cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Using the Shapes of Clinical Data Trajectories to Predict Mortality in ICUs.

1) To show how to exploit the information contained in the trajectories of time-varying patient clinical data for dynamic predictions of mortality in the ICU; and 2) to demonstrate the additional predictive value that can be achieved by incorporating this trajectory information. Design Observational, retrospective study of patient medical records for training and testing of statistical learning models using different sets of predictor variables. Setting Medical ICU at the Yale-New Haven Hospital. Subjects Electronic health records of 3,763 patients admitted to the medical ICU between January 2013 and January 2015. Interventions None. Measurements and main results Six-hour mortality predictions for ICU patients were generated and updated every 6 hours by applying the random forest classifier to patient time series data from the prior 24 hours. The time series were processed in different ways to create two main models: 1) manual extraction of the summary statistics used in the literature (min/max/median/first/last/number of measurements) and 2) automated extraction of trajectory features using machine learning. Out-of-sample area under the receiver operating characteristics curve and area under the precision-recall curve ("precision" refers to positive predictive value and "recall" to sensitivity) were used to evaluate the predictive performance of the two models. For 6-hour prediction and updating, the second model achieved area under the receiver operating characteristics curve and area under the precision-recall curve of 0.905 (95% CI, 0.900-0.910) and 0.381 (95% CI, 0.368-0.394), respectively, which are statistically significantly higher than those achieved by the first model, with area under the receiver operating characteristics curve and area under the precision-recall curve of 0.896 (95% CI, 0.892-0.900) and 0.905 (95% CI, 0.353-0.379). The superiority of the second model held true for 12-hour prediction/updating as well as for 24-hour prediction/updating. Conclusions We show that statistical learning techniques can be used to automatically extract all relevant shape features for use in predictive modeling. The approach requires no additional data and can potentially be used to improve any risk model that uses some form of trajectory information. In this single-center study, the shapes of the clinical data trajectories convey information about ICU mortality risk beyond what is already captured by the summary statistics currently used in the literature.
Dapivirine vaginal ring for HIV prevention: modelling health outcomes, drug resistance and cost-effectiveness.

Introduction A vaginal ring containing dapivirine is effective for HIV prevention as pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP). We evaluated the potential epidemiological impact and cost-effectiveness of dapivirine vaginal ring PrEP among 22- to 45-year-old women in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Methods Using mathematical modelling, we studied dapivirine vaginal ring PrEP implementation, either unprioritized, or prioritized based on HIV incidence (≥3% per year), age (22 to 29 years) or female sex worker status, alongside the implementation of voluntary medical male circumcision and antiretroviral therapy scaled-up to UNAIDS Fast-Track targets. Outcomes over the intervention (2019 to 2030) and lifetime horizons included cumulative HIV infections, life-years lived, costs and cost-effectiveness. We assessed the incremental cost-effectiveness ratios against the revealed willingness to pay ($500) and the standard (2017 per capita gross domestic product; $6161) cost-effectiveness thresholds for South Africa. Results Compared to a reference scenario without PrEP, implementation of dapivirine vaginal ring PrEP, assuming 56% effectiveness and covering 50% of 22 to 29-year-old or high-incidence women, prevented 10% or 11% of infections by 2030 respectively. Equivalent, unprioritized coverage (30%) prevented fewer infections (7%), whereas 50% coverage of female sex workers had the least impact (4%). Drug resistance attributable to PrEP was modest (2% to 4% of people living with drug-resistant HIV). Over the lifetime horizon, dapivirine PrEP implementation among female sex workers was cost-saving, whereas incidence-based PrEP cost $1898 per life-year gained, relative to PrEP among female sex workers and $989 versus the reference scenario. In a scenario of 37% PrEP effectiveness, PrEP had less impact, but prioritization to female sex workers remained cost-saving. In uncertainty analysis, female sex worker PrEP was consistently cost-saving; and over the lifetime horizon, PrEP cost less than $6161 per life-year gained in over 99% of simulations, whereas incidence- and age-based PrEP cost below $500 per life-year gained in 61% and 49% of simulations respectively. PrEP adherence and efficacy, and the effectiveness of antiretroviral therapy for HIV prevention, were the principal drivers of uncertainty in the cost-effectiveness of PrEP. Conclusions Dapivirine vaginal ring PrEP would be cost-saving in KwaZulu-Natal if prioritized to female sex workers. PrEP's impact on HIV prevention would be increased, with potential affordability, if prioritized to women by age or incidence.
Advocacy: A Perennial Undertaking

In March, the National Arts Action Summit took place in Washington D.C., where “over 500 advocates from all 50 states, Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico met for a full day of briefings and training...
A personalized diet and exercise recommender system for type 1 diabetes self-management: An in silico study

Abstract Management of diet and exercise levels needs to be personalized for patients with Type 1 Diabetes (T1D) to reduce the number of hypoglycemia events and to achieve a good glycemic control. This study developed a model-based Recommender system that could provide an (optimal) personalized intervention on diet and exercise for T1D patients, which could be potentially implemented as a mobile application (app) for self-management of T1D in the future work. At each intervention time, the Recommender makes prediction of blood glucose based on a patient-specific model of glucose dynamics, and then provides optimal interventions, which could be a meal/snack size or a target heart rate during exercise, by minimizing a risk function with constraints under a future time horizon. Simulations were conducted to evaluate the Recommender through 30 virtual subjects generated from a modified UVa/Padova simulator with an added exercise-glucose subsystem. The performance of the Recommender was compared to two self-management schemes: the Starter scheme and the Skilled scheme, where the Skilled represents an off-line optimal scheme providing a lower bound on the risk index. Compared to the Starter, the Recommender reduced the mean Low Blood Glucose Index by 84% and reduced the Blood Glucose Risk Index by 49% (P
Food Microbiomes: A New Paradigm for Food and Food Ecology

This chapter takes a brief look at the new frontier of microbiological food safety, nutrition, and immunology. With the use of metagenomic profiles of food and food ecologies, we can now better describe risk factors for contamination by human pathogens along the farm-to-fork continuum. We have also begun to organize data that may also improve our understanding of the more comprehensive prebiotic, probiotic, and antibiotic impact of food on the human microbiomes and how this may be relevant to nutrition, immunology, and chronic disease. We describe case studies with fresh produce such as tomatoes, sprouts, and leafy greens and highlight new approaches to pathogen detection using quasimetagenomics.
Ethical Contexts for the Future of Neuroethics.

The “state-of-the-field” assessment titled “Neuroethics at 15: The Current and Future Environment for Neuroethics” (Kellmeyer et al., for the Emerging Issues Task Force, International Neuroethics S...
A Schrödinger Operator with an Oscillating Potential

A relatively large amount of excellent work has been done during the past decade on general spectral and scattering theories for Schrodinger operators with long range oscillating potentials. However, most of these works do not include operators of the form H = - Δ + c sin b r r + V ( x ) , where V is a short range potential. When V is radially symmetric, the problem has been successfully dealt with in recent years. On the other hand when V is not radially symmetric only one recent paper deals with these operators, but only for high energy values. In this paper we shall consider the spectral theory for this specific operator and compare our results with the previously mentioned paper.
Automated Noncontact Facial Topography Mapping, 3-Dimensional Printing, and Silicone Casting of Orbital Prosthesis.

Purpose A proof-of-concept workflow study for the fabrication of custom orbital exenteration prostheses via automated noncontact scanning, 3D printing, and silicone casting. Design Noncomparative, interventional case series. Methods S etting : Single-center institutional study. S tudy P opulation : Three patients who have discontinued wearing of the ocularist-made exenteration prosthesis due to altered fit, discoloration, or material degradation. I ntervention P rocedure : A digital representation of the exenteration socket and contralateral periocular region was captured through noncontact facial topography mapping. Digital construction of the anterior prosthesis surface was based on the mirrored image of the contralateral side, and the posterior surface contour was based on orbital cavity geometry. The anterior and posterior surface details were digitally merged. A 2-piece mold was designed and produced in a 3D printer. Colorimetry was used to create a custom blend of pigments for incorporation into the Shore 40 silicone elastomer to generate a prosthesis that approximates the patient's skin tone. M ain O utcome M easures : Prosthesis symmetry, skin tone match, comfort of wear, and appearance. Results The first copy of every 3D-printed orbital prosthesis using this fabrication workflow produced good symmetry, color match, and prosthesis fit. In one case, the recontoured second copy with improved prosthesis edge-to-skin interface was made without the patient present. Conclusion A noncontact 3D scanning, computer-aided design, 3D printing, and silicone casting for fabrication of orbital prosthesis was developed and validated. This production workflow has the potential to provide an efficient, standardized, reproducible exenteration prosthesis and to overcome the principal barriers to an affordable custom prosthesis worldwide: access and cost.
Lung-Liver Transplantation Has a Protective Effect on Long-Term Survival in Cystic Fibrosis and Interstitial Pulmonary Fibrosis

Purpose Lung-liver transplantation (LLTx) is a rare but life-saving treatment option. Survival of patients with end-stage lung and liver disease undergoing LLTx is not well studied. This study aims to compare outcomes of LLTx to lung transplantation alone (LTx). Methods The UNOS registry was queried for patients listed for bilateral LTx or LLTx from 1/1987 - 9/2020. Using propensity score matching (PSM), LLTx and LTx patients diagnosed with Cystic Fibrosis (CF) or Interstitial pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) were matched on a 2:1 ratio using Lung Allocation Score, sex, bilirubin, glomerular filtration rate (GFR) and forced expiratory volume at transplant. Results LLTx was performed in 131 patients. Median age was 30 yrs [range: 3-67] for LLTx and 54 yrs [0-79] for LTx patients (n=26,727; p Conclusion LLTx shows comparable survival outcomes to LTx in CF and IPF patients. LLTx is associated with lower incidence of BOS and consequently offers better long-term outcomes. Thus, CF and IPF patients with end-stage lung and liver disease should be considered for LLTx.
The Power of Negative Disposition: An Examination of Trait and State Negative Affect with OCBI and OCBO

The authors developed and tested a two-by-two framework that identifies the strength of relationships between facets of negative affect (trait and state) and facets of organizational citizenship behavior (OCBI and OCBO). The framework is based on a stream of research concerned with dispositional- and situational-based predictors of OCB and is complemented with the phenomenon of social exchange spillover. Hypotheses were developed and tested using meta-analytic data to provide an authoritative perspective on the relationships of interest. The results largely support the proposed framework and suggest the strongest relationships are those between trait negative affect and OCBO, whereas the weakest relationships are those between state negative affect and OCBI. The authors discuss implications for research and practice concerning relationships between negative affect and OCB.
Design considerations for analyzing protein translation regulation by condensates.

One proposed role for biomolecular condensates that contain RNA is translation regulation. In several specific contexts translation has been shown to be modulated by the presence of a phase separating protein and under conditions which promote phase separation and likely many more await discovery. A powerful tool for determining the rules for condensate-dependent translation is the use of engineered RNA sequences which can serve as reporters for translation efficiency. This perspective will discuss design features to consider in engineering RNA reporters to determine the role of phase separation in translational regulation. Specifically, we will cover; (1) how to engineer RNA sequence to recapitulate native protein/RNA interactions, (2) the advantages and disadvantages for commonly used reporter RNA sequences, (3) Important control experiments to distinguish between binding- and condensation- dependent translational repression. The goal of this review is to promote the design and application of faithful translation reporters to demonstrate a physiological role of biomolecular condensates in translation.
Finding Frequent Items in Data Streams

We present a 1-pass algorithm for estimating the most frequent items in a data stream using limited storage space. Our method relies on a data structure called a COUNT SKETCH, which allows us to reliably estimate the frequencies of frequent items in the stream. Our algorithm achieves better space bounds than the previously known best algorithms for this problem for several natural distributions on the item frequencies. In addition, our algorithm leads directly to a 2-pass algorithm for the problem of estimating the items with the largest (absolute) change in frequency between two data streams. To our knowledge, this latter problem has not been previously studied in the literature.
Seismic Response by Variable Damping Finite Elements

The procedure permits the use of strain-dependent modulus and damping values for each element in a finite element representation of the deposit. The use of this procedure is illustrated for a 100-ft layer of sand. The results are compared to those obtained by a one-dimensional wave propagation solution, which also incorporates the use of variable damping. This comparison indicates that the variable damping finite element provides response values in reasonably good agreement with the wave propagation solution. The use of this procedure is illustrated and its results compared to recorded values and to computed values using constant damping finite element solutions. These comparisons indicate that the variable damping solution provides response values that are in somewhat better agreement with recorded values for earth banks than those obtained by a constant damping solution and improved results for deposits underlain by sloping rock boundaries having greatly varying material characteristics.
The surface reconstructions of the (100) crystal faces of iridium, platinum and gold: II. Structural determination by LEED intensity analysis

Abstract The investigation, in a companion paper, of the reconstructions of the Ir(100), Pt(100), and Au(100) crystal surfaces is completed here with an extensive analysis of low energy electron diffraction (LEED) intensities, using dynamical (multiple scattering) calculations. It is found that a hexagonal rearrangement of the top monolayer is a likely explanation of the surface reconstruction. At least for Ir and Pt (no calculations were made for Au), this hexagonal layer would have a registry involving bridge sites on the next square unit cell metal layer and it is contracted and buckled. Bond length contractions parallel and perpendicular to the surface occur; the Pt top layer is rotated by a small angle (0.7°) with respect to the substrate. A second model that cannot be ruled out by the LEED analysis, but disagrees with ion-scattering data, involves shifted close-packed rows of top-layer atoms and requires domain structures in the case of Pt and Au. Charge-density-wave and missing-row models are ruled out by our structure analysis. A correlation is found between the occurrence of surface reconstructions on metals and a small ratio of their Debye temperature to their melting point. This correlation singles out mainly the 5d metals as having a propensity to surface reconstruction. The effects of adsorbates on the reconstructions are also discussed.
Krause's Carlos Fuentes: Toward the Creation of a Myth

According to a recent article written by Enrique Krause, a Mexican biographer, and published simultaneously in English and Spanish as "The Guerrilla Dandy," and "La comedia mexicana de Carlos Fuentes," Fuentes is not a Mexican writer but an American actor: "The United States produces actors for movies, for television, for politics. Now and then it produces actors for literature, too. Carlos Fuentes is one of them." This article also talks about Fuentes's fiction: "Fuentes writes works without a center: vast confused, formless, and oppressive literary happenings . . ." (33). The shock of these affirmations was felt on both sides of the border, as evidenced by the number of responses condemning them. The purpose of this article is to put Mr. Krause's allegations into perspective and suggest they give a distorted view of the writer. Krause's commentaries, contradictory to the generally held belief that Fuentes is an outstanding Mexican writer, give us a new image of the writer. Independent of any merit of Fuentes's life or writings, they create the image of Carlos Fuentes, the myth.
How Decision-Making Fails Under the Sunshine Laws: An Agency Based Model

Sunshine laws can lead to the failure of decision-making processes. This paper tests an agency-based simulation model for the effects of opening up a persuasion process. Not only does openness lessen the likelihood of agreement in this example, it leads to the fai1ure of the persuasion process itself. The requirement to open meetings leads to barriers-to-agreement among decision makers which lower the possibility for decisiveness, raise the decision-making costs, increase bias, and exclude decision-makers from having an impact on collective choices. Any advantages of open meeting requirements to limit government powers must be weighed against the advantages of closed meetings in permitting decision-makers the openness to achieve agreement.
Kinetic studies on the reactions involved in the hot gas desulfurization using a regenerable iron oxide sorbent—I

The reactions of iron oxide (45 wt.% Fe2O3, 55 wt.% SiO2) with a hot gas containing H2, CO and H2S were investigated over a tempera The data are correlated using the grain model. The intrinsic rate constants are obtained from the data on the reactions of smallest particles at low co
Dynamic analysis and stability of a power assist steering system

This paper presents dynamic analysis of a power assist steering system with emphasis on system stability. The transfer functions that describe assisted steering system responses, and driver feel of the road are obtained in analytical form. To determine torque-speed requirements of the assist actuator we chose zero and low speed parking, and high speed random steer conditions to investigate worst case loads. A high level of steering assist can be a source of instability of the plant that results in vibration of a steering column and undesirable vehicle performance. Stability requirements are determined and critical parameters of assist design are obtained as a solution of the nonlinear equation that describes the boundary of stability.
N-Ethyl-2-[1-(2-hy­droxy­naphthalen-1-yl)ethyl­idene]hydrazinecarbo­thio­amide

In the title compound, C15H17N3OS, the dihedral angle between the mean planes of the 2-hy­droxy­napthyl ring system and the hydrazinecarbo­thio­amide group is 73.7 (3)°. In the crystal, weak O—H⋯S and C—H⋯O inter­actions and π–π stacking inter­actions involving one of the hy­droxy­napthyl rings with a centroid–centroid distance of 3.6648 (14) A are observed, forming infinite chains along [010]. In addition, N—H⋯S inter­actions occur.
Robotic-Assisted Total Laparoscopic Hysterectomy

Robotic-assisted total laparoscopic hysterectomy has helped advance minimally invasive hysterectomy techniques by extending the candidacy of this procedure, offering patients with more complex pathology the option of having a minimally invasive procedure for their problem. Robotic surgery presents specific challenges and complexities that are unique to this type of surgical procedure. From patient selection to operating room setup and the approach to the procedure, subtle factors can contribute to the efficiency and success of the surgery. This chapter describes the technique of the robotic hysterectomy procedure and outlines details of patient selection criteria, operating room setup, optimization of the operative team, surgical tools, and port placement. The robotic hysterectomy procedure is broken down into segments and tips for approaching difficult hysterectomies, such as those in patients with an extremely enlarged uterus or severe adhesions. Postoperative care is also important in achieving fast recovery and a shorter hospital stay (the main advantage of minimally invasive procedures), so methods of optimizing postoperative care are also addressed.
Outcomes of endovascular interventions for TASC II B and C femoropopliteal lesions.

Objective To evaluate outcomes of endovascular interventions on femoropopliteal occlusive disease and determine predictors of restenosis of Trans Atlantic Inter-Societal Consensus (TASC) II B and C lesions. Methods All patients undergoing endovascular interventions for femoropopliteal occlusive disease between May 2003 and July 2007 were reviewed. Patient demographics, pre- and post-procedure ankle-brachial indices (ABI), and anatomic factors (including categorization by TASC II classification, lesion length, and runoff vessel status) were analyzed. Outcomes evaluated included freedom from restenoses, freedom from re-intervention, overall patency, and assisted-patency. Results A total of 237 total limbs were treated during the period reviewed. The study group included 108 TASC B and 32 TASC C limbs in 125 patients (mean age 73.1 ± 10.4 years, male sex: 59%). Seventy-one percent of patients were Rutherford classification 2/3 while the remaining 29% were Rutherford classification 4/5. Mean follow-up period was 12.7 months (range, 1-52 m). Forty-one (41) limbs experienced restenosis or occlusion at a mean time of 8 months (range, 1-24 m). Freedom from restenosis/occlusion was 58.9% at 12 months and 47.9% at 24 months. Predictors of restenosis included a preoperative ABI P = .007) and hypercholesterolemia (HR 2.42, 95% CI 1.11-5.25, P = .025). Lesion length as a continuous variable (per centimeter) also correlated with a higher risk of restenosis (HR 1.06, 95% CI 1.00-1.12, P = .057). The overall assisted-primary and secondary-patency rates were 87% and 94% respectively at 3 years with no significant differences between TASC B and TASC C limbs. Conclusion Endovascular interventions for TASC II B and C lesions are associated with restenosis/occlusion rates that are at least as good as those of open femoropopliteal bypass surgery from historical, previously published series. Furthermore, overall assisted-patency rates are excellent, although low preoperative ABIs continue to be associated with worse outcomes.
Numerical investigation of two-dimensional conformal lattice field theories☆

Abstract The conformal invariance of the intermediate-temperature phase of two-dimensional N-state clock models is established by studying the width dependence of the free energy and correlation functions generated in a Monte Carlo simulation of a system of “infinite” length and finite width. The conformal charge, c, is consistent with c = 1 for N = 5, 7 and 9. The conformal dimensions of various operators agree with those of a field theory of a free massless boson. The critical behaviour of the system, as given by the width dependence of the free energy, is in excellent agreement with a Kosterlitz-Thouless-type infinite-order phase transition.
Amperometric glycolate sensors based on glycolate oxidase and polymeric electron transfer mediators

Abstract Using experiments involving cyclic voltammetry and stationary potential measurements, it was shown that siloxane polymers with covalently attached ferrocene and 1,1'-dimethylferrocene relays efficiently mediate electron transfer from reduced glycolate oxidase to a conventional carbon-paste electrode. Sensors containing these polymeric relay systems and glycolate oxidase respond rapidly to low (
ZINC-65 IN HUMAN HAIR.

IN 1963, we reported that the hair of rats injected with strontium-90 retained a significant amount of the radionuclide, and suggested that measurement of the radioactivity of the hair might furnish a non-destructive method of estimating the bone content, or body burden, of the radioisotope1. This concept has been confirmed recently by Delia Rosa et al.2 in work on the strontium-90 content of beagle hair during and following the chronic ingestion of the radioelement.
A Control System for a Gas-Cooled Nuclear Power Plant

A major consideration in the control of a nuclear power plant such as the Experimental Gas-Cooled Reactor is the regulation of both the temperature and pressure of the steam entering the turbine. This paper describes a control system which varies the primary coolant flow and reactor Dower to make the plant produce steam at the required conditions of temperature and pressure over a wide range of steam flows. Analog computer studies showed. that the control system was able to make the simulated plant smoothly follow both large changes of turbine load (changing at a rate of 10% per minute) and small rapid changes of load (l% per second) while limiting the transient variations in steam conditions to acceptable values.
Disintegration of Nascent Replication Bubbles during Thymine Starvation Triggers RecA- and RecBCD-dependent Replication Origin Destruction

Thymineless death strikes cells unable to synthesize DNA precursor dTTP, with the nature of chromosomal damage still unclear. Thymine starvation stalls replication forks, whereas accumulating evidence indicates the replication origin is also affected. Using a novel DNA labeling technique, here we show that replication slowly continues in thymine-starved cells, but the newly synthesized DNA becomes fragmented and degraded. This degradation apparently releases enough thymine to sustain initiation of new replication bubbles from the chromosomal origin, which destabilizes the origin in a RecA-dependent manner. Marker frequency analysis with gene arrays 1) reveals destruction of the origin-centered chromosomal segment in RecA+ cells; 2) confirms origin accumulation in the recA mutants; and 3) identifies the sites around the origin where destruction initiates in the recBCD mutants. We propose that thymineless cells convert persistent single-strand gaps behind replication forks into double-strand breaks, using the released thymine for new initiations, whereas subsequent disintegration of small replication bubbles causes replication origin destruction.
Calcium uptake by isolated intestinal brush border membranes following dietary calcium restriction.

Abstract The uptake of 45 Ca by isolated rat small intestinal brush border membranes was measured during the process of adaptation to dietary calcium deficiency. Uptake by membranes from the duodenum of calcium deficient rats was elevated compared to uptake by membranes prepared from control animals although no differences were seen comparing jejunal uptake rates. The results suggest that part of the adaptation producing increased intestinal transport by rats deprived of dietary calcium involves an increase in uptake by the duodenal brush border independent of other components of the transport system.
Tillage effects on carbon sequestration and microbial biomass in reclaimed farmland soils of Southwestern Indiana.

Carbon sequestration in reclaimed mine soils (RMSs) could partly mitigate C emissions associated with coal mining, but our knowledge of C storage in RMSs is derived almost exclusively from studies conducted in restored grasslands and forests. Limited information exists regarding intensively managed RMSs under agricultural land use. A study was conducted to assess the impact of tillage on recent soil organic C (SOC, total organic C minus geogenic C), total microbial biomass C (t-MBC) and active microbial biomass C (a-MBC) in RMSs under no-till (NT, 13 yr) and moldboard plowing (MP, 9 and 13 yr). An undisturbed second-growth forest and a newly reclaimed (NR, 1 yr) grassland were also included. Significant effects (P 0.66) correlated with recent SOC, but moderately (r 2 = 0.21-0.60) with geogenic C. Rates of C sequestration were estimated from the temporal trend in the recent SOC pool (0-40 cm in NR (23.2 Mg C ha -1 ), 9-yr MP (32.9 Mg C ha -1 ) and 13-yr MP (33 Mg C ha -1 ), and ranged between 0.8 and 0.25 Mg C ha -1 yr -1 during the first and second decades of restoration. Despite a similar amount of crop residue returned (2.8 Mg C ha -1 yr -1 ), recent SOC under 13-yr NT (36.8 Mg C ha -1 ) exceeded that under 13-yr MP by 3.8 Mg C ha -1 . This finding, in conjunction with the lower q CO2 in the surface soil layer of NT, suggests a more efficient C utilization by soil microbes under NT than under MP. These results illustrate the benefits of NT to the restoration of SOC stocks and biological properties of severely disturbed soil systems.
The return of the natives: Globalization and negative ties

Abstract The Polynesian island of Rarotonga in the South Pacific Ocean is currently in the midst of an artistic explosion. Using a combination of ethnographic and network data, this paper examines the social structure of artists on the island and finds that it contains elements of both support and hostility. The hostility is mostly engendered by the clique of neo-traditionalist intellectuals who, although of Cook Islands ancestry, have been raised and educated abroad and have returned to the islands bringing with them a new conception of indigenous culture, political power and rights. The particular network structure on the island, however, facilitates the constant interaction of this group with others so that both positive and negative ties remain constantly activated. Acting as scapegoats and prods to each other – as well as supportive members of an art world – the artists on the island have built a network structure which facilitates a hothouse innovative environment. This lends support to the further conclusion that creativity and innovation are enhanced by social structures surrounding the creators.
Changes in the morphology and amino acid incorporation of regenerating goldfish optic neurons.

Abstract Morphologic and metabolic changes occurring in the retinal ganglion cells of goldfish after optic tract section and during the regeneration of new axons are described. Normal retinal ganglion cells are small, with a centrally located nucleus which may or may not contain a detectable nucleolus, and sparse, palely staining cytoplasm. After optic tract section, the first detectable and quantitatively the most important morphologic event is an increase in the amount of nucleolar material, followed by an increase in amino acid incorporation and then by increased cytoplasmic basophilia and cellular hypertrophy. These changes reach a maximum 3 to 4 weeks after axotomy, corresponding to the time when the return of responses to visual stimuli can first be demonstrated. It is concluded that the morphologic changes are indicative of an increased rate of protein synthesis by cells which are actively regenerating new axons and that the increased rate of protein synthesis affects both the proteins that contribute to cellularhypertrophy and the proteins that are destined for transport along the axon, to about the same degree.
Coil Embolization Combined with Carotid-Subclavian Bypass for Treatment of Subclavian Artery Aneurysm

Purpose To report 2 cases of proximal subclavian artery aneurysm treated with carotid-subclavian bypass and coil embolization. Case reports A subclavian artery aneurysm was discovered incidentally during presurgical coronary angiography in 2 men (72 and 63 years of age). Both patients underwent planned carotid endarterectomy, during which a carotid-subclavian bypass was created with a Dacron graft; the distal subclavian artery was also ligated. The aneurysm was completely excluded from the circulation by coil embolization in a separate procedure. The patients were discharged after 3 days with no adverse events. Magnetic resonance angiography at 6 months showed continued aneurysm exclusion in both cases. The patients continue to be well >1 year after treatment. Conclusions Embolization with supraclavicular bypass represents a viable alternative to traditional thoracotomy and subclavian artery reconstruction for treatment of subclavian artery aneurysms.
Assessing the use and weight of information and evidence in U.S. state policy decisions

Abstract This study reports results from a 2008 survey of U.S. State agency administrators across all 50 states and 12 different agency types. Agency managers were asked to disclose the extent to which they relied on information from 19 information sources and to weight the value of information from each source. This paper is particularly interested in ascertaining the proportion of agency policies that are based on formal scientific evidence, and the importance of scientific information as a source of influence on agency decisions relative to other potential sources of information. Information is presented by agency type with significant differences across substantive policy areas noted. Using a weighted index approach, we combine the frequency of consultation of an information source with the weight placed on that evidence by the agency administrator in developing programs and practices. Using these weighted scores, we further examine the relationship of these responses to the weight agencies place on information from various sources.
Circulating digitalis-like factors

The ability of extracts of mammalian plasma and tissue to mimic the biologic activities of the digitalis glycosides has suggested the existence of endogenous regulators for Na, K ATPase. Purification of plasma extracts has identified several classes of circulating lipids with digitalis-like activity including free fatty acids, lysophospholipids, and arachidonic acid metabolites of the lipoxygenase pathway. Circulating steroids with digitalis-like activity include dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate and hydrocortisone. Evidence for other, more unique compounds has also been published although their structure has not yet been determined. Analysis of tissue suggests that hypothalamus contains a unique, low molecular digitalis-like factor (DLF) which also circulates in plasma. Some studies suggest that the hypothalamic factor is also present in other parts of the brain and in the adrenal. Some of these endogenous DLF may function as modulators of cardiovascular function by regulating renal sodium excretion and peripheral vascular resistance in both physiological and pathophysiological situations.
Stopped-flow fluorescence study of precatalytic primer strand base-unstacking transitions in the exonuclease cleft of bacteriophage T4 DNA polymerase.

DNA polymerases are complex enzymes which bind primer-template DNA and subsequently either extend or excise the terminal nucleotide on the primer strand. In this study, a stopped-flow fluorescence anisotropy binding assay is combined with real-time measurements of a fluorescent adenine analogue (2-aminopurine) located at the 3'-primer terminus. Using this combined approach, the exact time course associated with protein binding, primer terminus unstacking, and base excision by the 3' --> 5' exonuclease of bacteriophage T4 (T4 pol) was examined. T4 pol binding and dissociation kinetics were found to obey simple kinetics, with identical on rates (kon = 4.6 x 10(8) M-1 s-1) and off rates (koff = 9.3 s-1) for both single-stranded primers and double-stranded primer-templates (at 100 microM Mg2+). Although the time course for T4 pol-DNA association and dissociation obeyed simple kinetics, at suboptimal Mg2+ concentrations (e.g., 100 microM), non-first-order sigmoidal kinetics were observed for the base-unstacking reaction of the primer terminus in double-stranded primer-templates. The observed sigmoidal kinetics for base unstacking demonstrate that T4 pol is a hysteretic enzyme [Frieden, C. (1970) J. Biol. Chem. 245, 5788-5799] and must exist in two DNA bound conformations which differ greatly in base-unstacking properties. A Mg2+-dependent time lag of 10 ms is observed between primer-template binding and the beginning of the unstacking transition, which is 50% complete at 22 +/- 1 ms after addition of 100 microM Mg2+. Following the hysteretic lag, a simple first-order primer terminus unstacking rate of 130 s-1 is resolved, which is protein and Mg2+ concentration-independent. For the processing of single-stranded primers, all kinetic complexity is lost, and T4 pol binding and primer end base-unstacking kinetics can be superimposed. These data reveal that the kinetic processing of double-stranded primer-template DNA by T4 pol is much more complex than that of single-stranded primers, and suggest that the intrinsic "switching rate" between the polymerase and exonuclease sites may be much faster than previously proposed.
Neuropeptide processing profile in mice lacking prohormone convertase-1.

Prohormone convertase 1 (PC1; also known as PC3) is believed to be responsible for the processing of many neuropeptide precursors. To look at the role PC1 plays in neuropeptide processing in brain and pituitary, we used radioimmunoassays (RIA) as well as quantitative peptidomic methods and examined changes in the levels of multiple neuropeptide products in PC1 knockout (KO) mice. The processing of proenkephalin was impaired in PC1 KO mouse brains with a decrease in the level of Met-Enkephalin immunoreactivity (ir-Met-Enk) and an accumulation of higher molecular weight processing intermediates containing ir-Met-Enk. Processing of the neuropeptide precursor VGF was also affected in PC1 KO mouse brains with a decrease in the level of an endogenous 3 kDa C-terminal peptide. In contrast, the processing of proSAAS into PEN was not altered in PC1 KO mouse brains. Quantitative mass spectrometry was used to analyze a number of peptides derived from proopiomelanocortin (POMC), provasopressin, prooxytocin, chromogranin A, chromogranin B, and secretogranin II. Among them, the levels of oxytocin and peptides derived from chromogranin A and B dramatically decreased in the PC 1 KO mouse pituitaries, while the levels of peptides derived from proopiomelanocortin and provasopressin did not show substantial changes. In conclusion, these results support the notion that PC1 plays a key role in the processing of multiple neuroendocrine peptide precursors and also reveal the presence of a redundant system in the processing of a number of physiologically important bioactive peptides.
SU-GG-T-211: An Independent MU Calculation Program for Dynamic IMRT

Purpose: The performance of an independent monitor unit calculation program is evaluated to verify the monitor unit (MU) for dynamic IMRT fields. The MU calculation program runs on a PC and is based on an empirical pencil‐beam model to determine D/MU. A correction methodology is used to correct for the output (head‐scatter) change for the dynamic IMRT fields. Methods and Materials: The D/MU of IMRT fields at the same point (mostly the hot spot point) was compared between treatment planning system and the independent MU calculation program. Here MU for an IMRT field refers to the total MU delivered. The fractional MU of each segment of an IMRT field, defined as the MU for the segment per total MU, was assumed to be the same. The commercial treatment planning system is based on a pencil‐beam convolution algorithm with headscatter modeling. D/MU of a subset of IMRT fields, which is delivered to a Mapcheck, were compared among the treatment planning system calculation, the independent MU calculations, and measurements. Results: Among the 10 patients examined, the difference of D/MU for all IMRT fields delivered to a point agreed to within 7% for 90% of patients. This error is slightly worse then the measurement, where 100% of patients are within 7% limit. However, when each individual IMRT field is examined, 15.6% (25/160) of the fields have a discrepancy larger than 7%. All those fields (>7%) lie in the valley region of an IMRT field. Conclusion: The independent MU calculation program can effectively verify the dose calculation accuracy for most IMRT fields. Only in very rare instances, which invariably involves the calculation point to be in very low dose region, actual measurements are needed to further verify the accuracy of dose calculation for IMRT field.
The effects of N-methyl-N′-nitro-N-nitrosuguanidine and mutagen, streptozotocin on mammalian cell cultures

Both N-methyl-N′-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine (MNNG), a powerful mutagen, and streptozotocin, a broad-spectrum antibiotic, contain an alkylnitroso group which decomposes to diazomethane under alkaline conditions. In mammalian cell culture, MNNG is approx. 103 times more active than streptozotocin with regard to inhibition of DNA synthesis and production of chromosome aberrations. Both MNNG and streptozotocin specifically inhibit DNA synthesis without a concomitant decrease in RNA synthesis and affect all stages (G, S and G2) of the cell cycle.
Color-Order System Predicting Constant Hue

An Adjusted-hue color order system was devised by combining the hue and chroma functions of Moon and Spencer’s ω space, the Munsell value function, and the hue spacing recommended at Munsell 6/6 by the OSA Committee on Uniform Color Scales. Adjusted-hue coordinates are related to CIE tristimulus values by equations which are conveniently solved on a digital computer.The hue coordinate Ω-H of the Adjusted-hue system correlates well with Munsell hue for colors within the gamut of the original Munsell Book. In the Munsell-renotation extrapolation region, however, lines in CIE space of constant Ω-H and constant Munsell-renotation hue are significantly different functions of value and chroma. Experiments with high-chroma transparent specimens in an acrylic resin suggest that Ω-H is a better approximation to visually perceived hue than is Munsell-renotation hue in regions where the two disagree. As expected, adoption of the Committee hue spacing results leads to better correlation of visual estimates of hue difference with differences in Ω-H than with differences in Munsell-renotation hue. However, a still more drastic readjustment of the Munsell hue spacing might further improve the correlation.
Formalism-dependent optical potentials

The most striking characteristic of a recently proposed class of antisymmetrized optical potentials for elastic nucleus-nucleus scattering is their unconventional dependence on the choice of underlying connected-kernel scattering integral equations. The relationship of these two-cluster effective interactions to the more conventional, essentially formalism-independent, optical potential operator is established in detail. The interrelated attributes of formalism independence, Hermitian analyticity, and reality with respect to elastic unitarity are clarified. A concise wave function version of multiparticle scattering is developed as complementary to a transition operator approach and is used to show that a wave function starting point does not identity a preferred class of antisymmetrized effective interactions. The differences in the calculated elastic transition amplitudes that do arise between conventional optical potentials and those of the formalism-dependent variety when the same approximations are made to the auxiliary dynamical equations are identified.
The phenomenon of strain avalanches in cyclic deformation

Abstract By studying cyclic deformation of both mono- and polycrystalline copper with a fast response recorder, we have discovered an interesting substructure in hysteresis loops. This effect is caused by strain avalanches, which occur in loop patches, persistent slip bands and cellular dislocation structures. The behavior of the strain avalanches changes as life is expended and offers a means of measuring the current state of fatigue damage. They are especially pronounced when cracks are propagating. We believe that strain avalanches provide a useful tool for understanding cyclic deformation and fracture and for a novel method of nondestructive testing.
Digital computer simulation of human systemic arterial pulse wave transmission: a nonlinear model.

The transmission of pressure and flow pulse waves in human systemic arteries is modeled using one-dimensional, nonlinear transient analysis on a system of branching, non- uniform tubes. Nonlinearity results from the retention of the vessel cross-sectional area as a dependent variable and from an approximation to the convective acceleration terms. Coupling the momentum and continuity equations with a linear elastic membrane equation describing the vessel wall yields a system of quasi-linear, hyperbolic partial differential equations, solvable on a digital computer using the method of characteristics and finite diier- ence techniques. Appropriate boundary conditions enabling the application of the model to whole vascular beds are introduced. Using published data, a reference state for the human arterial system is defined in terms of vessel geometrical and physical parameters. Model behavior in this state is documented at 14 locations correspondi to vascular regions most frequently investigated clinically. Pressure and flow waveforms, and impedances from the model show reasonable agreement with clinical data reported in the literature. The model is found to reproduce the mechanical behavior of the real system with greater fidelity than previous models. Comparison of the nonlinear model with a linearized, lumped parameter model shows significant differences in performance. These ditferences are attributed mainly to the nonlinear interac@on of vessel transverse and longitudinal impedance. It is concluded that the nonlinear effects of finite vessel wall displacements are of importance in determining arterial pulse propagation behavior, at least in the more distensible central vessels. Fluid friction and convective acceleration effects were found to be of lesser importance in determining overall pulse wave behavior. Ih'TRODUCTlON THE PURPOSE of this investigation was to
Spectral Differences between Stratum Corneum and Sebaceous Molecular Components in the Mid-IR

Despite a number of studies on the composition of the lipids of stratum corneum (SC) and sebum, questions remain about the detailed molecular arrangement of the two superficial components of human skin. The investigation of the molecular components of SC in vivo is important to understand the function of what was once thought to be a