cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Predicting the likelihood of residual disease in women treated for ductal carcinoma in situ

Abstract Background: To identify women at risk for residual disease after excision of ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS), we assessed the relationship between characteristics of the initial biopsy and the presence of residual DCIS at a subsequent operation. Study Design: We identified 134 consecutive "paired" operations from 112 women who had undergone 2 or more operations for DCIS between February 1995 and December 1996. Cancer status of the margins, patient age and leading presentation, tumor subtype and grade, and the presence of multifocal-extensive disease were assessed as potential predictors. Results: Residual DCIS was found in 60 patients (45%): in 2 of 12 patients (17%) with negative margins, in 11 of 36 (31%) with close margins ( Conclusions: Positive or unknown biopsy margins, a clinical presentation, multifocal-extensive cancer, and the comedo subtype are associated with higher risk of residual DCIS.
Neuronal‐glial interactions: Complexity of neurite outgrowth correlates with substrated adhesivity of serotonergic neurons

To study the interactions between neurons of known transmitter phenotype and non-neuronal cells of glial or fibroblastic origin, serotonergic (5-HT) neurons were tested for their strength of adhesion and neurite outgrowth patterns on substrates of astrocytes or fibroblasts using a cell adhesion assay for transmitter-identified neurons, and morphometry of immunocytochemically stained neurons in dissociated cell cultures. Both the strength of adhesion and the rate and complexity of neurite outgrowth by 5-HT neurons were significantly greater on substrates of astrocytes compared to fibroblasts. These results provide evidence that 5-HT neurons can interact selectively with glia via cell surface determinants, and that this process may be important for the development of complex (dendrite-like) neuritic arbors. The methods developed in this study will be useful for future studies of interactions between transmitter-identified neurons and glial cells during ontogeny of the embryonic brain.
Mohs micrographic surgery: a technique for total margin assessment in veterinary cutaneous oncologic surgery

Mohs micrographic surgery (MMS) is the gold standard for the excision of locally invasive cutaneous malignancies in human dermatological surgery. Using a unique horizontal sectioning technique, MMS enables 100% surgical margin assessment and provides the lowest recurrence rates for locally invasive tumours. The purposes of this preliminary study were to explore the feasibility of application of MMS in the veterinary setting and to establish practical advantages and limitations of its use in a pilot programme. It was hypothesized that MMS technique could provide 100% tumour margin assessment using frozen and/or formalin-fixed horizontal histopathologic sections. Tumour excision and colour-coded mapping were performed, and specimen tissue was fixed using either frozen sections or formalin-fixed sections. Horizontal sections were assessed for quality and presence and location of neoplastic cells based on the mapped orientation. The MMS technique was used in the excision of six squamous cell carcinomas and five mast cell tumours. In all cases, the MMS permitted 100% tumour margins examination.
Strong Field Interactions between a Nanomagnet and a Photonic Cavity

We analyze the interaction of a nanomagnet (ferromagnetic) with a single photonic mode of a cavity in a fully quantum-mechanical treatment and find that exceptionally large quantum-coherent magnet-photon coupling can be achieved. Coupling terms in excess of several THz are predicted to be achievable in a spherical cavity of approximately 1 mm radius with a nanomagnet of approximately 100 nm radius and ferromagnetic resonance frequency of approximately 200 GHz. Eigenstates of the magnet-photon system correspond to entangled states of spin orientation and photon number, in which over 10{5} values of each quantum number are represented; conversely, initial (coherent) states of definite spin and photon number evolve dynamically to produce large oscillations in the microwave power (and nanomagnet spin orientation), and are characterized by exceptionally long dephasing times.
Sprouty2 in the Dorsal Hippocampus Regulates Neurogenesis and Stress Responsiveness in Rats

Both the development and relief of stress-related psychiatric conditions such as major depression (MD) and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) have been linked to neuroplastic changes in the brain. One such change involves the birth of new neurons (neurogenesis), which occurs throughout adulthood within discrete areas of the mammalian brain, including the dorsal hippocampus (HIP). Stress can trigger MD and PTSD in humans, and there is considerable evidence that it can decrease HIP neurogenesis in laboratory animals. In contrast, antidepressant treatments increase HIP neurogenesis, and their efficacy is eliminated by ablation of this process. These findings have led to the working hypothesis that HIP neurogenesis serves as a biomarker of neuroplasticity and stress resistance. Here we report that local alterations in the expression of Sprouty2 (SPRY2), an intracellular inhibitor of growth factor function, produces profound effects on both HIP neurogenesis and behaviors that reflect sensitivity to stressors. Viral vector-mediated disruption of endogenous Sprouty2 function (via a dominant negative construct) within the dorsal HIP of adult rats stimulates neurogenesis and produces signs of stress resilience including enhanced extinction of conditioned fear. Conversely, viral vector-mediated elevation of SPRY2 expression intensifies the behavioral consequences of stress. Studies of these manipulations in HIP primary cultures indicate that SPRY2 negatively regulates fibroblast growth factor-2 (FGF2), which has been previously shown to produce antidepressant- and anxiolytic-like effects via actions in the HIP. Our findings strengthen the relationship between HIP plasticity and stress responsiveness, and identify a specific intracellular pathway that could be targeted to study and treat stress-related disorders.
Crohn's disease: presentation and severity compared between black patients and white patients.

Common belief based on clinical experience suggests that Crohn’s disease is more severe among black patients, although little data exists on the effect of race on Crohn’s disease. We compared multiple variables among black patients with Crohn’s disease requiring surgery to those of white patients presenting to a university colorectal surgery unit during a five-year period. A total of 345 patients required surgery for Crohn’s disease between June 1998 and September 2003. The following data were abstracted from patient charts and a prospectively maintained database: age at diagnosis; age at first Crohn’s disease surgery; presenting symptoms; incidence, number and location of fistulas at presentation; number of Crohn’s disease operations; and family history of inflammatory bowel disease. Data regarding medical insurance coverage also were obtained. Complete data were evaluable on 178 patients. Patient variables were analyzed using the chi-squared, Fisher exact, and Student t-tests. Mean age at diagnosis was 28 years for white males, 20 years for black males, 30 years for white females, and 28 years for black females (all p > 0.05). Thirty-seven percent of white females presented with obstructive symptoms vs. 12 percent of black females. (P = 0.011). Sixty-five percent of black females presented with inflammatory symptoms compared with 28 percent of white females (P = 0.001). Of females presenting with fistulas, 15 percent of black patients had a rectovaginal fistula compared with 5 percent of white patients. Seventeen percent of black males and 21 percent of white males had intra-abdominal fistulas. None of these differences were statistically significant. The incidence of fistulas at presentation, mean number of fistulas, total number of operations, and family history of inflammatory bowel disease did not differ. Contrary to expectations, Crohn’s disease does not seem to be more severe among black patients, who had an earlier age of diagnosis, although this was not statistically significant. Overall, there was no difference in disease presentation. White females were more likely to present with obstructive symptoms compared with black females, who more often presented with inflammatory symptoms. Among patients with fistulas, the incidence of rectovaginal fistulas was higher in black females compared with white females, and white males were somewhat more likely to have intra-abdominal fistulas than black males. Although there was no demonstrated difference in incidence and mean number of fistulas at presentation, the number of operations for Crohn’s disease, or family history of inflammatory bowel disease among blacks and whites, there are differences in presenting symptoms among these populations.
Different Data, Different General Circulations A Comparison of Selected Fields in NCEP/DOE AMIP-II and ECMWF ERA-40 Reanalyses

Abstract Reanalysis datasets have been very popular for understanding the general circulation as well as verifying general circulation models. The most recent versions of global reanalysis datasets prepared by ECMWF (“ERA-40”) and NCEP (“NDRa2”) are examined in this article. The NDRa2 data are regridded to the resolution (2.5° × 2.5° longitude and latitude) of the ERA-40 public data. Primary variables that both relate to the atmosphere's general circulation and are readily available are compared and contrasted. Significant differences are found in the primary circulation variables and energetics. The zonal mean Hadley cells are stronger in ERA-40, but differences in temperature and moisture make the poleward heat transport by the cells more similar in the two datasets. The subtropical and polar night jet streams are stronger in ERA-40 data as is kinetic energy. The surface energy budgets differ in that ERA-40 data have greater sensible heat flux into the air, while NDRa2 data have greater latent heat flux. The result is NDRa2 has more moisture in the subtropics; ERA-40 data have more moisture in the tropics. Geographically, the two datasets have notable differences in their treatment of the intertropical convergence zone (ICZ). The ICZ over the Atlantic and eastern Pacific is narrower and stronger in ERA-40 data. The ICZ over the western Pacific and Indian oceans is generally stronger in NDRa2 data, one consequence is a stronger tropical easterly jet in NDRa2 data over the Indian Ocean in JJA. Both datasets have a double ICZ in the western half of the Pacific in DJF; in JJA ERA-40 retains that double ICZ but NDRa2 largely does not. Beyond the handling of the ICZ, the datasets differ in tropical zonal mean zonal wind, ERA-40 data in DJF has zonal mean upper troposphere tropical westerlies where NDRa2 data have easterlies; this difference may imply a different amount of interhemispheric communication. The datasets also have strong disagreements in regions of large-scale higher topography.
RS 15.039 remis sur pied

A new epigraphic examination of RS 15.039 has led to reversing the obverse-reverse orientation of the tablet as previously read. The new orientation gives a simple progression from distributions of wine to distributions of a second liquid commodity currently unidentifiable. The philological analysis has led to the conclusion that the recipients of these two commodities do not belong exclusively to the religious sphere.
Sodium-independent lysine uptake by the BeWo choriocarcinoma cell line

Abstract Transport of L-lysine by a cultured placental trophoblast cell line was investigated by characterization of L-[ 3 H]lysine uptake. In the mononuclear form of the BeWo clone b30 choriocarcinoma cell, at least two sodium-independent systems are present. Concentration dependence data were fitted by a two system model with K m values ( ± s.e.) of 2 ± 0.7 and 94 ± 31 μ m and V max values ( ± s.e.) of 0.7 ± 0.3 and 25 ± 6.0 n m /mg DNA/min. A portion of sodium-independent uptake was inhibited by the sulphydryl modifying reagent N-ethylmaleimide (NEM). Following NEM treatment, the data were fitted by a single system with K m =10±2 μ m and V max =5.1 ± 0.8 n m / mg DNA/min. In the absence of sodium, NEM-resistant uptake was sensitively inhibited by leucine whereas NEM-sensitive uptake was not inhibited by leucine. It is concluded that like placental basal membrane, the mononuclear BeWo cell possesses two sodium-independent L-lysine transport systems. The high-capacity, NEM-sensitive, leucine-insensitive system resembles the widespread system y+. The high-affinity, NEM-resistant, leucine-sensitive system resembles system b 0,+ .
Microbiological Quality and Safety Issues in Cheesemaking

As the manufacture of cheese relies in part on the select outgrowth of microorganisms, such conditions can also allow for the multiplication of unwanted contaminants. Milk ultimately becomes contaminated with microorganisms originating from infection, the farm environment, and feedstuffs, as well as milking and processing equipment. Thus, poor sanitation, improper milk handling, and animal health issues can result in not only decreased yield and poor quality but also sporadic cases and outbreaks of dairy-related disease. The entry, establishment, and persistence of food-borne pathogens in dairy processing environments also present a considerable risk to products postprocessing. Food safety management systems coupled with regulatory policies and microbiological standards for milk and milk products currently implemented in various nations work to reduce risk while improving the quality and safety of cheese and other dairy products. With that, cheese has enjoyed an excellent food safety record with relatively few outbreaks of food-borne disease considering the amount of cheese produced and consumed worldwide. However, as cheese production and consumption continue to grow, we must remain vigilant in ensuring the continued production of safe, high-quality cheese.
NiSoft CEO Doug Deardorf

The successful selling of IT solutions requires a thoughtful blending of the art and sciences of both business and technology. Get it right, mix in a lot of hard work and relationship building, and an IT professional can climb the sales ladder into the C-suite like NiSoft CEO Doug Deardorf has done. The author interviews NiSoft CEO Doug Deardorf.
Differential phosphodiesterase activity contributes to restrictive endothelial barrier function during angiogenesis.

Angiogenic endothelial hyperpermeability is abruptly diminished between days 4.5 and 5.0 of the 18-day lifespan of the chick chorioallantoic membrane. Here, we evaluated phosphodiesterase (PDE) activity during the differentiation of barrier function. At day 4.5, rolipram-mediated inhibition of cAMP-specific PDE IV reduced FITC-dextran extravasation. Moreover, inhibition of PDE III by HL 725, but not PDE I by 8-IBMX, decreased the temporal angiogenic endothelial hyperpermeability. Reduced FITC-dextran was also observed at day 4.5 after application of KT 5823, a selective inhibitor of cGMP-specific protein kinase G (PKG), LY 83583, an inhibitor of soluble guanylate cyclase, or LNMMA, an inhibitor of nitric oxide synthase. At day 5.0, Rp-cAMPS-mediated inhibition of cAMP-specific protein kinase A (PKA) diminished barrier function and interstitial accumulation of FITC-dextran was increased. In all cases, the mean widths of interendothelial separation remained uniform. Together, the results support the concept that differentiation of restrictive angiogenic endothelial barrier function in vivo includes inactivation of PDE III and PDE IV with consequent up-regulation of cAMP/PKA signaling and down-regulation of the cGMP/PKG pathway.
Vaccination of hamsters against experimental infection with Borrelia burgdorferi

Vaccination of Syrian hamsters with a single dose of 50 μg to 100 μg dry weight of a whole cell preparation of Borrelia burgdorferi provided 75% to 86% protection against infection.
James Bryan Herrick

Physician par excellence, scientist and humanist, James Bryan Herrick (Fig. 1 ) was born in Oak Park, Illinois, on August 1 1, 1861, the son of Origen White Herrick and Dora E. Kettlestrings. His mother’s father, an immigrant from England, had arrived in that area in acovered wagon and settled on a homestead which was later to be the site of the village known as Oak Park. The subsequent birth of Herrick’s mother in Oak Park gave her the distinction of being the oldest native daughter of that village.’ Herrick’s early education was confined to the local Oak Park High School and the Rock River Seminary at Mount Morris, Illinois. He then earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in 1882 from the University of Michigan, which imbued him with a firm background in the humanities. Apparently, Herrick had a penchant for literature even as a youngster, an interest that was nurtured during his stay at Michigan by Moises Coit Tyler, a professor of English literature. Above all, Tyler instilled in young Hemck an enduring fascination with Chaucer. Hemck was to reveal the extent of this fascination in an article he wrote on Chaucer more than five decades later, the article being the published version of an after-dinner speech that he had given at an annual meeting of the Association of American Physicians.2 It was quite evident from this long discourse that Henick had read everything that Chaucer ever wrote. This
Incorporating Object Relationship Notation (ORN) into SQL: revisited

Diagrams widely used to model databases capture important semantics about the associations between objects. Additional association semantics can be captured when these diagrams are extended with Object Relationship Notation (ORN). Yet, the association semantics so easily expressed in database models are difficult to translate into SQL. This problem has existed for many years and was first addressed by this author in a paper written almost ten years ago. Since then, modeling diagrams, SQL, and ORN have evolved, but the problem remains. To solve it, we show here how enhanced association semantics modeled in a now standardardized diagram, the UML class diagram, can be easily mapped into the most recent standardized version of SQL, provided both are extended with the updated version of ORN.
The absence of satellites of asteroids

Abstract A CCD-imaging survey was made for satellites of minor planets at distances of about 0.1 to 7 arcmin from 1 Ceres, 2 Pallas, 4 Vesta, 6 Hebe, 7 Iris, 8 Flora, 15 Eunomia, 29 Amphitrite, 41 Daphne, and 44 Nysa, with cursory inspection of 192 Nausikaa. Satellites larger than 3 km were not found in this work, nor in previous photographic surveys. Not finding them appears to be consistent with theoretical studies of collisions in the asteroid belt by several authors. The satellites would have to be larger than at least 30 km to be collisionally stable. Tidal effects would lead to synchronous rotation and therefore long periods of rotation (several days), which are not generally observed. Taking tidal stability into account, we conclude that the only possible satellites for main-belt asteroids, with stability over eons, are near-contact binaries. The only other rare possibility for a satellite might be a piece of debris from a recent collision, and it would now be chaotic and collisionally unstable.
Microwave, infrared, and Raman spectra, r0 structural parameters, conformational stability, and vibrational assignment of ethynylcyclohexane

Abstract The FT-microwave spectrum of ethynylcyclohexane, c-C 6 H 11 CCH has been investigated from 11,000 to 21,000 MHz and 32 transitions for the chair-equatorial conformer and 22 transitions for the chair-axial form have been observed and assigned from which the rotational constants and five centrifugal distortion constants have been obtained. By utilizing the six microwave rotational constants along with ab initio MP2(full)/6-311 + G(d,p) predicted structural values, adjusted r 0 parameters have been obtained for the two conformers. The determined heavy atom structural parameters for the equatorial[axial] conformer are: the distances (A) C 1 C 9,10 = 1.532(3)[1.537(3)], C 9,10 C 15,16 = 1.544(3)[1.534(3)], C 4 C 15,16 = 1.541(3)[1.545(3)], C 6 C 7 = 1.210(3)[1.212(3)] and angles in degrees: ∠C 1 C 9,10 C 15,16 = 111.0(5)[111.2(5)], ∠C 6 C 4 C 15,16 = 110.7(5)[110.3(5)] and τ C 1 C 9,10 C 15,16 C 4 = 56.4(10)[55.3(10)]. Variable temperature (−60 to −100 °C) studies of a xenon solution were carried out and by using 10 conformer pairs an enthalpy difference of 124 ± 13 cm −1 (1.48 ± 0.16 kJ/mol) was obtained with the more stable form the chair-equatorial conformer. At ambient temperature, the abundance of the chair-equatorial conformer is 55 ± 3%. By measuring the temperature dependency of the Raman spectrum of the liquid of the conformer pair at 822 (axial)/842 (equatorial) cm −1 , a standard enthalpy difference of 172 ± 32 cm −1 (2.06 ± 0.38 kJ/mol) was obtained again with the chair-equatorial conformer the more stable form. From MP2(full)/6-311 + G(d,p) ab initio calculations the chair-axial conformer is predicted to be more stable by 135 cm −1 (1.62 kJ/mol) whereas in contrast the density functional theory calculations by the B3LYP method with the same basis set gives the chair-equatorial conformer more stable by 289 cm −1 (3.46 kJ/mol). A complete vibrational assignment is given for the chair-equatorial conformer and most of the fundamentals for the chair-axial form have been assigned. To support the vibrational assignments, normal coordinate calculations with two scaling factors for the force constants from MP2(full)/6-31G(d) calculations were carried out to predict the fundamental vibrational frequencies, infrared intensities, Raman activities, depolarization values and infrared band contours. The results of these spectroscopic and theoretical studies are discussed and compared to the corresponding results for some similar molecules.
Novel POLG splice site mutation and optic atrophy.

Objective To investigate the molecular etiology of 2 unrelated patients with a multisystem mitochondrial disorder accompanied by optic atrophy in one of them. Design Clinical examination and neurophysiological, radiological, morphological, and molecular analyses. Setting Tertiary care neuromuscular clinic and molecular genetics laboratory. Patients A 65-year-old man (patient 1) with dyschromatopsia and vision loss since childhood developed progressive external ophthalmoplegia, ptosis, and myopathy in the seventh decade of life and was found to have optic atrophy. A 63-year-old man (patient 2) with a similar phenotype, without visual symptoms, experienced also hearing loss and parkinsonism. Main Outcome Measures Description of the clinical and molecular findings. Results A muscle biopsy specimen showed ragged-red, ragged-blue, and cytochrome c oxidase–negative fibers in both patients. Because optic atrophy in patient 1 suggested an autosomal dominant OPA1 -related disorder, the OPA1 gene was first sequenced, the results of which did not detect any mutations. Southern blot and polymerase chain reaction analyses of muscle mitochondrial DNA revealed multiple deletions. Sequencing of POLG detected a novel variant, c.3104 + 3A>T, in both patients. Patient 1 was compound heterozygous for a known p.F749S mutation; patient 2 had p.G848S as the second mutation. Analysis of POLG complementary DNA showed that c.3104 + 3A>T results in skipping of exon 18. Conclusion Early-onset dyschromatopsia and optic atrophy can occur not only in OPA1 -related but also in POLG -related disorders with significant impact on genetic counseling.
Scattering phase functions of horizontally oriented hexagonal ice crystals

Finite-difference time domain (FDTD) solutions are first compared with the corresponding T-matrix results for light scattering by circular cylinders with specific orientations. The FDTD method is then utilized to study the scattering properties of horizontally oriented hexagonal ice plates at two wavelengths, 0.55 and 12 μm. The phase functions of horizontally oriented ice plates deviate substantially from their counterparts obtained for randomly oriented particles. Furthermore, we compute the phase functions of horizontally oriented ice crystal columns by using the FDTD method along with two schemes for averaging over the particle orientations. It is shown that the phase functions of hexagonal ice columns with horizontal orientations are not sensitive to the rotation about the principal axes of the particles. Moreover, hexagonal ice crystals and circular cylindrical ice particles have similar optical properties, particularly, at a strongly absorbing wavelength, if the two particle geometries have the same length and aspect ratio defined as the ratio of the radius or semi-width of the cross section of a particle to its length. The phase functions for the two particle geometries are slightly different in the case of weakly absorbing plates with large aspect ratios. However, the solutions for circular cylinders agree well with their counterparts for hexagonal columns.
Transfer and retroaction under conditions of changed organization

Abstract If the process of learning a response sequence is one of organizing the sequence into chunks, then two responses should be identical only if their organizations are the same. For example, if SBJFQLZ was chunked as SB JFQ LZ during original learning and SBJ FQLZ during interpolated learning, the two responses should he different from the Ss' point of view. Therefore, negative transfer and retroactive inhibition should be obtained. The Ss learned three sequences of seven letters as paired-associate responses during both original and interpolated learning. The experiment was a 2 × 2 factorial with the two dimensions being same vs different letter sequences on original and interpolated learning, and same vs different grouping on original and interpolated learning. When Ss changed organization from original to interpolated learning, negative transfer and retroactive inhibition were obtained.
Regulation of malignant progression by the hypoxia-sensitive transcription factors HIF-1α and MTF-1

Solid tumors are known to develop microenvironmental hypoxia or anoxia due to malfunction and malformation of blood vessels and the energy demands of the highly proliferative tumor cells. Oxygen deprivation can cause aberrant modifications of signaling pathways and their downstream transcription factors that are believed to contribute to malignancy. Here, we review the latest studies related to the involvement of hypoxia-inducible transcription factor-1α (HIF-1α), the first known mammalian intracellular hypoxia sensor, in tumor development. We propose that a second far less studied protein, metal transcription factor-1 (MTF-1), acts as a more general oxygen sensor, responding to both hypoxia and oxidative stress, and is also intimately involved in malignant progression. Existing evidence suggests that activation of these two ubiquitous proteins, by hypoxia and genetic modifications, modulate the expression patterns of a number of important proteins involved in tumorigenesis.
“Angel” financing and public policy: An overview

Abstract Within the past few years, public efforts have sought to encourage individual, or “angel”, investors. This article provides an overview of the motivations for these efforts. It assesses the underlying challenges that the financing of young growth firms pose, the ways that specialized financial intermediaries address them, and the rationales for public efforts to encourage angel investors. The final section raises a set of questions about the practical implementation of these efforts.
Detecting forest structure and biomass with C-band multipolarization radar - Physical model and field tests

The ability of C-band radar (4.75 GHz) to discriminate features of forest structure, including biomass, is tested using a truck-mounted scatterometer for field tests on a 1.5-3.0 m pygmy forest of cypress (Cupressus pygmaea) and pine (Pinus contorta ssp, Bolanderi) near Mendocino, CA. In all, 31 structural variables of the forest are quantified at seven sites. Also measured was the backscatter from a life-sized physical model of the pygmy forest, composed of nine wooden trees with 'leafy branches' of sponge-wrapped dowels. This model enabled independent testing of the effects of stem, branch, and leafy branch biomass, branch angle, and moisture content on radar backscatter. Field results suggested that surface area of leaves played a greater role in leaf scattering properties than leaf biomass per se. Tree leaf area index was strongly correlated with vertically polarized power backscatter (r = 0.94; P less than 0.01). Field results suggested that the scattering role of leaf water is enhanced as leaf surface area per unit leaf mass increases; i.e., as the moist scattering surfaces become more dispersed. Fog condensate caused a measurable rise in forest backscatter, both from surface and internal rises in water content. Tree branch mass per unit area was highly correlated with cross-polarized backscatter in the field (r = 0.93; P less than 0.01), a result also seen in the physical model.
Sylvian fissure arteriovenous malformations: an application of the Sugita classification to 28 surgical patients.

Objective The Sugita classification for sylvian fissure arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) categorizes them into four types based on nidus location in the fissure: pure, lateral, medial, and deep. This classification scheme is simple and appealing, but is rarely applied. We applied the Sugita classification to a consecutive, single-surgeon experience with 28 patients to better characterize the Sugita subtypes. Methods Twenty-eight patients with sylvian fissure AVMs were identified from a series of 314 AVM patients treated microsurgically over a 9-year period. According to the Sugita classification, six (21%) AVMs were pure, four (14%) were lateral, nine (32%) were medial, and nine (32%) were deep. Fifteen (54%) patients presented with hemorrhage. Results There was no surgical mortality in this experience. Four (14%) patients had transient deterioration and one (3.6%) patient with a pure sylvian AVM was permanently worse. At late follow-up (mean duration, 20 mo), good outcomes (Modified Rankin Scale scores 0-2) were observed in 25 (89%) patients. Conclusion The Sugita classification does not modify the surgical approach or predict patient outcomes with sylvian fissure AVMs, but it does clarify anatomic differences between subtypes. These AVMs are a diverse group, with each subtype having unique relationships between arteries, veins, nidus, and adjacent brain that influence microsurgical technique. Despite their eloquent location and technical challenges, results with microsurgical resection are excellent, making this the preferred treatment option for low-grade AVMs.
Correlation of carbon isotope ratios in the cellulose and wood extractives of Douglas-fir

Abstract Cellulose is usually isolated from the other components of plant material for analysis of carbon stable isotope ratios (δ13C). However, many studies have shown a strong correlation between whole-wood and cellulose δ13C values, prompting debate about the necessity of cellulose extraction for tree-ring studies. The δ13C values were measured in whole wood, extractive-free wood, purified cellulose, acetone/water-soluble extractives and hot water-soluble extractives of Douglas-fir sapwood. Cellulose and acetone/water-soluble extractives from heartwood from the same trees also were compared. Although the various materials showed different absolute δ13C values, the components of the same samples, including the extractives, were correlated. The correlations of carbon isotope ratios of cellulose, extractive-free wood and extractives, and the relatively low concentration of the extractives in the wood, suggests that extraction of purified cellulose from Douglas-fir wood samples may not be necessary for some tree-ring analyses.
OpenFlow vulnerability assessment

We provide a brief overview of the vulnerabilities present in the OpenFlow protocol as it is currently deployed by hardware and software vendors. We identify a widespread failure to adopt TLS for the OpenFlow control channel by both controller and switch vendors, leaving OpenFlow vulnerable to man-in-the-middle attacks. We also highlight the classes of vulnerabilities that emerge from the separation and centralization of the control plane in OpenFlow network designs. Finally, we offer suggestions for future work to address these vulnerabilities in a systematic fashion.
Penalized likelihood hazard estimation: Efficient approximation and Bayesian confidence intervals

Abstract Penalized likelihood method can be used for hazard estimation with lifetime data that are right-censored, left-truncated, and possibly with covariates. In this article, we are concerned with more scalable computation of the method and with the derivation and assessment of certain interval estimates. The asymptotic convergence rates are preserved when the estimation is restricted to certain q -dimensional spaces with q increasing at a much slower rate than the sample size n , and simulation studies are performed to determine default values of q for practical use; the computation cost is of the order O ( nq 2 ) . Through a quadratic approximation of the log likelihood, approximate Bayesian confidence intervals can be derived for log hazard, and empirical studies are conducted to assess their properties. The techniques are implemented in open-source R code and real-data example is presented to illustrate the applications of the techniques through the use of the software.
Environment and the Nation State: The Netherlands, the European Union and Acid Rain

(1998). Environment and the Nation State: The Netherlands, the European Union and Acid Rain. Environment: Science and Policy for Sustainable Development: Vol. 40, No. 1, pp. 27-27.
MEMS Passive Latching Mechanical Shock Sensor

This paper presents a novel micro-scale passive-latching mechanical shock sensor with reset capability. The device integrates a compliant bistable mechanism, designed to have a high contact force and low actuation force, with metal-to-metal electrical contacts that provide a means for interrogating the switch state. No electrical power is required during storage or sensing. Electrical power is only required to initialize, reset, self-test, or interrogate the device, allowing the mechanism to be used in low-power and long shelf-life applications. The sensor has a footprint of about 1 mm2 , allowing multiple devices to be integrated on a single chip for arrays of acceleration thresholds, redundancy, and/or multiple sense directions. Modeling and experimental results for a few devices with different thresholds in the 100g to 400g range are given. Centrifuge test results show that the accelerations required to toggle the switches are higher than current model predictions. Resonant frequency measurements suggest that the springs may be stiffer than predicted. Hammer-strike tests demonstrate the feasibility of using the devices as sensors for actual mechanical shock events.Copyright © 2008 by ASME
Spontaneous Tension Pneumocephalus Resulting From a Scalp Fistula in a Patient With a Remotely Placed Ventriculoperitoneal Shunt

Tension pneumocephalus is a life-threatening condition that requires rapid recognition and intervention. It usually occurs as an early postoperative complication after neurosurgery or after trauma. Delayed tension pneumocephalus after ventriculoperitoneal shunt placement is unusual, with fewer than 50 published case reports, and is rarely caused by a scalp defect. We present a patient with nontraumatic tension pneumocephalus caused by a scalp fistula from a remote ventriculoperitoneal shunt placed 5 years earlier. This case is unique in that the patient underwent percutaneous aspiration of the tension pneumocephalus as a lifesaving procedure in the emergency department, with complete resolution of her symptoms at 30-day follow-up.
Coupled experiments and simulations of microstructural damage in wood

In this paper, we explore ways to couple experimental measurements with the numerical simulations of the mechanical properties of wood. For our numerical simulations, we have adopted a lattice approach, where wood fibers or bundles of wood fibers are modeled as discrete structural elements connected by a lattice of spring elements. Element strength and stiffness properties are determined from bulk material properties. Damage is represented by broken lattice elements, which cause both stiffness and strength degradation. The modeling approach was applied to small specimens of spruce subjected to transverse uniaxial tension, and mode I transverse splitting. The model was found to be good at predicting the load-deformation response of both notched and unnotched specimens, including the post-peak softening response. In addition, the damage patterns predicted by the model are consistent with those observed in the experiments.
Black-white differences in stroke frequency: challenges for research

Studies of ethnic differences in frequency of disease can sometimes provide insights into etiologic mechanisms and, hopefully, lead to interventions that decrease risk and frequency of the disease. This principle can be applied to studies of stroke among blacks and whites. Blacks carry a disproportionate burden of strokes relative to the number of blacks in the population. In this paper, possible explanations for the differences are reviewed. It has been reported that certain risk factors for stroke, notably hypertension, are more common in blacks. However, it is unclear whether less access to medical care, difficulty with compliance in treatment programs, genetic differences in responsiveness to certain drugs or other genetic differences related to susceptibility are responsible for the consistently higher stroke frequency in blacks compared to whites. The frequency of stroke type also differs in these ethnic groups; whites are more prone to large vessel and embolic strokes whereas blacks suffer a higher frequency of small vessel and hemorrhagic stroke. When closely examining evidence, it is also unclear whether life-style, socioeconomic, or other factors can be implicated and even whether race plays any important role at all. All of these ethnic issues must carefully be considered in stroke data base research.
Oxygen isotope fractionation between CO2 and water, and the isotopic composition of marine atmospheric CO2

The fractionation factor for oxygen isotope exchange between CO 2 and liquid water has been measured as 1.0409 ± 0.0002, in agreement with the recent value of O'Neil and Epstein. The temperature variation has been measured between 0–45°C and corresponds to about 0.2 per mil/°C in this range. Both the absolute value and the temperature variation are in agreement with theoretical calculations based on the most recent spectroscopic data. The experimental results have been compared with existing data on isotopic variations in atmospheric CO 2 and ocean waters. Atmospheric CO 2 over the oceans does not appear to be in local isotopic equilibrium with adjacent water, although to first order this exchange regulates the average composition of the CO 2 . Exchange with atmospheric water appears to be a significant factor in producing isotopic variations in CO 2 , and may be responsible for seasonal fluctuations and hemispheric differences. The correlations between 13 C and 18 O variations in CO 2 , and the effects of N 2 O contamination are discussed.
Writing work, technology, and pedagogy in the era of late capitalism

This article explores the relationship between how technologies are presented in professional and technical writing classes and the complicated dynamics of the late-capitalist working world. A growing body of scholarship emphasizes the necessity of including critical theory in well-rounded professional and technical writing curriculums. Some promote theory as a means of helping working writers make more ethically and socially conscious decisions concerning the technologies they help to produce and document. Others promote theory as essential for survival in an ever-evolving, sometimes very harsh, technology-driven marketplace. This article points to some of the weaknesses of both approaches, as it advocates an approach to pedagogy that explores how emerging technologies help to establish the terms of work in the contemporary economy. This pedagogy is intended to unflinchingly examine the more cynical aspects of late capitalism as it locates agency in collective action outside of managerialism and corporate frameworks.
Comparing Decadal Census Trends and Yearly Variation in Abundance and Distribution of Breeding Double-Crested Cormorants: Importance of Monitoring a Managed Species

Abstract. Binational colonial waterbird censuses were formally initiated in the Great Lakes in 1976, and have been repeated every eight to ten years. Although population estimates from these efforts are good trend indicators for some species, including Double-crested Cormorant (Phalacrocorax auritus), information is generally not available to examine population changes between census periods, especially at a local scale. The study examined shortterm, annual population changes and distribution patterns of cormorants in the Beaver Archipelago of northern Lake Michigan between 2000 and 2007, and compared these data to decadal trends. Although no control efforts were underway between 2000 and 2006, an egg-oiling and culling program was initiated in 2007, after the completion of the decadal census. The peak number of breeders was documented in 1997, with lower population sizes between 2000 and 2006; however, in 2007, the population again approached peak numbers, suggesting that immigration from other regions o...
Insights into Current Limitations of Density Functional Theory

Density functional theory of electronic structure is widely and successfully applied in simulations throughout engineering and sciences. However, for many predicted properties, there are spectacular failures that can be traced to the delocalization error and static correlation error of commonly used approximations. These errors can be characterized and understood through the perspective of fractional charges and fractional spins introduced recently. Reducing these errors will open new frontiers for applications of density functional theory.
On the use of computer simulation to determine the excess free energy in fluid mixtures

Haile, J.M., 1986. On the use of computer simulation to determine the excess free energy in fluid mixtures. Fluid Phase Equilibria, 26: 103–127 This paper first reviews the use of Kirkwood's coupling parameter for determining residual chemical potentials, activity coefficients, and Henry's constants from Monte Carlo and molecular dynamics computer simulations. A new version of the method is then developed for obtaining the excess Gibbs free energy from isothermal-isobaric simulations. New expressions are also given for the excess volume and excess entropy. The revised method is demonstrated by computing excess free energies for 14 mixtures of repulsive soft spheres. Isothermal-isobaric molecular dynamics was used to generate the necessary simulation data. Although the excess free energies for these particular mixtures are small in magnitude (|GE/NkT| < 0.1), the simulation method generally gives GE within 5% of the values calculated by thermodynamic perturbation theory.
Diffusion of Slightly Buoyant Droplets in Isotropic Turbulence

We study the diffusion of slightly buoyant droplets in isotropic turbulence using High Speed Digital Holographic PIV. Droplets (Specific Gravity 0.85) are injected in the central portion of an isotropic turbulence facility with weak mean flow. Perpendicular digital inline holograms are recorded in a 37 × 37 × 37 mm3 region of interest using two high speed cameras. Data are recorded at 250 frames per second (2000 frames per second is the maximum possible frame rate). An automated program is developed to obtain two dimensional tracks of the droplets from two orthogonal images and match them to get three dimensional tracks. Cross correlation of droplet images are used for measuring their velocities. The time series are low pass filtered to obtain accurate time history of droplet velocities. Data analysis determines the PDF of velocity and acceleration in three dimensions. The time history also enables us to calculate the three dimensional Lagrangian velocity autocorrelation function for different droplet radii. Integration of these functions gives us the diffusion coefficients. For shorter time scales, when the diffusion need not be Fickian we can use the three dimensional trajectories to calculate the generalized dispersion tensor and measure the time elapsed for diffusion to become Fickian.Copyright © 2006 by ASME
The role of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase-1 in CNS disease

Poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase-1 (PARP-1) is a nuclear enzyme that contributes to both neuronal death and survival under stress conditions. PARP-1 is the most abundant of several PARP family members, accounting for more than 85% of nuclear PARP activity, and is present in all nucleated cells of multicellular animals. When activated by DNA damage, PARP-1 consumes nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+) to form branched polymers of ADP-ribose on target proteins. This process can have at least three important consequences in the CNS, depending on the cell type and the extent of DNA damage: 1) Poly(ADP-ribose) formation on histones and on enzymes involved in DNA repair can prevent sister chromatid exchange and facilitate base-excision repair; 2) poly(ADP-ribose) formation can influence the action of transcription factors, notably nuclear factor kappaB, and thereby promote inflammation; and 3) extensive PARP-1 activation can promote neuronal death through mechanisms involving NAD+ depletion and release of apoptosis inducing factor from the mitochondria. PARP-1 activation is thereby a key mediator of neuronal death during excitotoxicity, ischemia, and oxidative stress, and PARP-1 gene deletion or pharmacological inhibition can markedly improve neuronal survival in these settings. PARP-1 activation has also been identified in Alzheimer's disease and in experimental allergic encephalitis, but the role of PARP-1 in these disorders remains to be established.
The mass spectra of alkyl 2-diethylphosphonoalkanoates

Abstract The mass spectra of five alkyl 2-diethylphosphonoalkanoates [(EtO) 2 P(O)CH(CH 2  R )CO 2 R ′, where R ′ = CH 3 or C 2 H 5 , and R = H, n C 7 H 15 , n C 11 H 23 , and (CH 2 ) 5 CO 2 CH 3 ] were investigated. A unique, prominent fragment [ MR ] + is proposed to result from fission of the bond γ-to both the carboxylic ester and the phosphonate ester. Loss of a C 2 H 3 ′ radical from the McLafferty rearrangement fragment ion was an important secondary fragmentation process, although loss of this radical from the molecular ion itself was not a very significant process. The NMR spectra of these compounds are discussed.
Learning evaluation functions for global optimization and Boolean satisfiability

This paper describes STAGE, a learning approach to automatically improving search performance on optimization problems. STAGE learns an evaluation function which predicts the outcome of a local search algorithm, such as hillclimbing or WALKSAT, as a function of state features along its search trajectories. The learned evaluation function is used to bias future search trajectories toward better optima. We present positive results on six large-scale optimization domains.
High temperature operation of circular-grating surface-emitting DBR lasers fabricated on an InGaAs/GaAs structure

We demonstrate high temperature operation of circular-grating surface-emitting distributed Bragg reflector lasers. The structure is a strained InGaAs/GaAs double quantum well. Circular gratings are defined by electron beam lithography. No epitaxial regrowth is used. A surface emission power of over 40 mW under pulsed operation at temperatures of up to 80/spl deg/C is obtained without saturation. A fixed single mode operation was achieved over a temperature range of 60 degrees. >