cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Allosteric Communication in Rnd1 and Rac1 Association with the Plexin-B1 RhoGTPase Binding Domain Revealed by Hydrogen Exchange Mass Spectroscopy and by Solution NMR

Rho family GTPases play important roles in the regulation of the cell's actin cytoskeleton and mediate the repulsive and attractive effects of guidance molecules. Their interaction with single transmembrane receptors Plexins are of particular importance, since Plexin receptors are important for axon guidance, angiogenesis and also cancer. Our previous study mapped the interactions of small Rho GTPases, Rnd1 and active Rac1, with the plexin-B1 through a common region, the Rho GTPase Binding Domain (RBD)[1]. And NMR relaxation experiments on the RBD: Rac1 complex revealed that the Rac1 is less dynamic in the Plexin bound state[2]. To further address the mechanism under the specificity and different functions of different Rho GTPase involving Plexin-B1, we present here the dynamical behavior of Rac1 and Rnd1, and the changes upon their association with plexin-B1 RBD. Solution NMR as well as mass spectrometry experiments are conducted to monitor the amide hydrogen exchange process. Both Rnd1 and Rac1 become rigid in general, especially in the switch I and switch II regions. In addition, both GTPases show complimentary dynamics changes distal from the binding sites, indicating an allosteric signaling mechanism. This also suggests a more direct role of Rho GTPase upon binding to Plexin-B1, rather than simply being sequestrated by Plexin-B1. More importantly, the dynamical study revealed the binding with Plexin-B1 RBD induces different changes in the dynamics and in different regions of the two GTPases. These are in accord with previous thermodynamic measurements and implies a difference in the mechanism of action of the two Rho GTPases-Rac1 and Rnd1, upon interaction with Plexin-B1[3]. These studies together suggest the origin of the specificity of the GTPase- protein interaction and signaling in the plexin-B1 system.
Temporary and permanent occlusion of cervical and cerebral arteries.

Temporary and Permanent Occlusion of Cervical and Cerebral Arteries Richard J. Parkinson, MD*, Bernard R. Bendok, MD, Brian A. O’Shaughnessy, MD, Ali Shaibani, MD, Eric J. Russell, MD, Christopher C. Getch, MD, Issam A. Awad, MD, H. Hunt Batjer, MD Department of Neurological Surgery, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, 233 East Erie Street, Suite 614, Chicago, IL 60611, USA Department of Radiology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, 676 North Clair Street, Suite 800, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
Effect of fracture spacing distribution on pressure transient response in naturally fractured reservoirs

Abstract This paper presents a new model for pressure transient and derivative analysis for multi-porosity reservoirs that have a distribution of matrix block sizes. To highlight the effect of varying fracture spacing, this model uses matrix domain storativity parameters instead of the fracture storativity parameter introduced by Warren and Root. Unlike existing multi-porosity models, it provides a simple expression for the pressure transient response in the time domain. The paper also presents a method for determining shape factors for the different matrix domains of multi-porosity reservoirs that is based on measured fracture spacing distributions. For an example reservoir studied, the pressure transient response for double-porosity reservoirs was found to be very similar to that of triple- or quadruple-porosity reservoirs, as long as the volume fractions of the matrix domains for each respective model were equal. Because of this, multi-porosity models may not provide significantly more information about the reservoir than the simpler double-porosity models. The transition period began somewhat earlier and ended later when more matrix domains were included in the model. When the volume fractions for the different matrix domains were significantly different, the calculated pressure transient response was impacted.
Landscape position and surface curvature effects on soils developed in the Palouse area, Washington

The Palouse region of eastern Washington is characterized by complex rolling hills with high erosion susceptibility. Various aspect and slope classes along with different soil types also create complex patterns in soil fertility and crop productivity. Division of fields into different units and addressing each unit as a separate management zone has been gaining importance in recent years. Landscape modeling is one of the tools that helps define management zones based on the spatial variability of the soil and topographic characteristics. In addition to comprehensive models, there is an increasing demand for simpler techniques to assist planners with field scale, day-to-day land management. The objective of this study was to develop a simple landscape model within a geographical information systems (GIS) framework to evaluate the effects of spatial variability of topographic factors on soil genesis. For this purpose, a commercial wheat farm was chosen as the research site and a digital elevation model (DEM) of the site was prepared. Landscape parameters such as slope, aspect and tangential curvature were calculated. GIS overlay of these values were georeferenced and combined with other data layers such as soil maps and air photos. Soil samples were collected on three different transects and representative pits were opened for further evaluation of soil properties. Depth to E horizon was measured for all sampling locations. Results indicate that spatial distribution of E horizon can be estimated by surface curvature, slope and aspect. Study also shows that contrasting soils that are in close proximity to each other, too close to be separated on conventional soil maps, can be detected with the help of landscape parameters. Big map units that extend over several hillslope positions can be further divided into smaller units to receive separate agricultural management based on soil, water relationships defined by these landscape parameters.
Sedimentologic and Reservoir Characteristics of Abandoned Delta Distributary: ABSTRACT

An abandoned delta distributary of the Bethel-Sample Formations, a very small part of the Michigan River system that supplied sand and mud to and across the Illinois basin during the Late Mississippian, has been delineated for 15 mi in west-central Indiana by outcrop mapping and shallow drilling. This elongate sandstone body has sharp and relatively straight boundaries, averages 2 mi in width, and has a maximum thickness of 145 ft. Along its axis of maximum thickness the sandstone body fills a shallow channel cut in the underlying thick limestone sequence. Cross-bedding and ripple marks constitute its two principal facies and form as many as five fining-upward cycles. The ripple-bedded facies is very fine grained and much less permeable than the generally coarser grained cross-bedded facies. Cross-bedding dips uniformly southeast except in the very basal part of the sandstone body where the orientation is northwest--considered to be the product of up-channel tidal currents that introduced sparingly glauconitic marine sand into the shallow channel prior to deposition of the flu ially derived sand. Decementation by groundwater percolating downward into the underlying carbonate has greatly increased the permeability of the sandstone body. The cross-bedded facies has an average permeability of 400 md except within 20-30 ft of the base where permeability values in excess of 2,000 md occur. Intra-sandstone-body channeling plus the distribution of the low permeability ripple-bedded facies modify permeability. Comparable buried reservoirs should occur where an ancient distributary system is truncated by an unconformity with 100-200 ft or more of relief. Permeability will be enhanced greatly in such reservoirs if they are underlain by limestone and if the limestone-sandstone contact was above stream level during the development of the unconformity. End_of_Article - Last_Page 532------------
Origin of side bands in the FTIR spectrum of acetone oxime vinyl ether

Abstract The origin of two minor but enigmatic side bands in the Fourier-transform infrared spectrum (FTIR) of acetone oxime vinyl ether is resolved with density functional theory calculations. A comparison of vibrational frequencies as computed with Hartree–Fock self-consistent-field theory and density functional theory is carried out for acetone oxime vinyl ether, and N-(3-nitrobenzylidene)-p-phenylenediamine. Implications for molecular electronics are discussed.
Letter by Eberlein and Reed Regarding Article, “Transplantation for Idiopathic Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension: Improvement in the Lung Allocation Score Era”

We read with great interest the article by Schaffer et al1 on transplantation for idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension (IPAH). A conclusion of the authors is that donor-to-recipient sex matching is associated with better survival. Furthermore, sex matching as a priority for IPAH patients with less acute disease is recommended. The accompanying editorial emphasizes that the findings regarding sex matching need to be evaluated in more detail. An important detail unaccounted for by Schaffer et al1 is that sex is a major determinant of lung size.2 Lung size can be estimated by calculating the predicted total lung capacity (pTLC) from …
Degradation of 1,2,3-Trichloropropane (TCP): Hydrolysis, Elimination, and Reduction by Iron and Zinc

1,2,3-Trichloropropane (TCP) is an emerging contaminant because of increased recognition of its occurrence in groundwater, potential carcinogenicity, and resistance to natural attenuation. The physical and chemical properties of TCP make it difficult to remediate, with all conventional options being relatively slow or inefficient. Treatments that result in alkaline conditions (e.g., permeable reactive barriers containing zerovalent iron) favor base-catalyzed hydrolysis of TCP, but high temperature (e.g., conditions of in situ thermal remediation) is necessary for this reaction to be significant. Common reductants (sulfide, ferrous iron adsorbed to iron oxides, and most forms of construction-grade or nano-Fe0) produce insignificant rates of reductive dechlorination of TCP. Quantifiable rates of TCP reduction were obtained with several types of activated nano-Fe0, but the surface area normalized rate contants (kSA) for these reactions were lower than is generally considered useful for in situ remediation ap...
Influence of Particle Dispersions on the High-Temperature Strength of Ferritic Alloys

Abstract Four ferritic alloys based on the composition Fe–14Cr–3W–0.4Ti (nominal wt%) were developed with a predominant dispersion of either oxide particles or nano-size Y-, Ti-, O-rich clusters, or nanoclusters (NC). Tensile specimens machined from the alloys were tested at room temperature and at temperatures ranging from ∼360 °C to 800 °C in air using a strain rate of 10 −3 s −1 . The results showed that the high-temperature strength of the NC strengthened alloys was significantly better than that of the oxide strengthened alloys. The room temperature yield strengths of the two alloys containing the NC were 1469 MPa and 1261 MPa while the yield strengths of the two oxide dispersion alloys were 819 MPa (Y–Ti-oxides) and 583 MPa (Ti-oxides). However, the ductility of the oxide strengthened alloys was better than that of the NC strengthened alloys.
Deinstitutionalization, homelessness, and the myth of psychiatric abandonment: A structural anthropology perspective

Abstract Encounters with disturbed homeless persons have become an expected part of American urban life. Mental health professionals and the general public believe that the closing of public mental hospitals—“deinstitutionalization”—has caused homelessness, and that problems suffered and caused by the mentally ill homeless have resulted from American psychiatrists' abandonment of the patients who once were housed in large public mental institutions. This article suggests that the abandonment thesis should be regarded as a “myth” or sacred cultural tale that incorporates important themes in late 20th century American political culture. Psychiatrists can examine this myth and understand its meaning using analytical techniques elaborated by structural anthropologists.
Emerging trends in robotic pyeloplasty for the management of ureteropelvic junction obstruction in adults.

Purpose: We evaluated trends and associated characteristics in the use of robotics for pyeloplasty as treatment for ureteropelvic junction obstruction.Materials and Methods: Data from the Nationwide Inpatient Sample were used to evaluate pyeloplasty trends from 2005 to 2010. Patients treated with pyeloplasty and procedure method (robotic, laparoscopic or open) were identified by ICD-9-CM codes. Coding for robotics was initiated in the fourth quarter of 2008. Multivariable analysis was performed to examine characteristics affecting the odds of undergoing robotic pyeloplasty vs other approaches to pyeloplasty.Results: We identified 3,947 pyeloplasties performed between 2005 and 2010, including 1,642 since the fourth quarter of 2008. There was a statistically significant increase in the number of robotic pyeloplasties (p <0.001). Mean total charges for robotic vs nonrobotic procedures were $40,200 vs $37,817 (p = 0.106). Characteristics related to undergoing a robotic procedure included surgery at a teaching...
A computer model of the atmospheric entry of the Tunguska object

Abstract Mathematical models of the entry trajectory for various types of meteors have frequently been applied in an effort to determine the nature of the Tunguska object. This approach has been used to support both a stony asteroid and a cometary object as the most probable cause of the event. An accurate trajectory model must include an evaluation of both the mechanical fragmentation and the aerothermal ablation and must couple these two processes. Inaccuracies in the calculated ablation rate can lead to substantial errors in the predicted terminal altitude of a given entry body, this is particularly true for relatively weak, icy objects such as comets. The present study uses an analytical approximation of the mechanical fragmentation and radial spreading of the bolide and examines aerothermal ablation in some detail, including an evaluation of radiative cooling of the shock layer gases and the effect of radiation blockage by ablation products coming off the meteor's surface. Such calculations can be performed only in an approximate manner since the properties of high temperature gases are not well established at the extremc pressures and temperatures involved. It is found that the sudden release of energy approximately 8 km above the surface which was associated with the Tunguska event could have been produced by the disruption of either a comet or an asteroid, although a cometary origin would have required a very steep atmospheric entry angle. Therefore, although an asteroidal origin seems more likely, it is concluded that a trajectory analysis of this type cannot be used at the present time to exclude either type of object with absolute certainty.
Children's Insurance Coverage and Crowd-Out Through the Recession: Lessons From Ohio.

Objectives. We estimated changes in children’s insurance status (publicly insured, privately insured, or uninsured) and crowd-out rates during the 2007 to 2009 US recession in Ohio.Methods. We conducted an estimate of insurance coverage from statewide, randomized telephone surveys in 2004, 2008, 2010, and 2012. We estimated crowd-out by using regression discontinuity.Results. From 2004 to 2012, private insurance rates dropped from 67% to 55% and public rates grew from 28% to 40%, with no change in the uninsured rate for children. Despite a 12.0% decline in private coverage and a corresponding 12.6% increase in public coverage, we found no evidence that crowd-out increased during this period.Conclusions. Children, particularly those with household incomes lower than 400% of the federal poverty level, were enrolled increasingly in public insurance rather than private coverage. Near the Medicaid eligibility threshold, this is not from an increase in crowd-out. An alternative explanation for the increase in p...
Mexican American High School Students’ Ethnic Self‐Concepts and Identity

Mexican American high school students (N= 24) were administered semistructured interviews about their psychological experience of ethnicity. The interview focused on individual, friendship, peer group, and family domains. Qualitative analyses of the interview transcripts revealed six domains including ethnic identity, socialization, intraethnic support and challenge, interethnic relations and attitudes, ethnic transcendence, and ethnic differences and similarities. These six domains were graphically depicted that differentiated ethnic self-concepts from ethnic identity processes and identified the intraethnic and interethnic influences of the ethnic self-concepts and identity processes. There were three ethnic self-concepts (i.e., cultural self, possible minority self, and self that transcends ethnic group boundaries). These basic three ethnic self-concepts are consistent with other researchers’ identification of analogous ethnic self-concepts and socialization messages across a wide range of contexts. Implications for future empirical and theoretical research are discussed.
Anti-inflammatory and pro-inflammatory roles of TGF-β, IL-10, and IL-22 in immunity and autoimmunity

Cytokines play a major role in maintaining lymphocyte homeostasis under both steady-state and inflammatory conditions. Unregulated lymphocytes in steady-state conditions can lead to autoimmunity, whereas during inflammation they can cause excessive tissue damage. Regulatory cytokines function in combination with other environmental signals to properly modulate the function and the extent of lymphocyte activation. Many recent studies have highlighted the importance of regulatory cytokines in controlling the differentiation and function of lymphocytes under steady-state and inflammatory conditions, as well as minimizing tissue damage.
Doing gender and building culture: Toward a model of women's intercultural communication

The author proposes a model of women's intercultural communication and illustrates how it can be used as a heuristic tool through a case study. The “third‐culture building”; model is promising in that it extends the view of culture being constructed through communication to intercultural situations. The notion of gender as cultural practice is also promoted. These 2 perspectives are integrated into a model proposing that women participating in intercultural communication can be seen as engaging in a culture building process. This is inseparable from the gendered practices in which the women participate and the creation of gendered meanings that are shared among them. This culture building model can guide the analysis of intercultural communication events, as is shown through a study of introductions in international wives’ support groups, where participants attempt to create a shared personhood using gendered practices as resources of culture building.
Predicting the Fatigue Life of Long Dents in Petroleum Pipelines

A full scale experimental study has demonstrated that long, unrestrained pipeline dents typically experience fatigue cracking in the dent contact region and have significantly shorter fatigue lives compared to other dent types studied. Furthermore, these dents often fully reround under normal pipeline operating pressures, making them difficult to reliably detect and assess using existing depth-based approaches. Several conditions unique to the dent contact region accelerate fatigue damage accumulation and are considered in a case-specific long dent fatigue life prediction method. First, the contact region develops significant bending stresses that contribute to a higher rate of fatigue crack growth. Second, history dependent, thru-thickness residual bending stresses that may have a significant influence on fatigue behavior are present in the contact region as a result of plastic deformation associated with dent formation and subsequent rebounding. A method for predicting the fatigue life of long dents that accounts for these factors is presented here and is used to analyze specific cases for which laboratory data is available. Nonlinear finite element modelling of the dent life cycle, including the indentation and rebounding phases, is used to determine local stress range behaviors and residual stress distributions. The application of appropriate fracture mechanics based models of fatigue is discussed and demonstrated. Fatigue life predictions are made on a case by case basis for situations studied in the laboratory so that the validity and accuracy of the approach presented here may be studied.Copyright © 2002 by ASME
Assessing and modeling snag survival and decay dynamics for the primary species in the Acadian forest of Maine, USA

Abstract Snags are an important component of forest structure and a key carbon pool, but there is currently a limited understanding of their survival and decay in the Acadian region of North America. Using standing and fallen snag observations collected from permanent sample plot (PSP) remeasurements at a long-term, replicated silviculture methods experiment in central Maine, USA, the objective of this analysis was to develop quantitative models to better understand snag survival and decay dynamics. Species examined included the conifers Abies balsamea, Picea rubens, Thuja occidentalis, and Tsuga canadensis, and the hardwoods Acer rubrum and Betula papyrifera. Proportional hazards regression models that estimate the 5-year probability (Pr) of snag survival indicated that observed decay class (a measure of snag decomposition) could be used as a surrogate for years since death given the difficulties and errors associated with determining years since death for standing snags. Averaged across all species, Pr (5-year snag survival) estimated as a function of snag diameter at breast height (dbh) in decay classes 1, 2, 3, and 4 were predicted as 0.69 ± 0.09 (mean ± standard deviation), 0.36 ± 0.09, 0.16 ± 0.05, and 0.06 ± 0.02, respectively. Where snag dbh was significant in estimating survival (3 of 6 species), hazard ratios indicated that snag survival would increase by as much as 24% for each 10 cm increase in dbh, but was dependent on species. Probability matrices predicting the 5-year likelihood of snags transitioning to advanced decay classes or falling showed that T. canadensis and T. occidentalis snags were slowest to decay, as measured by the average time it takes for a snag to progress from decay class 1–4. Probability of snag height-loss, predicted using snag dbh and the harvest interval of the stand, was estimated to be highest for larger dbh snags found in stands with frequent harvest intervals (e.g. 40 cm dbh and every 5 years). Models predicting the amount of volume reduced in standing snags through time were related to the estimated total volume of a live tree with the same dbh, mode of death, and general decay stage (i.e. soft versus hard). When used together, these models quantifying snag dynamics and associated species and size differences can serve as tools for managers to estimating standing deadwood stocks in mixed-species stands found throughout the Acadian region.
Determination of the Transition-State Entropy for Aggregation Suggests How the Growth of Sickle Cell Hemoglobin Polymers can be Slowed

Sickle cell anemia is associated with the mutant hemoglobin HbS, which forms polymers in red blood cells of patients. The growth rate of the polymers is several micrometers per second, ensuring that a polymer fiber reaches the walls of an erythrocyte (which has a 7-microm diameter) within a few seconds after its nucleation. To understand the factors that determine this unusually fast rate, we analyze data on the growth rate of the polymer fibers. We show that the fiber growth follows a first-order Kramers-type kinetics model. The entropy of the transition state for incorporation into a fiber is 95 J mol(-1) K(-1), very close to the known entropy of polymerization. This agrees with a recent theoretical estimate for the hydrophobic interaction and suggests that the gain of entropy in the transition state is due to the release of the last layer of water molecules structured around contact sites on the surface of the HbS molecules. As a result of this entropy gain, the free-energy barrier for incorporation of HbS molecules into a fiber is negligible and fiber growth is unprecedentedly fast. This finding suggests that fiber growth can be slowed by components of the red cell cytosol, native or intentionally introduced, which restructure the hydration layer around the HbS molecules and thus lower the transition state entropy for incorporation of an incoming molecule into the growing fiber.
Crystallinity index of poly(ethylene terephthalate) by x-ray diffractometry and differential scanning calorimetry

Crystallinity index measurements of poly/ethylene terephthalate/ by X-ray diffractometric and differential scanning calorimetry index methods
Innovation Strategies Under Uncertainty: A Contingency Approach for New Product Development

AbstractInnovation is especially critical, yet risky, in dynamic, uncertain markets where the product or service employs new and uncertain technologies. Under these conditions, the new product professional should rely on a variety of tools and techniques to assist him or her to innovate more effectively with a greater probability of succeeding. The new product development literature offers several tools to help. These tools are based on one of six innovation strategies: process, speed, learning, market, technology, and quantitative. However, it is not clear which strategy should be used and when. This article examines these dominant innovation strategies and evaluates their applicability in the environment of emerging markets with emerging technologies. We have found that for the more extreme forms of innovation, a learning-based strategy will improve the chances of success.
An Extensible Framework for Composing Stencils with Common Scientific Computing Patterns

The SEJITS framework supports creating embedded domain-specific languages (DSELs) and code generators, a pair of which is called a specializer, with much less effort than creating a full DSL compiler---typically just a few hundred lines of code. SEJITS' main benefit is allowing application writers to stay entirely in high-level languages such as Python by using specialized Python functions (that is, functions written in one of the Python-embedded DSELs) to generate code that runs at native speed. One existing SEJITS DSEL is Sepya [10], a Python DSEL for stencil computations that generates OpenMP and Cilk+ code competitive with existing DSL compilers such as Pochoir and Halide. We extend Sepya to generate OpenCL code for targetting GPUs, and in the process, extend SEJITS with support for meta-specializers, whose job is to enable and optimize the composition of existing specializers written by third parties. In this work, we demonstrate meta-specialization by detecting and removing extraneous data copies to and from the GPU to compose multiple specializer calls (stencil and non-stencil). We also explore the variants of loop fusion to further improve performance of composing these operations. The performance of the generated stencil code is 20x faster SciPy and competitive with existing stencil DSELs on realistic code excerpts. Since meta-specializers must compose and optimize specializers created by third parties, we extend SEJITS with support for meta-specializer hooks, allowing existing specializers to be incrementally enabled for meta-specialization without breaking backwards compatibility. The Sepya and SEJITS extensions together extend the range of platforms for which highly optimized code can be generated and open new possibilities for optimizing the composition of existing specializers.
Hypothalamic Polypeptide That Inhibits the Secretion of Immunoreactive Pituitary Growth Hormone

A peptide has been isolated from ovine hypothalamus which, at 1 x 10(-9)M, inhibits secretion in vitro of immunoreactive rat or human growth hormones and is similarly active in vivo in rats. Its structure is H-Ala-Gly-Cys-Lys-Asn-Phe-Phe-Trp-Lys-Thr-Phe-Thr-Ser-Cys-OH The synthetic replicate is biologically active.
How Many People have Alcohol Use Disorders? Using the Harmful Dysfunction Analysis to Reconcile Prevalence Estimates in Two Community Surveys

Community prevalence rates of alcohol use disorders (AUDs) provided by epidemiological studies using DSM-based diagnostic criteria pose several challenges: the rates appear implausibly high to many epidemiologists; they do not converge across similar studies; and, due to low service utilization by those diagnosed as disordered, they yield estimates of unmet need for services so high that credibility for planning purposes is jeopardized. For example, two early community studies using DSM diagnostic criteria, the Epidemiologic Catchment Area Study (ECA) and the National Comorbidity Survey (NCS), yielded lifetime AUD prevalence rates of 14 and 24%, respectively, with NCS unmet need for services 19% of the entire population. Attempts to address these challenges by adding clinical significance requirements to diagnostic criteria have proven unsuccessful. Hypothesizing that these challenges are due to high rates of false-positive diagnoses of problem drinking as AUDs, we test an alternative approach. We use the harmful dysfunction (HD) analysis of the concept of mental disorder as a guide to construct more valid criteria within the framework of the standard out-of-control model of AUD. The proposed HD criteria require harm and dysfunction, where harm can be any negative social, personal, or physical outcome, and dysfunction requires either withdrawal symptoms or inability to stop drinking. Using HD criteria, ECA and NCS lifetime prevalences converge to much-reduced rates of 6 and 6.8%, respectively. Due to higher service utilization rates, NCS lifetime unmet need is reduced to 3.4%. Service use and duration comparisons suggest that HD criteria possess increased diagnostic validity. Moreover, HD criteria eliminate 90% of transient teenage drinking from disorder status. The HD version of the out-of-control model thus potentially resolves the three classic prevalence challenges while offering a more rigorous approach to distinguishing AUDs from problematic drinking.
Index of refraction of helium in the shielding approximation

Refraction index for helium isoelectronic sequence, using frequency dependent dipole polarizability
13 Years of Experience With Artificial Urinary Sphincter Implantation at Baylor College of Medicine

Purpose: We reviewed 13 years of experience with artificial urinary sphincter implantation (narrow backed cuff) at a single institution.Materials and Methods: Between 1992 and 2005, 270 patients underwent artificial urinary sphincter implantation, as performed by a single surgeon at Baylor College of Medicine, and followup data were available on 218 of them. Mean followup was 36.5 months (maximum 151.4). Of the 218 patients 60 underwent prostatectomy and pelvic radiation, 116 underwent prostatectomy without radiotherapy, 11 had neurogenic bladder and 31 underwent secondary artificial urinary sphincter implantation.Results: The complication rate did not differ among the 4 treatment groups. Complication rates were infection in 5.5% of cases, erosion in 6.0%, urethral atrophy in 9.6%, mechanical failure in 6.0% and surgical removal or revision in 27.1%. Median time to complications was 3.7 months for infection, 19.8 months for erosion, 29.6 months for atrophy, 68.1 months for failure and 14.4 months for surg...
Pseudoaneurysm in the muscular artery of the right gluteal region following a BM harvest

BM harvesting is generally accepted as a safe procedure with minimal complications and is often performed as an ambulatory surgery. In addition to bleeding and infection, rarer complications have been reported to include air or fat embolism and fracture of the ilium.1, 2, 3 We report a patient who suffered a pseudoaneurysm of the muscular artery of the right gluteal region following BM harvest with massive blood loss.
Finite-size effects on spin configurations in antiferromagnetically coupled multilayers.

Nonuniform canting states are found for multilayers of a finite size that are constructed from ferromagnetic films which are antiferromagnetically coupled. Our results are applicable to a wide variety of experimentally realizable systems such as Fe/Cr and Co/Ru. We find that at low fields, a twist in the ground-state configuration of the spins reduces the net Zeeman energy and is energetically favorable to the uniform canted state which has previously been assumed by most authors. At higher fields, the character of this twist changes and eventually leads to a state that is fully aligned along the direction of the applied magnetic field. A numerical self-consistent mean-field model is used to examine the properties of these states and a variational method is developed in order to obtain analytic expressions for the lengths and magnitudes of these twists. The deviations from the uniform spin-flop state at both high and low fields can be quite large and involve the entire sample.
Effects of Cell Phone Conversations on Younger and Older Drivers

Our research examined the effects of hands-free cell phone conversations on simulated driving. We found that driving performance of both younger and older adults was impaired by cell phone conversations. Compared to single-task conditions, cell-phone drivers’ reactions were 18% slower, their following distance was 12% greater, and they took 17% longer to recover the speed that was lost following braking. These cell-phone induced impairments were equivalent for younger and older adults, suggesting that older adults do not suffer a significantly greater penalty for talking on a cell phone while driving than their younger counterparts. Interestingly, the net effect of having younger drivers converse on a cell phone was to make their braking reactions equivalent to those of older drivers who were not using a cell phone.
An evaluation of a preschool curriculum to educate children in the prevention of sexual abuse

The present study evaluated the effectiveness of a sexual abuse education program for preschool-aged children attending three day care centers. Participants were 39 children between the ages of 37 and 62 months; 44% were girls and 56% were boys. Children were randomly assigned to three conditions: a group in which children received the program and their parents were encouraged to participate (n = 10), a group in which children received the program but their parents were not encouraged to participate (n = 9), and a delayed treatment control group (n = 20). All children were administered two knowledge scales (the Personal Safety Questionnaire, PSQ, and the “What If” Situation Test, WIST) and a fear scale prior to and directly after the curriculum was taught, as well as 3 months later. Because the parent participation component could not be selectively withheld in one preschool, the two experimental groups were combined for purposes of statistical analyses. Results indicated that children in the experimental group, when compared to the control group, were able to learn the sexual abuse prevention concepts measured by the PSQ and retain this knowledge at follow-up. Participation in the program did not affect children's scores on the WIST, a more behavioral measure of knowledge. No significant increase in fear was noted in the children participating in the program. Limitations of the present research design and suggestions for improving the curriculum are noted.
2,3,7,8-Tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin as an antiestrogen: effect on rat uterine peroxidase activity.

Abstract Treatment of 25-day-old female Sprague-Dawley rats with 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo- p -dioxin (TCDD) significantly lowered constitutive uterine peroxidase activity and decreased uterine wet weights in a dose-response fashion. In cotreatment studies with 17β-estradiol, 2,3,7,8-TCDD antagonized the increase in uterine peroxidase activity and uterine wet weights, and these effects persisted for up to 156 hr. In the rat uterus, the antiestrogenic affects of two potent Ah receptor agonists, 2,3,7.8-TCDD and 2,3,4,7,8-pentachlorodibenzofuran, were comparable at a dose of 80μ/kg, whereas the weaker Ah receptor agonist, 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo- p -dioxin, was relatively inactive at this dose. These results show that 2,3,7,8-TCDD antagonizes a well-characterized estrogen-induced response (uterine peroxidase activity), and the structure-activity data suggest that the Ah receptor is involved in mediating the antiestrogenic responses in target cells/organs.
The HIV-AIDS pandemic at 25--the global response.

The AIDS crisis demanded a unique and truly global response. Instead, AIDS often engendered stigma, discrimination, and denial. Dr. Michael Merson writes that the result was two decades of slow, insufficient, inconsistent, and often inappropriate response.
Novel Fabry-Perot fiber optic sensor with multiple applications

A novel Intrinsic Fabry-Perot fiber-optic sensor is presented in this paper. The sensors were made through two simple steps: wet chemical etch and fusion splice. Micro air-gaps were generated inside the fibers and functioned as reflective mirrors. This procedure not only provides a simple and cost effective technology for fabricating intrinsic Fabry-Perot Interferometric (IFPI) fiber sensors, but also provides two possible IFPI structures. Both of the fiber cavity between the air-gaps or the air-gap and cleaved fiber end can be used as sensing elements. With these two structures, this sensor can be used to measure the temperature, strain, pressure, refractive index of chemicals and the thin film thickness by itself. Multi-point measurements can also be achieved by multiplexing. Furthermore, it also can be multiplexed with other sensors such as Long Period Gratings (LPG) to provide compensations for other perturbation sensing. Theoretical and experimental studies of two sensor structures are described. Experimental results show that high resolution and high sensitivity can be obtained with appropriate signal processing.
Non-Adiabatic Treatment of the Relativistic Two-Body Problem

The method of Tamm and Dancoff, for the non-adiabatic treatment of the relativistic interaction of two nucleons, is generalized in order to include nucleon pair creation and higher order effects in the exchange of mesons. This generalized form of the Tamm-Dancoff method is shown to give results which are equivalent to those obtained from the relativistic equation of Bethe and Salpeter. A detailed study is made of two limiting cases: (a) no pair of nucleons is created in the intermediate states, but an arbitrary number of mesons can be present at the same time; (b) the maximum number of mesons present at a given time is one, but the number of pairs is unrestricted.The two methods are applied to the calculation of the lowest order correction to the scalar meson interaction of two nucleons. It is shown that the exact correction, which is of the second order in the nucleon velocities, can only be obtained through the inclusion of the fourth- and sixth-order interaction processes involving, in the corresponding Feynman diagrams, the crossing of the meson lines.
Laparoscopically assisted peritoneal shunt insertion for hydrocephalus.

Over the past 50 years, various shunting procedures involving the peritoneum have been performed for the treatment of hydrocephalus. During placement of the peritoneal portion of the catheter, complications may arise secondary to a lack of direct visualization. We describe a reduced complication rate with laparoscopically-assisted placement of the peritoneal portion of the catheter. A retrospective chart review was performed of seventy-six (76) laparoscopically-assisted cases performed without consideration of prior abdominal surgery or obesity. Subjects ranged in age from 19 to 80 years. Mean operative time was 55.3 minutes. No visceral injuries occurred. To date, no infectious complications have occurred. In 3% of subjects, conversion to an open procedure was necessary after failure to establish pneumoperitoneum. Laparoscopic placement of peritoneal shunts is safe and efficacious. It provides visualization of the distal cathether target. Moreover, it reduces the risk of visceral complications, CSF pseud...
Effects of iodoacetate on glycolysis and respiration in Ehrlich-Lettré ascites carcinoma cells.

Summary Iodoacetate added in optimum concentrations either to an Elirlich-Lettre hyperdiploid ascites carcinoma whole cell or to a mitochondria-dialyzed cell sap system from Ehrlich-Lettre cells stimulates oxygen consumption. This cell possesses within its cytoplasm an active α -glycerophosphate dehydrogenase enzyme system but an even more active lactate dehydrogenase (EC 1.1.1.27). The latter system is so active that it allows very little NADH to be utilized by the α -glycerophosphate dehydrogenase (EC 1.1.1.8) enzyme. However, with partial iodoacetate blockage of the glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (EC 1.2.1.12) enzyme system it appears that more substrate and NADH are available for the α -glycerophosphate dehydrogenase to produce α -glycerophosphate. Since the mitochondria contain a flavin-mediated α -glycerophosphate dehydrogenase more oxidation results via that pathway. Partial blockage of α -glycerophosphate dehydrogenase decreases the amount of lactate formed but still produces adequate pyruvate to allow maximum mitochondrial oxidation of this substrate. Thus with pyruvate oxidation at or near a maximum, plus an enhanced NADH oxidation via α -glycerophosphate inside the mitochondria, there is a marked increase of the total oxygen consumption rate with optimum partial blockage of α -glycerophosphate dehydrogenase with iodoacetate. The precise reasons for this shift and increase of oxygen utilization are not known, but probably lie in the kinetics of the lactate dehydrogenase and α -glycerophosphate dehydrogenase enzyme systems. Further investigations are being conducted to determine details of the mechanism.
The Emergence of Single Neurons in Clinical Neurology

Single neuron actions and interactions are the sine qua non of brain function, and nearly all diseases and injuries of the CNS trace their clinical sequelae to neuronal dysfunction or failure. Remarkably, discussion of neuronal activity is largely absent in clinical neuroscience. Advances in neurotechnology and computational capabilities, accompanied by shifts in theoretical frameworks, have led to renewed interest in the information represented by single neurons. Using direct interfaces with the nervous system, millisecond-scale information will soon be extracted from single neurons in clinical environments, supporting personalized treatment of neurologic and psychiatric disease. In this Perspective, we focus on single-neuronal activity in restoring communication and motor control in patients suffering from devastating neurological injuries. We also explore the single neuron's role in epilepsy and movement disorders, surgical anesthesia, and in cognitive processes disrupted in neurodegenerative and neuropsychiatric disease. Finally, we speculate on how technological advances will revolutionize neurotherapeutics.
Hohokam and Patayan interaction in southwestern Arizona: evidence from ceramic compositional analyses

Abstract Ceramic raw material use is one line of evidence for prehistoric territorial boundaries and social interaction. In this paper, we characterize the raw materials used by Hohokam and Patayan potters along the western Hohokam frontier, using data from oxidation analysis, laser-ablation inductively-coupled plasma spectrometry, and petrographic analysis. The sample includes 150 sherds from three sites (AZ Z:1:29[ASM], AZ Z:1:30[ASM], and BMGR-02-F-04) south of Gila Bend, Arizona. Similar Lower Gila River sediments were used for Hohokam and Patayan ceramics during the period A.D. 700–1150. Patayan potters apparently used clay sources from an area dominated by Hohokam settlements, and their ceramics were transported at least 50 km into the desert interior, perhaps representing seasonal movements between the river and the desert.
Adding OWL-S Support to the Existing UDDI Infrastructure

Although Universal, Description, Discovery and Integration (UDDI) is the de jure Web service registry standard, it is not suitable for handling semantic markups due to its flat data model and limited search capabilities. In this paper, we introduce an approach to support semantic service descriptions and queries using registries that conform to the UDDI Version 3 specification. Specifically, we present a scheme that allows users to store OWL-S service descriptions in the UDDI data model and use that information to perform semantic query processing. Our approach does not require any modification to the existing UDDI registries. The add-on modules only reside on the client-side machines that wish to take advantage of the semantic capabilities. This approach is completely backward compatible and can integrate seamlessly into the existing Service-Oriented Architecture (SOA) infrastructure.
10-year CVD risk prediction and minimization via InverseClassification

Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) remain the leading cause of death around the world. In past decades, many preventive strategies have been recommended to reduce the risk of CVD. However, current CVD risk prediction schemes are not targeted to personalized and optimized recommendations. The goal of this study was to better identify individuals at high risk of a CVD event, and recommend an optimal set of risk factor changes that could reduce the risk of long-term CVD events. We identified 100 demographic, lab, lifestyle, and medication variables for 12907 individuals who participated to the ARIC study and had no CVD events at baseline. We examined the prognostic performance of these features in isolation and ranked them based on mutual information. Then we combined those features to build predictive models using k-nearest neighbor prediction to estimate the 10-year CVD risk for each individual. Our feature-ranking method agreed with traditional risk factors identified by a domain expert. Our approach was successful in identifying cases with high risk and performed as well as traditional methods. Then we applied inverse classification to find the personalized optimal changes to reduce 10-year CVD risk. We also created a personalized package of five optimal changes for each individual to reduce their 10-year CVD risk. This approach can be applied to other chronic disease risk prediction and personalized recommendations, and may be useful to both health care providers and patients in making personalized health care recommendations and decisions.
World Federalism and Ecumenical Christianity

Christian Universalism was reinforced by the universalism of the later Stoics, who created the ideal of an all-embracing city of reason—cosmopolis. Mediaeval Christians couched their universalist outlook in Hellenic terms. Thus two streams of thought, from Israel and Greece, flowed together. As a result the world today, although divided among nations often ferociously self-righteous and jealous, is haunted by the vision of a global community. —Glenn Tinder, “Can We Be Good Without God?”
Some exact solutions to the nonlinear shallow-water wave equations

These exact solutions correspond to time-dependent motions in parabolic basins. A characteristic feature is that the shoreline is not fixed. It is free to move and must be determined as part of the solution. In general, the motion is oscillatory and has the appropriate small-amplitude limit. For the case in which the parabolic basin reduces to a flat plane, there is a solution for a flood wave. These solutions provide a valuable test for numerical models of inundating storm tides.