cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Guanidine Riboswitch-Regulated Efflux Transporters Protect Bacteria against Ionic Liquid Toxicity.

ABSTRACT Plant cell walls contain a renewable, nearly limitless supply of sugar that could be used to support microbial production of commodity chemicals and biofuels. Imidazolium ionic liquid (IIL) solvents are among the best reagents for gaining access to the sugars in this otherwise recalcitrant biomass. However, the sugars from IIL-treated biomass are inevitably contaminated with residual IILs that inhibit growth in bacteria and yeast, blocking biochemical production by these organisms. IIL toxicity is, therefore, a critical roadblock in many industrial biosynthetic pathways. Although several IIL-tolerant (IILT) bacterial and yeast isolates have been identified in nature, few genetic mechanisms have been identified. In this study, we identified two IILTBacillus isolates as well as a spontaneous IILTEscherichia coli lab strain that are tolerant to high levels of two widely used IILs. We demonstrate that all three IILT strains contain one or more pumps of the small multidrug resistance (SMR) family, and two of these strains contain mutations that affect an adjacent regulatory guanidine riboswitch. Furthermore, we show that the regulation of E. colisugE by the guanidine II riboswitch can be exploited to promote IIL tolerance by the simple addition of guanidine to the medium. Our results demonstrate the critical role that transporter genes play in IIL tolerance in their native bacterial hosts. The study presented here is another step in engineering IIL tolerance into industrial strains toward overcoming this key gap in biofuels and industrial biochemical production processes. IMPORTANCE This study identifies bacteria that are tolerant to ionic liquid solvents used in the production of biofuels and industrial biochemicals. For industrial microbiology, it is essential to find less-harmful reagents and microbes that are resistant to their cytotoxic effects. We identified a family of small multidrug resistance efflux transporters, which are responsible for the tolerance of these strains. We also found that this resistance can be caused by mutations in the sequences of guanidine-specific riboswitches that regulate these efflux pumps. Extending this knowledge, we demonstrated that guanidine itself can promote ionic liquid tolerance. Our findings will inform genetic engineering strategies that improve conversion of cellulosic sugars into biofuels and biochemicals in processes where low concentrations of ionic liquids surpass bacterial tolerance.
animalcules : interactive microbiome analytics and visualization in R

Microbial communities that live in and on the human body play a vital role in health and disease. Recent advances in sequencing technologies have enabled the study of microbial communities at unprecedented resolution. However, these advances in data generation have presented novel challenges to researchers attempting to analyze and visualize these data. To address some of these challenges, we have developed animalcules, an easy-to-use interactive microbiome analysis toolkit for 16S rRNA sequencing data, shotgun DNA metagenomics data, and RNA-based metatranscriptomics profiling data. This toolkit combines novel and existing analytics, visualization methods, and machine learning models. For example, the toolkit features traditional microbiome analyses such as alpha/beta diversity and differential abundance analysis, combined with new methods for biomarker identification are. In addition, animalcules provides interactive and dynamic figures that enable users to understand their data and discover new insights. animalcules can be used as a standalone command-line R package or users can explore their data with the accompanying interactive R Shiny interface. We present animalcules, an R package for interactive microbiome analysis through either an interactive interface facilitated by R Shiny or various command-line functions. It is the first microbiome analysis toolkit that supports the analysis of all 16S rRNA, DNA-based shotgun metagenomics, and RNA-sequencing based metatranscriptomics datasets. animalcules can be freely downloaded from GitHub at https://github.com/compbiomed/animalcules or installed through Bioconductor at https://www.bioconductor.org/packages/release/bioc/html/animalcules.html .
Attacking and Scoring by College Volleyball Players: A Matching Analysis

We applied the generalized matching equation to examine the relation between attacks attempted and points scored by the top five attackers on 36 Division 1 National Collegiate Athletic Association women’s volleyball teams during the 2017–2018 season. Twelve of the teams were highest-ranked at season’s end, 12 were mid-ranked, and 12 were lowest-ranked. The equation accounted for at least 70% of the variance in responding for 31 teams. Of them, 16 teams demonstrated undermatching, 4 demonstrated overmatching, and 11 approached strict matching. Eight of these teams were biased towards attempts by a single player and four towards attempts by the other four players combined. Team ranking did not consistently affect performance. These findings are significant in extending the provenance of matching to another sport and to a naturalistic setting involving three or more response options.
A Novel Approach for Analyzing the Nuclear Supply Chain Cyber-Attack Surface

Abstract The nuclear supply chain attack surface is a large, complex network of interconnected stakeholders and activities. The global economy has widened and deepened the supply chain, resulting in larger numbers of geographically dispersed locations and increased difficulty ensuring the authenticity and security of critical digital assets. Although the nuclear industry has made significant strides in securing facilities from cyber-attacks, the supply chain remains vulnerable. This paper discusses supply chain threats and vulnerabilities that are often overlooked in nuclear cyber supply chain risk analysis. A novel supply chain cyber-attack surface diagram is provided to assist with enumeration of risks and to examine the complex issues surrounding the requirements for securing hardware, firmware, software, and system information throughout the entire supply chain lifecycle. This supply chain cyber-attack surface diagram provides a dashboard that security practitioners and researchers can use to identify gaps in current cyber supply chain practices and develop new risk-informed, cyber supply chain tools and processes.
Multilevel meta-analysis of the effectiveness of self-regulated strategy development in writing for children with ASD

In this study, we conducted a multilevel meta-analysis to determine whether the self-regulated strategy development (SRSD) approach to teaching writing to students with autism spectrum disorder (AS...
Cannabinoids and Pain: The Highs and Lows

The medicolegal landscape of cannabis continues to change, and with ever increasing access there has been a concurrent proliferation of research seeking to understand the utility of cannabinoids in treating innumerable conditions with pain at the forefront. This article seeks to summarize clinically relevant findings in cannabinoid research to better prepare clinicians in the utility of cannabis in the treatment of pain.
A Non-enveloped Virus Hijacks Host Disaggregation Machinery to Translocate across the Endoplasmic Reticulum Membrane

Mammalian cytosolic Hsp110 family, in concert with the Hsc70:J-protein complex, functions as a disaggregation machinery to rectify protein misfolding problems. Here we uncover a novel role of this machinery in driving membrane translocation during viral entry. The non-enveloped virus SV40 penetrates the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) membrane to reach the cytosol, a critical infection step. Combining biochemical, cell-based, and imaging approaches, we find that the Hsp110 family member Hsp105 associates with the ER membrane J-protein B14. Here Hsp105 cooperates with Hsc70 and extracts the membrane-penetrating SV40 into the cytosol, potentially by disassembling the membrane-embedded virus. Hence the energy provided by the Hsc70-dependent Hsp105 disaggregation machinery can be harnessed to catalyze a membrane translocation event.
Studying Foraging In The Psychological Laboratory

Publisher Summary When Charles Darwin first proposed his theory of evolution, he, like Wilson, saw that it would affect the study of behavior and, through that, psychology. Darwin recognized that evolutionary theory implied a biological continuity between animal species and the human species; man might be unique but no more than any other species. If man evolved from animal ancestors, Darwin reasoned, not only correspondences should be found between animal and human anatomy but also between animal and human behavior and mental life. His book The Expression of Emotions in Man and Animals pursues exactly this theme. Romanes took Darwin's reasoning a step farther, arguing that infer rudimentary human mental processes could be inferred in animals that behave in ways comparable to the ways of humans.
Sonographic abdominal circumference: dynamic versus static imaging.

Abstract The ultrasonic abdominal circumference (AC) measurement is one of the essential parameters used for assessment of fetal status. Whereas the AC was traditionally derived by static equipment, dynamic scanners are presently used for that purpose. In this study, the AC values obtained by two gray-scale ultrasonic imaging modalities (static and dynamic) were compared; the differences between the mean AC measurements were not statistically significant. Additionally, when the outline of the AC in a fetus near term was larger than the sonic field displayed by dynamic equipment, the partially incomplete boundary could be “filled in” without affecting the accuracy of the result.
Linking Biological Integrity and Watershed Models to Assess the Impacts of Historical Land Use and Climate Changes on Stream Health

Land use change and other human disturbances have significant impacts on physicochemical and biological conditions of stream systems. Meanwhile, linking these disturbances with hydrology and water quality conditions is challenged due to the lack of high-resolution datasets and the selection of modeling techniques that can adequately deal with the complex and nonlinear relationships of natural systems. This study addresses the above concerns by employing a watershed model to obtain stream flow and water quality data and fill a critical gap in data collection. The data were then used to estimate fish index of biological integrity (IBI) within the Saginaw Bay basin in Michigan. Three methods were used in connecting hydrology and water quality variables to fish measures including stepwise linear regression, partial least squares regression, and fuzzy logic. The IBI predictive model developed using fuzzy logic showed the best performance with the R 2 = 0.48. The variables that identified as most correlated to IBI were average annual flow, average annual organic phosphorus, average seasonal nitrite, average seasonal nitrate, and stream gradient. Next, the predictions were extended to pre-settlement (mid-1800s) land use and climate conditions. Results showed overall significantly higher IBI scores under the pre-settlement land use scenario for the entire watershed. However, at the fish sampling locations, there was no significant difference in IBI. Results also showed that including historical climate data have strong influences on stream flow and water quality measures that interactively affect stream health; therefore, should be considered in developing baseline ecological conditions.
Facilitating Student Learning, the Assessment of Learning, and Curricular Improvement Through a Graduate Social Work Integrative Seminar

Social work programs undertake to educate competent professionals and to promote critical thinking among students who are expected to become lifelong learners. In addition, programs are called on to develop reliable and valid measures for assessing student learning outcomes and to use assessment results to reflect upon and strengthen curriculum. This study explores the use of a graduate integrative seminar to accomplish these goals. The authors describe the learning and assessment processes of the seminar. The authors used a mixed-method research design to analyze data from students over a 3-year period regarding the effectiveness of the seminar as well as from graduate faculty regarding student achievement of curricular objectives. Results indicate that formative assessment processes promote student learning in a manner that mobilizes students to strive for excellence, and that an embedded measure of learning outcomes in the form of a final integrative project may serve as a rigorous assessment tool.
Insolation in terms of Earth's orbital parameters

The solar insolation at any point on the Earth can be expressed in terms of the latitude and longitude of that point and the parameters of the Earth's orbit. The derivation of such an equation is given here. One purpose of the equation is to gain theoretical insights into how the insolation varies on the time scales of the Milankovitch cycles. The most easily attained insights are that neither the main pacemaker of the ice agese, nor Milankovitch's precession indexe sinω appear as terms in the equation (e is the eccentricity of the Earth's orbit andω is the argument of perihelion.) Obliquity does appear. These results are already well-known, but are easily derived when the insolation is formulated as given here. The equation also suggests expressing the Earth's albedo in the same form as the insolation. When this is done a term which looks likee sinω can be made to appear, for example, multiplied by an albedo coefficient and lagged in phase. However, the term is small, of the order ofe2. Besides theoretical insights, a second purpose of the equation is to provide a convenient formula for computing insolation when using numerical climate models. Its usefulness to this end is yet to be established.
Housing improvement projects in Indonesia: responding to local demand.

For more than three decades, environmental health programmes in Indonesia have emphasized prevention and treatment of the high incidence of disease among villagers. One of the main causes of disease is the unhygienic conditions of typical rural houses—two-room constructions with dirt floors and walls of lightly fired bricks or woven bamboo skins. While most houses have few or no windows, the occupants frequently cook, eat, sleep and even keep animals in a single room. The main objective of the housing improvement programme was to improve air circulation and introduce more sunlight to kill bacteria, avoid dampness and eliminate smoke from cooking. The programme encourages villagers to construct a permanent floor, enlarge existing windows or insert new windows for good ventilation. This presentation will share the 'success stories' of housing improvement projects in Indonesia that adopted demand-responsive approaches instead of the conventional 'supply approach'. Through exercises like Wealth Classification...
Holes in random graphs

It is shown that for every ?>0 with the probability tending to 1 as n?∞ a random graph G(n,p) contains induced cycles of all lengths k, 3 ? k ? (1 ? ?)n log c/c, provided c(n) = (n ? 1)p(n)?∞.
On the role of metallothionein in cadmium absorption by rat jejunum in situ.

Abstract The role of metallothionein (MT) in the mechanism of cadmium absorption from the jejunum was studied in 7–9 week-old-male rats exposed to 50 ppm of cadmium in drinking water for 9 days. Exposed animals contained an average of 144 μg MT/g of mucosal tissue, compared to 40 μg in control animals. During jejunal perfusion in situ with 5 mM glucose-saline containing 10–20 nM CdCl 2 the increased MT content of mucosa exerted no effect either on cadmium absorption from the lumen (step I), or on its further transport into the body (step II). Immediately after perfusion, essentially all cadmium removed from the lumen was fully recovered in the intestinal mucosa. About 50% of the mucosal cadmium was found in the sediment after homogenization and centrifugation; a large portion of this cadmium may be assigned to the membrane fraction. The binding of freshly absorbed cadmium in the mucosal cytosol was not restricted to low molecular weight protein, although cadmium binding capacity in the MT fraction of controls as well as of exposed animals greatly exceeded actual binding of newly absorbed cadmium. Our results offer no support for the view that MT in the jejunal mucosa seres as determinant of cadmium absorption.
Treatment outcomes for primary intraocular lymphoma: implications for external beam radiotherapy

Treatment outcomes for primary intraocular lymphoma: implications for external beam radiotherapy
Reaction mechanisms for the limited reversibility of Li–O2 chemistry in organic carbonate electrolytes

Abstract The Li–O 2 chemistry in nonaqueous liquid carbonate electrolytes and the underlying reason for its limited reversibility was systematically investigated. X-ray diffraction data showed that regardless of discharge depth lithium alkylcarbonates (lithium propylenedicarbonate (LPDC), or lithium ethylenedicarbonate (LEDC), with other related derivatives) and lithium carbonate (Li 2 CO 3 ) are constantly the main discharge products, while lithium peroxide (Li 2 O 2 ) or lithium oxide (Li 2 O) is hardly detected. These lithium alkylcarbonates are generated from the reductive decomposition of the corresponding carbonate solvents initiated by the attack of superoxide radical anions. More significantly, in situ gas chromatography/mass spectroscopy analysis revealed that Li 2 CO 3 and Li 2 O cannot be oxidized even when charged to 4.6 V vs. Li/Li + , while LPDC, LEDC and Li 2 O 2 are readily oxidized, with CO 2 and CO released from LPDC and LEDC and O 2 evolved from Li 2 O 2 . Therefore, the apparent reversibility of Li–O 2 chemistry in an organic carbonate-based electrolyte is actually an unsustainable process that consists of (1) the formation of lithium alkylcarbonates through the reductive decomposition of carbonate solvents during discharging and (2) the subsequent oxidation of these same alkylcarbonates during charging. Therefore, a stable electrolyte that does not lead to an irreversible by-product formation during discharging and charging is necessary for truly rechargeable Li–O 2 batteries.
A computational analysis of a ZrO2–SiO2 scale for a ZrB2–ZrC–Zr ultrahigh temperature ceramic composite system

Abstract The success of a ceramic composite for ultrahigh temperatures (i.e., >1873 K) in an oxidizing atmosphere resides in the protective characteristics of a scale to limit oxygen ingress or to control the oxygen reaction into the substrate. With temperature changes from room temperature to ultrahigh temperatures, the mechanics of the scale and its reactivity becomes critical for ceramic composites to operate under extreme environments. A study was pursued to design computationally a SiO 2 –ZrO 2 scale for a ZrB 2 /ZrC/Zr–Si composite by using conventional finite element analysis, which was used as a baseline microstructure for the extended finite element method. The model of the Zr boride/carbide composite with a SiO 2 /ZrO 2 /ZrSi x scale simulates the development of local strain energetics under a thermal load from 300 to 1700 K. The computational analysis determined that the size of the SiO 2 and ZrSi x precipitates does not appreciably influence the durability of the microstructure. A simulated annealing optimization algorithm was also developed for an extended finite element program (called XMicro) with the purpose of optimizing the auto re-meshing of XMicro and thus minimizing its combinatorial selection of a composite's reinforcement architecture. After correcting for the overlapping of ZrO 2 precipitates within a matrix, XMicro determined that 1.96 μm as the optimal spacing of precipitates within a cluster and 20 μm between clusters within a silica matrix of the scale interphase. The strategic experimentation determined that porosity developed during oxidation should be incorporated into the simulation of a ceramic composite. To probe into the efficacy of the silica layer for the scale, oxidizing experiments were performed at 1973 K, as well as microstructural analysis of the scale interphase. The computational mechanics coupled with consideration of the thermodynamic stability of phases for the Zr–Si–O system to set the oxygen potentials between layers can design a scale interphase for an ultrahigh-temperature, ceramic composite system. The processing challenge would be to attain the optimal configuration of the microstructure, for example, silicide precipitates developed with the appropriate spacing along a scale/matrix interface or ZrO 2 clusters within a silicate phase.
Estimating traveler populations at airport and cruise terminals for population distribution and dynamics

In recent years, uses of high-resolution population distribution databases are increasing steadily for environmental, socioeconomic, public health, and disaster-related research and operations. With the development of daytime population distribution, temporal resolution of such databases has been improved. However, the lack of incorporation of transitional population, namely business and leisure travelers, leaves a significant population unaccounted for within the critical infrastructure networks, such as at transportation hubs. This paper presents two general methodologies for estimating passenger populations in airport and cruise port terminals at a high temporal resolution which can be incorporated into existing population distribution models. The methodologies are geographically scalable and are based on, and demonstrate how, two different transportation hubs with disparate temporal population dynamics can be modeled utilizing publicly available databases including novel data sources of flight activity from the Internet which are updated in near-real time. The airport population estimation model shows great potential for rapid implementation for a large collection of airports on a national scale, and the results suggest reasonable accuracy in the estimated passenger traffic. By incorporating population dynamics at high temporal resolutions into population distribution models, we hope to improve the estimates of populations exposed to or at risk to disasters, thereby improving emergency planning and response, and leading to more informed policy decisions.
Effects of Kisspeptin1 on Electrical Activity of an Extrahypothalamic Population of Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone Neurons in Medaka (Oryzias latipes)

Kisspeptin (product of the kiss1 gene) is the most potent known activator of the hypothalamo-pituitary-gonadal axis. Both kiss1 and the kisspeptin receptor are highly expressed in the hypothalamus of vertebrates, and low doses of kisspeptin have a robust and long-lasting stimulatory effect on the rate of action potential firing of hypophysiotropic gonadotropin releasing hormone-1 (GnRH1) neurons in mice. Fish have multiple populations of GnRH neurons distinguished by their location in the brain and the GnRH gene that they express. GnRH3 neurons located in the terminal nerve (TN) associated with the olfactory bulb are neuromodulatory and do not play a direct role in regulating pituitary-gonadal function. In medaka fish, the electrical activity of TN-GnRH3 neurons is modulated by visual cues from conspecifics, and is thought to act as a transmitter of information from the external environment to the central nervous system. TN-GnRH3 neurons also play a role in sexual motivation and arousal states, making them an important population of neurons to study for understanding coordination of complex behaviors. We investigated the role of kisspeptin in regulating electrical activity of TN-GnRH3 neurons in adult medaka. Using electrophysiology in an intact brain preparation, we show that a relatively brief treatment with 100 nM of kisspeptin had a long-lasting stimulatory effect on the electrical activity of an extrahypothalamic population of GnRH neurons. Dose-response analysis suggests a relatively narrow activational range of this neuropeptide. Further, blocking action potential firing with tetrodotoxin and blocking synaptic transmission with a low Ca(2+)/high Mg(2+) solution inhibited the stimulatory action of kisspeptin on electrical activity, indicating that kisspeptin is acting indirectly through synaptic regulation to excite TN-GnRH3 neurons. Our findings provide a new perspective on kisspeptin's broader functions within the central nervous system, through its regulation of an extrahypothalamic population of GnRH neurons involved in multiple neuromodulatory functions.
Transferrable fine pitch probe technology

Two vertical probe technologies were explored to evaluate wafer-level and 3D stack-level die test at 50 μm pitch. In one approach, Cu probe tips were serially built on a 3D silicon wafer using lithography and wet chemical etching. In a second approach, metal probe tips were fabricated by filling a silicon mold made with anisotropic etching and transferred to a silicon die. Each approach had advantages which were demonstrated through test vehicles. The second approach appears promising to offer a robust, scalable probe technology, highly suited for high speed test of 3D die. As compared to traditional probe technologies, this approach also offers an opportunity toward low cost test at fine pitch.
Abstract 2341: Functional analysis of paxillin mutations identified in lung cancer and malignant mesothelioma: Implications for cell migration/motility

Paxillin is a 68 kDa focal adhesion protein that provides multiple docking sites at the plasma membrane for an array of signaling molecules and helps form a structural link between the extracellular matrix and the actin cytoskeleton. It is essential in actin filament assembly and focal adhesion formation. Focal adhesion complexes are the drivers of cell spreading and migration, adhesion to the extracellular matrix and matrix remodeling by fibrillar adhesions in which paxillin plays a major role. It has been shown that the modulation of tyrosine phosphorylation of paxillin regulates both the assembly and turnover of adhesion sites and phosphorylated paxillin enhances lamellipodial protrusions whereas non-phosphorylated paxillin is essential for fibrillar adhesion formation. We have previously reported that in lung cancer, paxillin was over expressed, amplified and mutated in a significant number of patient samples and the protein upregulated in higher stages of lung cancer compared with lower stages (Jagadeeswaran et al, 2008). We recently showed paxillin gene to be amplified in some pre-neoplastic lung lesions. Among the mutations we described, A127T enhanced cell proliferation, focal adhesion formation and colocalization with Bcl-2 in lung cancer cells. We have now analyzed 50 epithelioid, 16 sarcomatoid, and one mixed malignant pleural mesothelioma tissue, and compared to 40 normal adjacent lung parenchyma (pneumocytes and endothelial cells) by immunohistochemistry. Automated cellular imaging was used to calculate average staining intensity as an integrated optical density (IOD). Whereas normal lung had IODs of 45 for paxillin, epithelioid MPM had IODs of 268 and sarcomatoid 331. This demonstrates that paxillin is highly upregulated in both epithelioid as well as sarcomatoid. To further study the effects of activating mutations of paxillin, we cloned the most commonly occurring paxillin mutations in a GFP tagged vector and transiently transfect HEK-293 cells. Utilizing live-cell imaging to systematically study the effects of wild-type paxillin versus mutants, we created a mathematical model that recapitulates the salient features of the measured dynamics, and conclude that compared to wild-type, some mutant clones confer a) enhanced focal adhesion formation, b) increased filopodia and lamellipodia formation c) increased mobility and d) increased cell displacement in transiently transfected HEK-293 cells. We believe that paxillin is an important molecule in thoracic cancer including lung and malignant mesothelioma, and its therapeutic potential needs to be explored further. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 102nd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2011 Apr 2-6; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2011;71(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 2341. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2011-2341
Catholic and Evangelical élites in dialogue and alliance

Throughout their histories the Evangelical and Catholic communities have been traditional opponents. Seldom have they agreed, and never have they joined to work as one within the US society and polity. However, beginning in the early 1990s some small, self‐identifying elites from each religious community sought out in the other visible persons of similar ideological and moral commitment. Advances the context of that dialogue between these micro‐elites, proposes the application of classical elite theory to explain the dialogue better. Generates a seven‐postulate hypothesis to answer the question posed by the context and the application of elite theory: can self‐selected micro‐elites maintain their alliance and accommodation for a significant period of time? Given that these are integrative and pattern maintenance elites (not the more usual ruling and adaptive ones) the application of elite theory offers an unconventional understanding of alliance building, as well as an uncommon insight into religious co‐o...
Tu1447 Teaching and Assessing Competence in Small Bowel Capsule Endoscopy During Gastroenterology Fellowship

age: 59 yrs (SD:14); male 49%). Previous colonoscopy experience was reported by 47% of patients.The mean waiting for their colonoscopy was 4.3 weeks (range: 3.1-5.8). Patients who had to wait 4 weeks were more dissatisfied with timeliness compared to those who had their procedure scheduled 4 weeks (30 vs. 6%, p 0.01). The reason for colonoscopy was not recalled by 7% of cases. Information about the complications perforation and bleeding from an endoscopy professional was not recalled by respondents in 54% (range between units: 1-79%, p 0.01) respectively 50% (range: 12-78%, p 0.01). Satisfactory scores were found in the courtesy of nurses (94%) and the competency of the endoscopist (93%). Discomfort during colonoscopy was reported by 20% (range: 8-40%, p 0.01); 5% reported an unacceptable procedure. Privacy in the recovery area was satisfactory in 76% (range: 66-90%, p 0.05). Adequate explanation about the findings was provided to 75% (range: 52-86%, p 0.01). A majority (79%) reported to be sufficiently informed about what to do when problems after discharge would arise (range: 43-98%, p 0.01). 85% of subjects were willing to return for colonoscopy (range: 72-91%, p 0.01). Factors associated with willingness to return were male gender (OR: 1.7, p 0.02), cecal intubation (OR: 2.9, p 0.01), low levels of discomfort during bowel preparation (OR: 4.4, p 0.01), high acceptance of the experience (OR: 3.4, p 0.01) and less discomfort than expected (OR: 2.7, p 0.01). Conclusion The overall patient experience during colonoscopy procedures in Dutch endoscopy units was satisfactory, reflected in a high willingness to return for colonoscopy. However, differences were found between units in GRS items information and privacy. This study shows that GRS items are applicable to endoscopy units outside the UK.
A Highly Conserved Amino-terminal Region of Sonic Hedgehog Is Required for the Formation of Its Freely Diffusible Multimeric Form

Although members of the Hedgehog (Hh) family were initially described as morphogens, many of these early conclusions were based on experiments that used non-physiologically relevant forms of Hh. Native Hh is modified by cholesterol (HhNp) and palmitate. These hydrophobic modifications are responsible for the ability of Hh to associate with cellular membranes, a property that initially appeared inconsistent with its ability to act far from its site of synthesis. Although it is now clear that Hh family members are capable of acting directly in long-range signaling, the form of Hh capable of this activity remains controversial. We have previously provided evidence for a freely diffusible multimeric form of Sonic Hedgehog (Shh) termed s-ShhNp, which is capable of accumulating in a gradient fashion through a morphogenic field. Here, we provide further evidence that s-ShhNp is the physiologically relevant form of Shh. We show that the biological activity of freely diffusible ShhNp resides in its multimeric form and that this multimeric form is exceedingly stable, even to high concentrations of salt and detergent. Furthermore, we now validate the Shh-Shh interactions previously observed in the crystal structure of human Shh, showing that a highly conserved amino-terminal domain of Shh is important for the formation of s-ShhNp. We also conclusively show that palmitoylation is required for s-ShhNp formation. Thus, our results identify both protein-protein and protein-lipid interactions that are required for s-ShhNp formation, and provide the first structural analyses supporting the existence of Shh multimers.
Order-disorder transition in capillary ripples.

A well-defined order-disorder transition occurs in the capillary waves on a fluid layer driven by vertical oscillation. The transition is characterized by a sharp decline in both the translational correlation length and the long-range orientational order of the pattern, and an onset in the characteristic frequency ${f}^{*}$ of chaotic fluctuations varying approximately as ${(A\ensuremath{-}{A}_{d})}^{\frac{1}{2}}$, for driving amplitudes above a threshold ${A}_{d}$. The transition is geometry dependent even when the container size is 50-100 times the wavelength.
Possible thermodynamic stability and superconductivity of antifluorite Be 2 B x C 1 − x

The ${\text{Be}}_{2}{\text{B}}_{x}{\text{C}}_{1\ensuremath{-}x}$ alloy in the antifluorite structure is theoretically studied as a possible superconductor. Although both ${\text{Be}}_{2}\text{B}$ and ${\text{Be}}_{2}\text{C}$ terminal phases are experimentally observed to be thermodynamically stable, our calculations suggest that the stability of the ${\text{Be}}_{2}\text{B}$ phase requires a high concentration of defects. The carbon-rich limit is expected to contain few defects and we predict the alloy to be thermodynamically accessible in the range $0\ensuremath{\le}x\ensuremath{\le}0.25$. The superconducting ${T}_{c}$ is predicted to increase with boron concentration with a value of 3--8 K at $x=0.25$ and a plateau of 5--13 K for $xg0.4$. The uncertainty in this prediction results from a small electron-phonon coupling of $\ensuremath{\lambda}\ensuremath{\le}0.5$ over the entire range of boron concentration. The material remains in the weak-coupling regime of superconductivity where ${T}_{c}$ is sensitive to small variations in $\ensuremath{\lambda}$ and ${\ensuremath{\mu}}^{\ensuremath{\ast}}$.
Numerical Solution for a Transient Temperature Distribution on a Finite Domain Due to a Dithering or Rotating Laser Beam

The temperature distribution due to a rotating or dithering Gaussian laser beam on a finite body is obtained numerically. The authors apply various techniques to solve the nonhomogeneous heat equation in different spatial dimensions. The authors' approach includes the Crank-Nicolson method, the Fast Fourier Transform FFT method and the commercial software COMSOL. It is found that the maximum temperature rise decreases as the frequency of the rotating or dithering laser beam increases and the temperature rise induced by a rotating beam is smaller than the one induced by a dithering beam. The authors' numerical results also provide the asymptotic behavior of the maximum temperature rise as a function of the frequency of a rotating or dithering laser beam.
TET1 controls CNS 5-methylcytosine hydroxylation, active DNA demethylation, gene transcription, and memory formation.

Summary Dynamic changes in 5-methylcytosine (5mC) have been implicated in the regulation of gene expression critical for consolidation of memory. However, little is known about how these changes in 5mC are regulated in the adult brain. The enzyme methylcytosine dioxygenase TET1 (TET1) has been shown to promote active DNA demethylation in the nervous system. Therefore, we took a viral-mediated approach to overexpress the protein in the hippocampus and examine its potential involvement in memory formation. We found that Tet1 is a neuronal activity-regulated gene and that its overexpression leads to global changes in modified cytosine levels. Furthermore, expression of TET1 or a catalytically inactive mutant (TET1m) resulted in the upregulation of several neuronal memory-associated genes and impaired contextual fear memory. In summary, we show that neuronal Tet1 regulates DNA methylation levels and that its expression, independent of its catalytic activity, regulates the expression of CNS activity-dependent genes and memory formation.
Coupling losses in hollow waveguide laser resonators

Hollow waveguide gas lasers of the type described by Smith have some inherent loss in coupling radiation from the guide into free space and back into the guide. This paper calculates that loss for the EH 11 lowest order waveguide mode as a function of mirror position and mirror radius. It is shown that some mirror positions and radii are optimum, in that they provide low coupling loss and are relatively insensitive to mirror position.
Effects of early vs late lesions on cognitive-affective behavior in rats: VMH

Ventromedial hypothalamic lesions were produced in prepuberal and postpuberal rats to test for subsequent effects on tests of emotionality, and active and passive avoidance. Data indicated heightened emotionality, higher activity, disinhibition of PAR, but no difference in acquisition of AAR by the postpuberal operates, while failure of prepuberals to show these changes provided evidence that age at lesioning is an important variable in this area.
Dataflow Resource Managers and Their Synthesis from Open Path Expressions

The control of concurrent access to shared resources is an important feature of both centralized and distributed operating systems. In conventional systems, exclusive access is the rule while concurrent access is the exception. Dataflow computer systems, along with an applicative style of programming, provide an execution environment in which this philosophy is reversed. In these latter systems, it is necessary to reexamine the manner in which synchronization of access to shared resources is specified and implemented. A basic design for a dataflow resource manager is reviewed, illustrating the clear separation between access mechanism and scheduling policy. The semantics of the access mechanism is based solely on the principle of data dependency. Specifications are presented for a general scheduler to further constrain or order accesses to the resource. Using ``open path expressions'' as a very high-level specification language for synchronization, it is shown how to automatically synthesize a scheduler as a distributed network of communicating modules.
The Japan Syndrome: Symptoms, Ailments, and Remedies

The author argues that Japan's economic success is threatened by poor economic policies and planning, among other reasons, and is in danger of falling behind its competitors. He offers "remedies" or methods that Japan could use to revive its role as an economic leader: developing new industries, creating better policies, concentrating on housing, and improving planning and growth strategies. "Jon Woronoff" is the author.
Diagnostic accuracy of 2- and 3-dimensional computed tomography and solid modeling of coronoid fractures

Purpose This study measured the diagnostic performance characteristics and reliability of 2-dimensional (2DCT) and 3-dimensional (3DCT) computed tomography images and modeling of coronoid fractures. Method The treating surgeon and first assistant evaluated 28 fractures for fracture type, specific characteristics, and proposed treatment. The observers evaluated the fractures 4 times: first based upon 2DCT computed images and radiographs; second with the addition of 3DCT images; third with the addition of 3D models; and finally based upon intra-operative exposure, which was considered the reference standard. Results The diagnostic performance characteristics did not improve with more sophisticate imaging and models. The addition of 3DCT reconstructions improved the inter-observer reliability for fracture classification, characteristics, and proposed treatment. Conclusion More sophisticated images and modeling improved reliability but not accuracy when characterizing coronoid fractures.
Maximum Spanning Tree Algorithm for Non-projective Labeled Dependency Parsing

Following (McDonald et al., 2005), we present an application of a maximum spanning tree algorithm for a directed graph to non-projective labeled dependency parsing. Using a variant of the voted perceptron (Collins, 2002; Collins and Roark, 2004; Crammer and Singer, 2003), we discriminatively trained our parser in an on-line fashion. After just one epoch of training, we were generally able to attain average results in the CoNLL 2006 Shared Task.
Serum zinc and protein levels: Lack of a correlation in hospitalized patients with AIDS

Abnormally low serum zinc levels are associated with advanced states of malnutrition. Zinc levels are thought to parallel serum albumin, and repletion of zinc has reportedly led to increased albumin. We examined the correlation between zinc deficiency and serum proteins in hospitalized patients with AIDS. Over 500 inpatient consultations were performed by our Gastroenterology-Nutrition Consult Service from May 1992 to June 1994. We reviewed the medical records from all 228 AIDS patients in whom a serum zinc level was measured (by atomic absorption spectrophotometry). The correlation between serum zinc, albumin, prealbumin, and transferrin drawn on the same hospital day was analyzed by linear regression. The patients were stratified by the level of albumin, group A albumin 3.0 g/dL, to allow comparison of the incidence of diarrhea and mean zinc level by chi square. Thirty-four patients had more than one serum zinc and albumin determination; the change over time was compared by linear regression. Serum zinc and albumin, prealbumin, and transferrin levels did not correlate strongly (r2 < or = 0.01). Furthermore, changes in zinc over time did not correlate with parallel changes in serum albumin (r2 < or = 0.01). In patients grouped by albumin, the proportion of patients with diarrhea did not differ significantly. The mean zinc levels were also not statistically significantly different. Serum zinc levels do not strongly correlate with serum proteins in hospitalized patients with AIDS. Serial measures of zinc over time also do not correlate strongly with changes in albumin. The incidence of diarrhea was not significantly different in patients with hypoalbuminemia or hypozincemia when compared with patients with near normal albumin or zinc. The relationship between zinc and serum proteins in AIDS patients is not linear. Zinc deficiency should be assessed in patients independent of the serum albumin.
Effects of imperfections on solid-wave gyroscope dynamics

Solid-wave gyroscopes are symmetric resonators that sense rotation by measuring how Coriolis forces perturb a degenerate mode pair. The idealized dynamics of these devices are described by ODE models of two identical oscillators coupled by a perturbation due to rotation. In miniaturized solid-wave gyroscopes, geometric distortions due to imperfect fabrication also perturb the dynamics, and this limits sensing accuracy. In this work, we describe how geometric imperfections affect the dynamics of solid-wave gyroscopes. We also use selection rules both to find qualitative information about what types of geometry perturbations most affect sensor performance and to accelerate computations.
Viscosity dependence of the denitrogenation quantum yield in azoalkane photolysis: experimental evidence for reversible formation of the diazenyl diradical.

Experimental evidence is reported for the reversible formation of the singlet diazenyl diradical (1DZ), photolytically generated from the structurally elaborate DBH-type azoalkane. Reversiblity of ...
Chronic granulomatous disease of childhood with onset of symptoms at age 11 years.

An l l-year-old boy with a febrile illness of one month's duration was admitted to the North Carolina Baptist Hospital. The child had been well except for recurrent suppurative axillary and inguinal adenopathy in the preceding two years. There were no known familial diseases except diabetes. Physical examination revealed a boy who appeared chronically ill. He was normotensive. Temperature was 99.6 ~ F. Height was 56 inches and weight was 68~ pounds. An eczematoid-Iike dermatitis was present on the ears, around the nail of the left thumb, and at the base of the penis. There were healed areas of scarring in the right axillary and inguinal regions. There were several small freely movable
A comparison of cerebral blood flow during basal, hypotensive, hypoxic and hypercapnic conditions between normal and streptozotocin diabetic rats

This study was undertaken to determine the differences (if any) in cerebral blood flow (CBF) between streptozotocin (STZ) diabetic and normal rats. CBF was studied in connection with episodes of hypoxia, hypercapnia and hypotension as compared to the basal condition. Overall basal CBF rates in streptozotocin diabetic rats were significantly higher than in normal animals. However, initial basal flow rates prior to the first challenge were insignificantly higher in the STZ diabetic group. The higher CBF rate in STZ diabetics was also seen during the peak flows of the hypoxic and hypercapnic challenges. Furthermore, although overall CBF decreased for both the normal and STZ diabetic groups during hypotension, higher CBFs were observed in the STZ diabetic group during this challenge. The percent increase in CBF above control resulting from hypoxia or hypercapnia and the changes in CBF resulting from hypotension were not significantly different in the STZ diabetic and normal groups. The results indicate that the STZ diabetic rat regulates CBF in the same manner as the normal rat in response to hypoxia, hypercapnia and hypertension. The STZ diabetic rat executes these CBF responses at a slightly higher CBF rate. In view of the finding that the regulation of CBF is unaltered in the STZ diabetic animal, it is hypothesized that the associated hyperglycemia may be the causative agent for the cerebral ischemic susceptibility associated with long-term diabetes mellitus rather than a failure of CBF regulation.
The conformation of the steroid nucleus.

Beim Cyclohexan und seinen Abkommlingen kann man die nicht an der Ringbildung beteiligten Valenzen der Kohlenstoffatome in «aquatoriale» und «polare» einteilen. Jedes Ringkohlenstoffatom hat eine polare und eine aquatoriale Bindung.