylbN-like determinant under the conditions in the present study. Comparison of this S. gordonii chromosome region to other streptococcal genomes, which do not contain the rgg/rggD-flanked region involved in glucan synthesis, raised intriguing possibilities about the origins of this chromosomal region, and also suggested that rggD might regulate a distally located gene.
Primary Structure of Escherichia coli Glutamine Synthetase III. CHEMICAL EVIDENCE FOR SUBUNIT IDENTITY; AMINO ACID SEQUENCES AT THE NH2 AND COOH TERMINI

Abstract Evidence that the glutamine synthetase dodecamer from Escherichia coli is comprised of 12 identical subunits of molecular weight 49,000 has been obtained by end group analysis. Application of the carbamylation procedure to the NH2-terminal analysis revealed only serine. The yield was 98% of that expected from a polypeptide of the size proposed for the monomeric species. The following partial sequence of residues at the NH2 terminus of the molecule was elucidated with the aid of automated sequencing equipment: [see PDF for sequence] Hydrolysis of reduced and carboxymethylated glutamine synthetase by carboxypeptidase A yielded quantitative evidence for the following COOH-terminal sequence: -Leu-Tyr-Tyr-Ser-Val-COOH One mole of valine was released per mole of protein, assuming the subunit molecular weight to be 49,000.
Effect of small interfering RNA 3'-end overhangs on chemosensitivity to thymidylate synthase inhibitors

Background: Small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) are double-stranded RNAs that effectively inhibit expression of its complimentary target mRNA. Standard siRNAs contain two nucleotide overhangs on their 3’ end. While these overhangs are usually comprised of deoxythymidines (dT), it has been shown that any nucleotide can be used on the 3’ end without affecting RNAi silencing. Results: It was recently shown that extension of the 3’ end to five or eight dT molecules allows siRNAs to be effectively complexed with linear polyethylenimine (PEI), leading to enhanced cellular uptake and intracellular release. Here, we provide further evidence that only extended or ‘sticky’ siRNAs complexed with PEI result in significant target knockdown. However, when investigating the potential effects of these extended siRNAs on growth of human colon cancer RKO cells, we observed a dose-dependent reversal of cytotoxicity of a thymidylate synthase-targeted siRNA. In contrast, siRNAs with uridine overhangs maintained their growth inhibitory effects. We further demonstrated that dT-containing siRNAs prevented the cytotoxic effects of thymidylate synthase (TS) inhibitor compounds, such as ZD1694 and 5’-fluoro-deoxyuridine, while having no deleterious effect on cisplatin toxicity. We show that this rescue effect results from the rapid degradation of the siRNA. Conclusions: Given that TS is an important enzyme for cell growth and proliferation and that its expression is controlled by multiple pathways, the rescue of its growth inhibitory effects may have unintended consequences. As siRNAs are being developed as therapeutic molecules, it will be important to avoid such off-target effects due to dT release. Hence, siRNAs should contain only uridine residues in their 3’-end overhangs.
Entropy distribution in the plasma sheet

[1] Geotail data were used to study the long-term averaged spatial and flow speed dependencies of the ion entropy per unit volume and per unit flux tube and the average entropy per ion. It was concluded that some process associated with the production of fast flows substantially increased the entropy of an average ion. Entropy in the fastest flows exhibited little y dependence, showing that the process generating these flows near midnight was similar to the process acting near the flanks. It also was found that the irreversible aspect of reconnection does not change the entropy per ion significantly when two closed flux tubes are involved but can be significant during reconnection at the magnetopause or of two lobe flux tubes. The entropy per unit flux tube and PV5/3 were compared. Both of these parameters provided useful information when there were gradients in the flux tube particle content. The difference between the average observed entropy per ion and the value that would be expected if the single particle distribution function f(v) had evolved to an equilibrium Maxwellian was evaluated. After examining the effects of a non-Maxwellian equilibrium and of a generalized entropy, it was concluded that most of the observed deviation from standard equilibrium thermodynamics was produced by statistical fluctuations in the number of ion counts within the energy angle boxes used to evaluate f(v) and that the remainder was attributable primarily to real plasma fluctuations.
Role of PECAM-1 in Arteriogenesis and Specification of Preexisting Collaterals

Rationale:Hemodynamic forces caused by the altered blood flow in response to an occlusion lead to the induction of collateral remodeling and arteriogenesis. Previous work showed that platelet endothelial cell adhesion molecule (PECAM)-1 is a component of a mechanosensory complex that mediates endothelial cell responses to shear stress. Objective:We hypothesized that PECAM-1 plays an important role in arteriogenesis and collateral remodeling. Methods and Results:PECAM-1 knockout (KO) and wild-type littermates underwent femoral artery ligation. Surprisingly, tissue perfusion and collateral-dependent blood flow were significantly increased in the KO mice immediately after surgery. Histology confirmed larger caliber of preexisting collaterals in the KO mice. Additionally, KO mice showed blunted recovery of perfusion from hindlimb ischemia and reduced collateral remodeling, because of deficits in shear stress–induced signaling, including activation of the nuclear factor κB pathway and inflammatory cell accumul...
Improving software testability with assertion insertion

Executable assertions can be inserted into a program to find software faults. Unfortunately, the process of designing and embedding these assertions can be expensive and time consuming. We have developed the C-Patrol tool to reduce the overhead of using assertions in C programs. C-Patrol allows a developer to reference a set of previously defined assertions, written in virtual C, bind assertion parameters, and direct the placement of the assertions by a pre-processor.
Causes for Sustainable Maintenance and Operation of On-Site Sanitation Systems

On-site sanitation systems are vitally important infrastructure that is plagued by high failure rates. To address this issue, we conducted a literature review and solicited expert opinion on factors contributing to post-construction, design-life sustainability of on-site sanitation infrastructure. For this study, design-life sustainability is defined as infrastructure that is used and functions as intended throughout the asset design life. A total of fourteen experts, with both US domestic and international experience, were recruited from diverse fields such as academia, regulatory organizations, septic tank operations companies, and non-profit groups to review, add to, and comment on a list of factors generated from a content analysis of recent literature. The resulting data is a representation of the current state of the knowledge regarding factors that must be addressed in order to ensure design-life infrastructure sustainability for on-site treatment systems. Specifically, technology and economics, while necessary for system sustainability, must be complimented by knowledge, organizations, and motivational factors.
Evaluating color difference equation performance incorporating visual uncertainty

Five thousand randomized ellipsoids for each of 19 color centers comprising the RIT-DuPont dataset were generated based on both the tolerance median (T50) and visual uncertainty (fiducial limits). When plotted as two-space projections, they provided a qualitative description of the ellipsoid reliability, this reliability was dependent on visual uncertainty. The ellipsoids were considered as local color-difference equations. STRESS was calculated for each ellipsoid, quantifying the deviation between visual color differences and numerical color differences calculated by the T50-based ellipsoids, the randomized ellipsoids and three color-difference equations: CIELAB, CIE94, and CIEDE2000. F-tests comparing STRESS determined statistical significance between calculated and visual color differences. The percentage of randomized ellipsoids that were beyond the critical F values was used as a metric for determining whether a color difference equation was under- or over-fitting the visual data. A nonellipsoid method and an average standard error method were developed and tested for cases when the dataset may not enable ellipsoid fitting and where uncertainty has been reported only as an average standard error. In the latter case, only equation under-fitting could be determined. Thus visual uncertainty can be used as a criterion in both equation development and evaluation. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Col Res Appl, 34, 375–390, 2009
Simulation and Understanding in the Study of Weather and Climate

In the study of weather and climate, the digital computer has allowed scientists to make existing theory more useful, both for prediction and for understanding. After characterizing two sorts of understanding commonly sought by scientists in this arena, I show how the use of the computer to (i) generate surrogate observational data, (ii) test physical hypotheses and (iii) experiment on models has helped to advance such understanding in significant ways.
Using abstraction to improve fault tolerance

Software errors are a major cause of outages and they are increasingly exploited in malicious attacks. Byzantine fault tolerance allows replicated systems to mask some software errors but it is expensive to deploy. The paper describes a replication technique, BFTA, which uses abstraction to reduce the cost of Byzantine fault tolerance and to improve its ability to mask software errors. BFTA reduces cost because it enables reuse of off-the-shelf service implementations. It improves availability because each replica can be repaired periodically using an abstract view of the state stored by correct replicas, and because each replica can run distinct or non-deterministic service implementations, which reduces the probability of common mode failures. We built an NFS service that allows each replica to run a different operating system. This example suggests that BFTA can be used in practice; the replicated file system required only a modest amount of new code, and preliminary performance results indicate that it performs comparably to the off-the-shelf implementations that it wraps.
Spontaneous portosystemic shunts in noncirrhotic patients presenting with encephalopathy

Portosystemic shunts (PSS) are common in patients with chronic liver disease and portal hypertension, however, their occurrence in noncirrhotic individuals is likely under appreciated. Patients may present with symptoms of hepatic encephalopathy and/or gastrointestinal bleeding and undergo extensive work up for liver disease to no avail. Often, these patients suffer for years with accruing medical expenses and numerous hospitalizations related to repeated episodes of encephalopathy. The underlying cause may go undiagnosed or misdiagnosed as occult hepatic dysfunction or even a neuropsychological disorder. In many cases, abdominal CT imaging demonstrates the abnormal portosystemic connection well before it is recognized as the cause of symptoms. In this brief report, we discuss three cases presenting with symptoms of encephalopathy and report successful management with endovascular occlusion of the portosystemic shunts.
In response: abdominal aortic aneurysms: do not underestimate the role of diabetes

We appreciate the interest that our article [1] on the pathogenesis of abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs) has created. In our review, we concentrated on studies published in the past 5 years related...