cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
10. Positron Emission Tomography in the Presurgical Evaluation of Patients with Resectable Liver Metastases from Colorectal Carcinoma Detected by Computed Tomography with Arterial Portography. A Cost Analysis.

Purpose: To assess the cost of implementing 18F-Fluorodeoxyglucose (18FDG) PET scan in the presurgical evaluation of patients with hepatic metastases from colorectal cancer (CRC) detected by Computed Tomography with arterial portography (CTAP).Methods: We performed a cost analysis of two diagnostic pathways based on a population of CRC patients with metastatic disease limited to the liver by (CTAP). The payers' perspective was utilized. The algorithms compared 18FDG-PET with Computed Tomography (CT) versus CT alone. Patients found to have extrahepatic disease by 18FDG-PET or CT were assigned to palliative care. Patients found to be negative for extrahepatic extension were assumed to be surgically resectable. The prevalence of extrahepatic disease, true and false positives and negatives for CT and 18FDG-PET were extracted from published reports (Medline, 1991 to 1999). Three possible outcomes for surgery were considered: uncomplicated, complicated, and death. Surgical complications considered were: urinary tract infection, wound sepsis, intra-abdominal abscess, septicemia, pneumonia, deep venous thrombosis, pulmonary embolism, anemia requiring transfusion, and myocardial infarction. Complication rates, costs for CT, CTAP, 18FDG-PET, surgery and post-surgical complications were obtained from HCFA published data (1997-2000). Palliative care costs were assumed to be identical in both branches.Results: Average expected cost per patient with 18FDG-PET was $16,921, compared to $21,693 for a patient without PET scan. This represents net savings of $4,772 if PET is included in the diagnostic work up.Conclusion: Integration of 18FDG-PET in the presurgical evaluation of patients with liver metastases from CRC by CTP would substantially reduce overall costs.
Towards Fusion Reactor Ignition the Adiabatic Toroidal Compression System

A major problem area in the study of the feasibility of fusion reactors is the attainment of hot dense plasma for experimental study and the determination of a heating scheme to reach ignition conditions in a reactor. Adiabatic compression in minor and major radius of Tokamak configuration plasmas was proposed as a means of reaching this end. The Adiabatic Toroidal Compressor (ATC) was built at the Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory to determine experimentally the feasibility of this technique. This paper describes the engineering features of this machine. Preliminary results indicate that compression heating is a possible method of assisting reaching fusion ignition temperatures.
The miR-126-VEGFR2 axis controls the innate response to pathogen-associated nucleic acids

miR-126 is a microRNA expressed predominately by endothelial cells and controls angiogenesis. We found miR-126 was required for the innate response to pathogen-associated nucleic acids and that miR-126-deficient mice had greater susceptibility to infection with pseudotyped HIV. Profiling of miRNA indicated that miR-126 had high and specific expression by plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDCs). Moreover, miR-126 controlled the survival and function of pDCs and regulated the expression of genes encoding molecules involved in the innate response, including Tlr7, Tlr9 and Nfkb1, as well as Kdr, which encodes the growth factor receptor VEGFR2. Deletion of Kdr in DCs resulted in reduced production of type I interferon, which supports the proposal of a role for VEGFR2 in miR-126 regulation of pDCs. Our studies identify the miR-126-VEGFR2 axis as an important regulator of the innate response that operates through multiscale control of pDCs.
An amperometric urea biosensor based on covalently immobilized urease on an electrode made of hyperbranched polyester functionalized gold nanoparticles

An amperometric biosensor was fabricated for the quantitative determination of urea in aqueous medium using hematein, a pH-sensitive natural dye. The urease (Urs) was covalently immobilized onto an electrode made of gold nanoparticles functionalized with hyperbranched polyester-Boltron H40 (H40-Au) coated onto an indium-tin oxide (ITO) covered glass substrate. The covalent linkage between the Urs enzyme and H40-Au nanoparticles provided the resulting enzyme electrode (Urs/H40-Au/ITO) with a high level of enzyme immobilization and excellent lifetime stability. The response studies were carried out as a function of urea concentration with amperometric and photometric measurements. The biosensor based on Urs/H40-Au/ITO as the working electrode showed a linear current response to the urea concentration ranging from 0.01 to 35 mM. The urea biosensor exhibited a sensitivity of 7.48 nA/mM with a response time of 3s. The Michaelis-Menten constant for the Urs/H40-Au/ITO biosensor was calculated to be 0.96 mM, indicating the Urs enzyme immobilized on the electrode surface had a high affinity to urea.
Heidegger’s imageless saying of the event

This essay traces the movement of Heidegger’s thinking first from Contributions to Philosophy to The Event and then in the latter volume itself as a downgoing (Untergang) movement Heidegger performs through language, i.e. in how he thinks and speaks. The essay highlights a shift in attunement and in the relation to history that occurs in The Event, which is a shift from a resistance to the epoch of machination to letting it pass by as thinking ventures into the most concealed dimension of the event and attempts an “imageless saying.” The last part of the essay focuses on the issue of language in The Event, both in relation to how Heidegger thinks language and in view of the performative aspects of Heidegger’s writing.
Effect of asperity interactions on rough surface elastic contact behavior: Hard film on soft substrate

Abstract An improved elastic micro-contact model of rough surfaces accounting for asperity interactions is proposed. The contact behavior of a single asperity system is composed of a stiffer hemi-spherical asperity deformation and bellowing softer substrate deformation, which is then extended to rough surface contact including asperity interactions. Using the solution of substrate deformation, normal positions of individual asperities are adjusted during quasi-static contact, from which surface interactive forces are obtained. Analytical simulations are performed using the proposed rough surface contact model, whose results are compared to Greenwood–Williamson-based models and with experimental measurements.
Deviatoric stress-induced phase transitions in diamantane.

The high-pressure behavior of diamantane was investigated using angle-dispersive synchrotron x-ray diffraction (XRD) and Raman spectroscopy in diamond anvil cells. Our experiments revealed that the structural transitions in diamantane were extremely sensitive to deviatoric stress. Under non-hydrostatic conditions, diamantane underwent a cubic (space group Pa3) to a monoclinic phase transition at below 0.15 GPa, the lowest pressure we were able to measure. Upon further compression to 3.5 GPa, this monoclinic phase transformed into another high-pressure monoclinic phase which persisted to 32 GPa, the highest pressure studied in our experiments. However, under more hydrostatic conditions using silicone oil as a pressure medium, the transition pressure to the first high-pressure monoclinic phase was elevated to 7–10 GPa, which coincided with the hydrostatic limit of silicone oil. In another experiment using helium as a pressure medium, no phase transitions were observed to the highest pressure we reached (13 GPa). In addition, large hysteresis and sluggish transition kinetics were observed upon decompression. Over the pressure range where phase transitions were confirmed by XRD, only continuous changes in the Raman spectra were observed. This suggests that these phase transitions are associated with unit cell distortions and modifications in molecular packing rather than the formation of new carbon-carbon bonds under pressure.
Lymphocytic Choriomeningitis Virus — An Old Enemy up to New Tricks

What should be done about controlling LCMV in organ transplantation? Dr. C.J. Peters writes that one obvious way to reduce the risk of human infection with LCMV is to have suppliers of pet rodents screen their colonies for the infection.
Late myocardial ischemic events after saphenous vein graft intervention--importance of initially "nonsignificant" vein graft lesions.

Patients undergoing percutaneous coronary revascularization (PCR) for narrowed saphenous vein grafts (SVGs) have a high incidence of subsequent cardiac events, but the relative contribution of treated and untreated SVGs, and of native coronary narrowings to late events is uncertain. This study evaluated the role of progression of SVG disease at untreated sites to cardiac events in these patients. All patients with successful PCR of SVG lesions who were enrolled in clinical trials with mandated repeat angiography from 1990 to 1994 were studied. One hundred three patients (age 63 +/- 8 years, 82% men, ejection fraction 54 +/- 12%, graft age 8 +/- 4 years), contributing 1,095 analyzable 15- to 25-mm SVG segments were followed 29 +/- 13 months (4 patients were lost to follow-up). Actuarial event-free (death, myocardial infarction, bypass surgery, or PCR) and overall survival at 12 months were 47 +/- 5% and 94 +/- 2%, respectively. Fifty-six percent of all early ( 12 months after initial treatment resulted most frequently from ischemia from progression of narrowing at untreated SVG sites (46%). Ischemic events from initially untreated SVG sites were correlated with initial percent stenosis (initial, 41% to 50%; 45% events, 31% to 40%; 18% events, 75%; 43% events, 50% to 75%; 27% events, < 50%; 18% events, p = 0.01), but not with final percent stenosis. The frequent occurrence of events from nontreated 41% to 50% stenoses suggests a need for increased surveillance in patients with these lesions. The low incidence of events from initially treated lesions < 50% suggests that the hypothesis that "nonsignificant" 41% to 50% lesions might best be treated at the time other more severe narrowings are treated should be examined.
High molecular weight glucagon-like immunoreactivity in plasma.

An “interference factor” has been shown to be present in human plasma, which can cause artifactual elevation of pancreatic glucagon values as conventionally determined by radioimmunoassay using antiserum 30K. A method of correcting for this problem was developed and used to measure glucagon levels in 60 diabetic and 30 nondiabetic subjects. No significant difference was found between the two groups. Twelve percent ofthe diabetic subjects had evidence of glucagon binding in their plasma which prevented valid measurement of their glucagon levels. Characterization of the “interference factor” was undertakenwith G-200 sephadex column chromatography. Large amounts of glucagon-like immunoreactivitywere found in fractions indicating an approximatemolecular weight of 160,000. It was demonstratedthat this “factor” was not an artifact of charcoaltreatment of plasma. The original source of thismaterial is unknown.
The rank of a 2 × 2 × 2 tensor

As computing power increases, many more problems in engineering and data analysis involve computation with tensors, or multi-way data arrays. Most applications involve computing a decomposition of a tensor into a linear combination of rank-1 tensors. Ideally, the decomposition involves a minimal number of terms, i.e. computation of the rank of the tensor. Tensor rank is not a straight-forward extension of matrix rank. A constructive proof based on an eigenvalue criterion is provided that shows when a 2 × 2 × 2 tensor over ℝ is rank-3 and when it is rank-2. The results are extended to show that n × n × 2 tensors over ℝ have maximum possible rank n + k where k is the number of complex conjugate eigenvalue pairs of the matrices forming the two faces of the tensor cube.
Computational Search for Single-Layer Transition-Metal Dichalcogenide Photocatalysts

Some of the members of the family of single-layer transition-metal dichalcogenides have recently received a lot of attention for their promising electronic properties, with potential applications in electronic devices. In this work, we focus on the stability of the dichalcogenides and determine their potential for photocatalytic water splitting. Using a first-principles design approach, we perform a systematic theoretical study of the dichalcogenides MX2 (M = Nb, Mo, Ta, W, Ti, V, Zr, Hf, and Pt; X = S, Se, and Te). First, we use a van der Waals functional to accurately calculate their formation energies. The results reveal that most MX2 have similar formation energies to those of single-layer MoS2 and WS2, implying the ease of mechanically exfoliating a single-layer MX2 from their layered bulk counterparts. Next, we use the many-body G0W0 approximation to obtain the band structures, finding that about half of the MX2 are semiconductors. We then calculate conduction and valence band edge positions by comb...
Four-loop divergences for the N=1 supersymmetric non-linear sigma-model in two dimensions

Abstract We describe a calculation of the four-loop β-function for the two-dimensional N=1 supersymmetric nonlinear σ-model defined on a general reimannian manifold. When restricted to Kahler geometry, the result agrees with the previously calculated one for the N=2 σ-model. The four-loop divergence does not vanish on Ricci-flat manifolds nor on locally symmetric spaces.
Partially Reflecting Mirrors of High Efficiency and Durability1

A simple laboratory method for making partially reflecting mirrors of high efficiency is provided by fuming titanium tetrachloride onto glass. The reaction of the tetrachloride with atmospheric water vapor allows a thin coating of titanium dioxide to deposit on hot glass. TiCl4+2H2O→TiO2+4HCl.This coating is extremely durable and can be washed frequently without producing pinholes. The critical thickness for maximum reflectivity is regulated by watching the color of the reflected light. A single coating reflects 30 and transmits 70 percent of incident light.Alternate layers of fumed titanium dioxide and evaporated magnesium fluoride afford reflectivities over the visible range of from 30 to over 60 percent, depending on the number of layers.
Kinetic quantification of protein polymer nanoparticles using non-invasive imaging.

Protein polymers are repetitive amino acid sequences that can assemble monodisperse nanoparticles with potential applications as cancer nanomedicines. Of the currently available molecular imaging methods, positron emission tomography (PET) is the most sensitive and quantitative; therefore, this work explores microPET imaging to track protein polymer nanoparticles over several days. To achieve reliable imaging, the polypeptides were modified by site-specific conjugation using a heterobifunctional sarcophagine chelator, AmBaSar, which was subsequently complexed with 64Cu. AmBaSar/64Cu was selected because it can label particles in vivo over periods of days, which is consistent with the timescales required to follow long-circulating nanotherapeutics. Using an orthotopic model of breast cancer, we observed four elastin-like polypeptides (ELPs)-based protein polymers of varying molecular weight, amino acid sequence, and nanostructure. To analyze this data, we developed a six-compartment image-driven pharmacokinetic model capable of describing their distribution within individual subjects. Surprisingly, the assembly of an ELP block copolymer (78 kD) into nanoparticles (Rh = 37.5 nm) minimally influences pharmacokinetics or tumor accumulation compared to a free ELP of similar length (74 kD). Instead, ELP molecular weight is the most important factor controlling the fate of these polymers, whereby long ELPs (74 kD) have a heart activity half-life of 8.7 hours and short ELPs (37 kD) have a half-life of 2.1 hours. These results suggest that ELP-based protein polymers may be a viable platform for the development of multifunctional therapeutic nanoparticles that can be imaged using clinical PET scanners.
VALIDITY OF WELFARE MOTHERS' INTERVIEW RESPONSES

Because survey research is open to the criticism that respondents do not always tell the truth to interviewers, validation studies have long been an honored pursuit.' They have led to progressive clarification of the extent and direction of response error, and to its increasing control. In recent years, as more research has focused on poor people in our society, special concerns about response error have come to the fore. Some critics claim that the poor present interviewing problems different in kind and degree from other respondent groups. Poor people, they say, misunderstand the interviewer, or defer to him, or try to con him; the interviewer stereotypes the respondent and biases his answers; or else poor people have such difficulty in knowing or remembering or verbalizing that the interview becomes a very leaky vessel indeed for taking out questions and bringing back answers.2 In an effort to test these assertions, this study validated responses of a sample of Negro welfare mothers. They were New York City residents receiving public assistance in 1966 who had been interviewed by the National Opinion Research Center for a study on the use of health services. Their responses to five questions in the original interview were compared with official records-registration status in 1964, voting in the 1964 presidential election, receipt of money from welfare,
Interactions of Membrane Active Peptides with Planar Supported Bilayers: an Impedance Spectroscopy Study

Membrane active peptides exert their biological effects by interacting directly with a cell’s lipid bilayer membrane. These therapeutically promising peptides have demonstrated a variety of activities including antimicrobial, cytolytic, membrane translocating, and cell penetrating activities. Here, we use electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) on polymer-cushioned supported lipid bilayers constructed on single crystal silicon to study two pairs of closely related membrane active peptides selected from rationally designed, combinatorial libraries to have different activities in lipid bilayers: translocation, permeabilization, or no activity. Using EIS, we observed that binding of a membrane translocating peptide to the lipid bilayer resulted in a small decrease in membrane resistance followed by a recovery back to the original value. The recovery may be directly attributable to peptide translocation. A nontranslocating peptide did not decrease the resistance. The other pair, two membrane permeabilizi...
A quantitative analysis of "mechanistic probe" studies of reduction of alkyl iodides by lithium aluminum hydride supports a polar SN2 mechanism

Abstract The results of Ashby and Pham on the reduction of alkyl iodides with lithium aluminum hydride have been re-evaluated with the aid of new and known rate constants, and it is concluded that the iodides were reduced primarily by a polar SN2 pathway in competition with a slower reaction that initiates radical chains.
A mechanistic approach to damage in short-fiber composites based on micromechanical and continuum damage mechanics descriptions

A micro-macro mechanistic approach to matrix cracking in randomly oriented short-fiber composites is developed in this paper. At the micro-scale, the virgin and reduced elastic properties of the reference aligned fiber composite are determined using micromechanical models [Proc. Roy Soc. Lond. A241 (1957) 376; Acta Metall. 21 (1973) 571; Mech. Mater. 2 (1983) 123], and are then distributed over all possible orientations in order to compute the stiffness of the random fiber composite containing random matrix microcracks. After that the macroscopic response is obtained by means of a continuum damage mechanics formulation, which extends the thermodynamics based approach in [Comp. Sci. Technol. 46 (1993) 29] to randomly oriented short-fiber composites. Damage accumulations leading to initiation and propagation of a macroscopic crack are modeled using a vanishing element technique. The model is validated against the published experimental data and results [Comp. Sci. Technol 55 (1995) 171]. Finally, its practical application is illustrated through the damage analysis of a random glass/epoxy composite plate containing a central hole and under tensile loading.
Isolation of the sixth component of complement from human serum

Abstract Using DEAE and hydroxyapatite chromatography and Pevikon block electrophoresis the sixth component of complement (C6) was isolated from human serum. The protein was shown to be homogeneous on disc and immunoelectrophoresis. It constitutes a β2-globulin with a molecular weight of 95, 000. Dose response experiments showed proportionality between a – 1n (1 – y) and input of isolated C6. The number of molecules per cell required to achieve a – 1n (1 – y) value of unity was inversely proportional to the number of C4, 2, 3, 5-sites present on the assay cells. The final isolation product, although resembling physically and immunologically C6 in fresh serum, was less active than the latter. The possibility exists that a cofactor which enhances C6 hemolytic activity was removed during purification. Employing the described procedure, C6 was also isolated from rabbit and guinea pig serum.
Beginning Reading Instruction in Urban Schools: The Curriculum Gap Ensures a Continuing Achievement Gap

Addressing beginning reading instruction in urban schools, this article proposes that a curriculum gap exists in many K–3 classrooms that operate under the guidelines of the No Child Left Behind Act and Reading First. The authors make a case for the inclusion of systematic and sustained instruction in comprehension, content knowledge, and writing in the early grades as well as attention to the Reading First emphases on phonological awareness, decoding, word recognition, and reading fluency.
More than 500 consecutive laparoscopic donor nephrectomies without conversion or repeated surgery.

Hypothesis Concern exists as to the safety of laparoscopic donor nephrectomy (LDN) compared with open donor nephrectomy. Reported complications of LDN include emergent conversion to an open procedure, repeated surgery for postoperative bleeding, and even death. We hypothesize that LDNs can be performed safely, with a complication rate comparable with that of open donor nephrectomies. Design Case series and review of the literature. Setting Tertiary care university hospital. Patients Five hundred thirty kidney donors. Intervention An LDN performed without hand assistance, with the kidney extracted through a low transverse incision. Main Outcome Measures Mean operative time, requirement for transfusion, intraoperative complications, and postoperative complications. Results This series includes 84 right-sided donor nephrectomies, 86 donors with a body mass index greater than 30 (calculated as weight in kilograms divided by the square of height in meters), and 91 donors with complex vascular anatomy. Mean donor age was 40 years (range, 18-73 years), and mean ± SD operative time was 196 ± 43 minutes. The only conversion occurred early in the series, and there have been 525 subsequent cases without the need for conversion or repeated surgery. There were no donor deaths. Five donors (0.9%) required perioperative blood transfusions. Overall complication rate was 6.4%, including 14 minor wound infections, 2 bowel injuries, 1 case of prolonged ileus, 3 splenic injuries, 2 bladder infections, 1 bladder injury, 1 case of rhabdomyolysis, 1 case of pneumonia, and 2 thromboembolic events. Conclusion This series demonstrates that LDN can be performed at least as safely as open donor nephrectomy, with minimal bleeding and few postoperative complications.
Symblepharon in Sarcoidosis

A 38-year-old black man had developed sarcoidosis, confirmed by biopsy five years earlier. He then developed skin lesions and, at age 38, follicles and cicatrization of the upper and lower palpebral conjunctivae of both eyes. This patient had keratoconjunctivitis sicca, lacrimal gland enlargement, and cicatrization of the conjunctiva with symblepharon. Biopsies of the lacrimal gland, conjunctiva, skin, nasal polyps, and epididymis all showed sarcoidosis.
Two-way semi-automatic registration in augmented reality system

Augmented reality (AR) system is a virtual environment that overlays the computer generated graphics on real-world view. A typical AR system consists of optical motion tracking and capturing. The main problem in such a system is minimizing error of mapping the movements of the actor in real domain to the virtual model. To do that, the position of markers attached to the actor needs to be carefully selected and mapped to the virtual counterpart. This one-to-one mapping process is called registration. In this regard, virtual and real domains should be aligned correctly. Any minute error in registration of these two domains results in degrading of the realism e.g. wrongly registered objects floating through each other. Current registration method for optical motion capture systems requires time-consuming and tedious manual processing. To overcome this problem, we present two-way (virtual object to real domain and real domain to virtual object) semi-automatic registration method. With our method instead of priory determining positions of markers on the physical object, we determine markers' positions (extreme points found by our application) on the virtual object and then locate markers at the approximate positions on the real object. By tracking the markers in the following step, we get markers' positions in real domain and change virtual domain's markers' positions accordingly to reduce error. Results show that our system solves the registration problem and prevents unrealistic jittering and flickering effects due to misalignment.
Health spa development in the US: A burgeoning component of sport tourism:

Health spa tourism development in the US has shown rapid growth during the past two decades. Much of the development has been stimulated by a growing consumer interest for products that contribute ...
Covalent binding of the natural antimicrobial peptide indolicidin to DNA abasic sites

Indolicidin is a host defense tridecapeptide that inhibits the catalytic activity of HIV-1 integrase in vitro. Here we have elucidated its mechanism of integrase inhibition. Using crosslinking and mass spectrometric footprinting approaches, we found that indolicidin interferes with formation of the catalytic integrase-DNA complex by directly binding DNA. Further characterization revealed that the peptide forms covalent links with abasic sites. Indolicidin crosslinks single- or double-stranded DNAs and various positions of the viral cDNA with comparable efficiency. Using truncated and chemically modified peptides, we show that abasic site crosslinking is independent of the PWWP motif but involves the indolicidin unique lysine residue and the N- and C- terminal NH2 groups. Because indolicidin can also inhibit topoisomerase I, we believe that multiple actions at the level of DNA might be a common property of antimicrobial peptides.
Relations among teasing, body satisfaction, self-esteem, and depression in treatment-seeking obese African American adolescents

The objective of this study was to examine correlates of weight-based teasing, self-esteem, and depression among 119 treatment-seeking obese African American adolescents aged 11 to 18 years. Body s...
Dual-isotope motion correction technique for gated exercise scintigraphy.

In exercise multigated blood-pool imaging, significant degradation of image quality occurs as a result of patient movement under the gamma camera. Motion correction devices using centroid tracking of x-y events emanating from the organ of interest cannot be applied to blood-pool studies, because cardiac contraction and rotation masks the correctable patient motion component. We have developed a dual-isotope motion correction technique (DIMC) which utilizes a second point source of dissimilar energy (241Am) to monitor movement. Positional centroids from events incident in the 241Am window are used to develop correction coordinates which are applied to the 99mTc blood-pool events. The ability of DIMC to reduce blur due to motion has been evaluated qualitatively with phantoms and quantitatively by using spatial resolution measurements obtained from stationary line sources and from sources moving at varying rates. Based on these criteria, we have found the device to be capable of reducing over 90% of the image blur of objects moving at 5.1 cm per sec. In preliminary gated exercise studies, subjective perception of image quality was shown to be significantly improved in the DIMC corrected image, when compared to images obtained without DIMC. Improvement in image quality for exercise gated studies is of particularmore » importance because of the low count density obtained during these procedures.« less
Translocation Capture Sequencing: A Method for High Throughput Mapping of Chromosomal Rearrangements

Chromosomal translocations require formation and joining of DNA double strand breaks (DSBs). These events disrupt the integrity of the genome and are involved in producing leukemias, lymphomas and sarcomas. Translocations are frequent, clonal and recurrent in mature B cell lymphomas, which bear a particularly high DNA damage burden by virtue of activation-induced cytidine deaminase (AID) expression. Despite the ubiquity of genomic rearrangements, the forces that underlie their genesis are not well understood. Here, we provide a detailed description of a new method for studying these events, translocation capture sequencing (TC-Seq). TC-Seq provides the means to document chromosomal rearrangements genome-wide in primary cells, and to discover recombination hotspots. Demonstrating its effectiveness, we successfully estimate the frequency of c-myc/IgH translocations in primary B cells, and identify hotspots of AID-mediated recombination. Furthermore, TC-Seq can be adapted to generate genome-wide rearrangement maps in any cell type and under any condition.
Midnight regulations and the Cinderella effect

Recent studies have shown preliminary evidence of a tendency for outgoing administrations to generate a flurry of last-minute regulatory activity. This so-called Cinderella effect is described as resulting from the combination of an administration being in power yet, because it is out-going, not being subject to political ramifications from its actions. In this paper, we look at monthly regulatory activity over the past 30 years and compare the baseline growth in regulations (measured using the proxy of pages in the Federal Register) to the growth immediately following a Presidential election when the sitting President is re-elected, not re-elected, and when the party in control of the White House changes. We find significant evidence supporting the existence of a Cinderella effect.
MTMR3 risk allele enhances innate receptor-induced signaling and cytokines by decreasing autophagy and increasing caspase-1 activation

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is characterized by dysregulated host:microbial interactions and cytokine production. Host pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) are critical in regulating these interactions. Multiple genetic loci are associated with IBD, but altered functions for most, including in the rs713875 MTMR3/HORMAD2/LIF/OSM region, are unknown. We identified a previously undefined role for myotubularin-related protein 3 (MTMR3) in amplifying PRR-induced cytokine secretion in human macrophages and defined MTMR3-initiated mechanisms contributing to this amplification. MTMR3 decreased PRR-induced phosphatidylinositol 3-phosphate (PtdIns3P) and autophagy levels, thereby increasing PRR-induced caspase-1 activation, autocrine IL-1β secretion, NFκB signaling, and, ultimately, overall cytokine secretion. This MTMR3-mediated regulation required the N-terminal pleckstrin homology-GRAM domain and Cys413 within the phosphatase domain of MTMR3. In MTMR3-deficient macrophages, reducing the enhanced autophagy or restoring NFκB signaling rescued PRR-induced cytokines. Macrophages from rs713875 CC IBD risk carriers demonstrated increased MTMR3 expression and, in turn, decreased PRR-induced PtdIns3P and autophagy and increased PRR-induced caspase-1 activation, signaling, and cytokine secretion. Thus, the rs713875 IBD risk polymorphism increases MTMR3 expression, which modulates PRR-induced outcomes, ultimately leading to enhanced PRR-induced cytokines.
What Will We Do When Culture Does Not Exist Anymore

L'auteur, dans une analyse ethnologique pose la question de la disparition de la culture, ou plus precisement de l'hybridite d'un element qui a servi a theoriquement conceptualiser la diversite et pose les jalons de la recherche educationnelle qui, a l'avenir, devra composer avec de nouvelles donnees.
Pregnancy termination following prenatal diagnosis of anencephaly or spina bifida: A systematic review of the literature

Background In regions where prenatal screening for anencephaly and spina bifida is widespread, many cases of these defects are prenatally diagnosed. The purpose of this study was to estimate the frequency of termination of pregnancy (TOP) following prenatal diagnosis of anencephaly or spina bifida and to investigate factors associated with TOP that might lead to selection bias in epidemiologic studies.
Different Methods of Gathering Archaeological Information from the St. Croix Collections at the Yale Peabody Museum

ABSTRACT During the 1980s the artifacts from the St. Croix collections at the Peabody Museum of Natural History at Yale University were analyzed and compared with other St. Croix collections from four other major institutions and their typology established. A few years ago 50 ceramic samples from the Yale collections were chosen for instrumental neutron activation analysis, which to date is the most accurate and precise chemical technique available for ceramics. Finally, these collections have recently been researched in conjunction with a doctoral dissertation.
Diffusion in the System K2O-SrO-SiO2: IV, Mobility Model, Electrostatic Effects, and Multicomponent Diffusion*

Experimentally determined coefficients to describe multicomponent diffusion in the system K2O-SrO-SiO2 are compared with predictions of a simple model assuming ideal solution behavior. The agreement is satisfactory overall. On the basis of this model, it is suggested that the differences in mobilities of various ions cause deviations from the condition ΣZ4j4=0 (Z=valence, j=flux) of no space-charge buildup. Although these deviations are small, e.g. after diffusion for 1 s, (charge flux)/(ionic flux) ≤ 10−7, the electric field caused by this deviation from electrical neutrality influences the diffusion kinetics markedly.
Suicides and Firearm Control Laws

This article empirically examines the relationship between suicides and firearm control laws. Firearm license to purchase or waiting period to purchase laws were found to reduce a state's suicide rate of white males aged 20-64 by three suicides per 100, 000 population. Examination of the suicide rates in the six states designated by the National Rifle Association as having the most restrictive controls over firearm purchases and all other states found that the suicide rate was lower by approximately three suicides per 100,000 population in these six states. Using an index to measure the overall degree of firearm control within a state, the empirical results showed that the difference in the number of suicides between the states with the greatest and smallest amount of control was 4 per 100,000 population.
Microstructural Characterization of a Cf/ZrC Composite Manufactured by Reactive Melt Infiltration

The microstructure of a carbon fiber-reinforced ZrC matrix composite, Cf/ZrC, manufactured by reactive melt infiltration (RMI) was characterized by optical microscopy, X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, electron backscattering diffraction (EBSD), and transmission electron microscopy. Characterization results revealed a heterogeneous microstructure typical of composites processed by RMI. The major features that were observed include ZrC single crystals in the matrix, Zr–ZrC eutectic phase, and the fiber/matrix interface. The hardness and modulus of ZrC single crystals and the eutectic phase were determined through micro- and nanoindentation. EBSD studies proved that ZrC matrix grains distribute randomly. Fiber bundle areas were examined and revealed poor intrabundle infiltration. Closer inspection of the ZrC crystals revealed the presence of never-before reported inclusions. Analysis of the inclusions revealed their phase composition and a microstructural formation mechanism outlines their development during processing. The phase composition was proved to be nanosized α-Zr with round or needle-like shape. There are two plausible mechanisms for the formation of the inclusion. One is the trapping mechanism that some liquid zirconium from grain boundaries of ZrC grains may become trapped inside ZrC particles during their coalescence growth. The other is precipitation mechanism that α-Zr may precipitate inside some ZrC grains during formation of Zr–ZrC eutectic phase or ZrC grains with deficient carbon under cooling.
Managing Foreign Policy and National Security Challenges in Presidential Transitions

Presidential transitions are replete with dangers and missteps that bedevil even the most experienced practitioners, but they are also times of opportunity. These ten recommendations can help the candidates, even before either is president-elect, to traverse this course.
Assessment of Stimulus Overselectivity with Tactile Compound Stimuli in Children with Autism

Autistic and typical children mastered a simultaneous discrimination task with three sets of all-tactile compound stimuli. During training, responding to one stimulus (S+) resulted in rewards whereas responding to the alternative (S-) was extinguished. Test 1 was conducted with recombinations of S+ and S- elements. In Test 2, the test stimulus to which the child responded most in Test 1 was pitched against the training S+. In Test 1, all children responded exclusively to one test probe, spuriously implying stimulus overselectivity in both populations. However, in Test 2, the typical children responded mostly to the training S+ indicating control by both S+ elements; the autistic children responded to both stimuli indicating reduced control by the second S+ element (indicating overselectivity).
Interaction of Bacillus subtilis Polynucleotide Phosphorylase and RNase Y STRUCTURAL MAPPING AND EFFECT ON mRNA TURNOVER

Polynucleotide phosphorylase (PNPase), a 3′-to-5′ phosphorolytic exoribonuclease, is thought to be the primary enzyme responsible for turnover of Bacillus subtilis mRNA. The role of PNPase in B. subtilis mRNA decay has been analyzed previously by comparison of mRNA profiles in a wild-type strain versus a strain that is deleted for pnpA, the gene encoding PNPase. Recent studies have provided evidence for a degradosome-like complex in B. subtilis that is built around the major decay-initiating endonuclease, RNase Y, and there is ample evidence for a strong interaction between PNPase and RNase Y. The role of the PNPase-RNase Y interaction in the exonucleolytic function of PNPase needs to be clarified. We sought to construct a B. subtilis strain containing a catalytically active PNPase that could not interact with RNase Y. Mapping studies of the PNPase-RNase Y interaction were guided by a homology model of B. subtilis PNPase based on the known structure of the Escherichia coli PNPase in complex with an RNase E peptide. Mutations in B. subtilis residues predicted to be involved in RNase Y binding showed a loss of PNPase-RNase Y interaction. Two mRNAs whose decay is dependent on RNase Y and PNPase were examined in strains containing full-length PNPase that was either catalytically active but unable to interact with RNase Y, or catalytically inactive but able to interact with RNase Y. At least for these two mRNAs, disruption of the PNPase-RNase Y interaction did not appear to affect mRNA turnover.
The Untold History of Ramen: How Political Crisis in Japan Spawned a Global Food Craze

Ramen has become a cultural icon in Japanese cuisine. Whether it is prepared in a cup with the simple addition of boiling water or at a gourmet restaurant with a broth made from pork bones, people ...
A simple way of administering oxygen to the pediatric patient with upper airway obstruction.

An open-top oxygen tent has been developed for supplying humidified oxygen to the pediatric patient while allowing easy access to the child's head, neck, and upper thoracic region with limited impa...
Performance Spaces in Thomas Chaundler’s Liber apologeticus

The manuscript of Thomas Chaundler’s Latin play Liber apologeticus de omni statu humanae naturae [ Apology in defense of human nature in every state ] with fifteen semi-grisaille illustrations, held at Cambridge University, Trinity College Library, was presented between 1457 and 1461 to Thomas Bekynton, bishop of Bath and Wells. As a presentation gift, the manuscript not only guides a contemplative reader in visualizing or recalling the scenes but also suggests places where the play might have been performed: 1) the ante-chapel at New College; 2) a room in the interior of the bishop’s palace at Wells; and 3) an area outside, with a view of the latter.
Models for student organizations in multicampus schools of pharmacy.

Student organizations are vital to any educational institution and provide opportunities to learn outside the classroom. It has been demonstrated that membership in these organizations can improve academic performance at the undergraduate level.[1][1] Within the field of pharmacy, student
Rapid, Selective, Label-Free Aptameric Capture and Detection of Ricin in Potable Liquids Using a Printed Floating Gate Transistor

We report a label-free method to quantify protein levels using a combination of printed electronic and microfluidic technologies. The protein, in this case, ricin, is captured by a floating electrode functionalized with a DNA aptamer. The binding is transduced into an amplified potentiometric signal by a printed, electrolyte-gated transistor (EGT). Microfluidic channels physically separate the active sensor surface from the EGT-transducer, permitting the capture of ricin down to 30 pM (1 ng/mL) in buffer and 300 pM (10 ng/mL) in orange juice and milk in the absence of preconcentration. The assay is flow-based, leading to measurement in minutes since no preprocessing, enzymatic reaction, or rinsing steps are needed. Its easy fabrication, multiplexability, simple operation, and facile analysis, combined with rapid quantitation at clinically relevant levels, make this strategy a promising approach to parallelized monitoring of toxin levels in food and other environmental samples.
Postoperative Foot and Ankle MR Imaging

MR imaging has an important role in the evaluation of the postoperative foot and ankle. In this article, a variety of operative techniques and postoperative findings in the foot and ankle are described, including tendon and ligament reconstruction, as well as the treatment of tarsal coalition and Morton neuroma. The role of MR imaging in the assessment of complications of foot and ankle surgery is also detailed.
A New Vaccine Paradigm To Break Tolerance with Potential Applications for the Immunotherapy of B Cell Lymphoma.

Complement (C) plays a critical role in the immune response by opsonizing immune complexes (IC) and thymus-independent type 2 antigens with C3 breakdown product C3dg. We investigated the in vivo fate and handling in mice of anti-CR1/CR2 mAb 7G6. We used this rat IgG mAb as a surrogate for C3dg-opsonized IC; mAb 7G6 binds to CR1/CR2 with high affinity, blocks C3dg binding and saturates mouse B cell CR2 at inputs of only 2 ug. RIA, flow cytometry, and fluorescence immunohistochemistry were used to examine the disposition of 0.5–2 ug quantities of mAb 7G6 infused i.v. in mice. The mAb binds to circulating B cells and in the spleen binds preferentially to marginal zone (MZ) B cells. However, within 24 h MZ B cells relocate and transfer the mAb to regions rich in follicular dendritic cells (FDC). Localization of intact antigen to FDC should induce a substantial immune response, and therefore we immunized mice and monkeys i.v. with low doses (1–20 ug/kg) of prototype antigens constructed with anti-CR1/2 mAb 7G6 or anti-CR2 mAb HB135, respectively. We observed a strong immune response characterized by early development of IgG antibodies and long-lasting immunity extending out to at least one year. We applied our immunization paradigm to mouse IgG idiotypes, based on i.v. infusion of mouse IgG2a mAbs which were cross-linked with mAb 7G6. The purpose of these experiments was to determine if tolerance can be broken in order to develop a more powerful vaccine strategy to induce a cytotoxic humoral immune response to malignant B cells based on targeting the idiotype of immunoglobulin molecules expressed on their surfaces. I.V. immunization with the constructs indeed generated a mouse IgG1 immune response to two different mouse IgG2a mAbs, as demonstrated by ELISA. The immune response was idiotype specific, but some anti-isotype antibodies were also detected. Moreover, sera from immunized mice immunoprecipitated the specific radiolabeled mouse mAbs in the presence of 7.5% polyethylene glycol. This humoral immune response was also demonstrable in flow cytometry assays in which IgG1 in sera of immunized mice bound to erythrocytes opsonized with bispecific mAb constructs consisting of the IgG2a mAb crosslinked with an anti-CR1 mAb. The present approach, based on coupling the targeted immunoglobulin to an anti-CR2 mAb for delivery to FDC, may lead to a more effective immunotherapeutic vaccine compared to methods currently in clinical trials which require use of glutaraldehyde to effect crosslinking of the targeted immunoglobulin to KLH.
The Economics of Power, Knowledge, and Time

(2003). The Economics of Power, Knowledge, and Time. Journal of Economic Issues: Vol. 37, No. 4, pp. 1188-1190.
Mechanics of Cadherin Unbinding using Coarse-Grained Models

Cell-cell adhesion is mediated by calcium-dependent proteins called cadherins, which are important in neuronal connectivity and tissue integrity. Cadherins are modular proteins with large extracellular domains that have typically been modeled using all-atom molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. However, these simulations are computationally expensive and most of them only include small fragments of these cadherin extracellular domains. To overcome these limitations, we used a coarse-grained (CG) model with the MARTINI force field to study large cadherin complexes over long time scales. All-atom MD simulations were used to find optimal parameters for an elastic network model that stabilized the protein secondary structure. The CG model allowed for a 5x increase in timestep and a 10-fold reduction of system sizes. Using this model we studied the dynamics and elastic response of classical cadherins and clustered protocadherins. In these simulations, the extracellular domains of classical cadherins straightened before unbinding, while protocadherins slipped past each other during unbinding. Overall, our results confirm that our model is an effective simulation tool for studying of the mechanics of cadherin complexes.