cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Critical Arginine Residue for Maintaining the Bacteriophage Tail Structure

The addition of 0.2 m l-arginine to various T-even bacteriophage preparations inactivated the virus preparations irreversibly. The virus particles were even more sensitive to added d-arginine and l-homoarginine than to l-arginine but were unaffected by arginine analogues with either an altered carboxyl group or guanidyl group. Treatment of phage T2H with 2,3-butanedione, a reagent which specifically reacts with the guanidyl portion of arginine residues, resulted in the apparent in-activation of most of the virus particles. However, after incubation of the treated particles at pH 7.5 at 37 C for 1 hr in the absence of butanedione, the original virus titer almost completely returned. The reactivation was completely inhibited by the presence of 0.2 m d-arginine. It appeared that the virus protein coat was sufficiently plastic so that the initial conformational change resulting from the alteration of an arginine residue (to possibly an ornithine residue) was at least partially reversible and that the virus tail proteins then refolded to produce a stable and active virus particle. These reactivated virus particles were not sensitive to inactivation by d-arginine but could now be rapidly inactivated by l-ornithine. Virus particles inactivated by arginine have altered tail structures. They have contracted tail sheaths still attached to tail plates and still contain tail cores. These properties of virus particles indicate that there is a free carboxyl group and a guanidyl group spatially equivalent to an arginine residue on one component of the virus tail which bind reversibly by means of polar linkages to another tail component. These bonds maintain the integrity of the virus tail. Added arginine appears to compete with this endogenous viral arginine for the binding sites and then to favor an irreversible conformational change.
Giant Ring on the Prairie

Fermilab . Physics, the Frontier, and Megascience. By Lillian Hoddeson, Adrienne W. Kolb, and Catherine Westfall . University of Chicago Press, Chicago, 2008. 513 pp. $45, £31. ISBN 9780226346236. This detailed history illuminates the technical, sociological, and political complexities of establishing and operating a laboratory at the frontier of big physics.
Energy analysis of crack-damage interaction

The energy release rates associated with a main crack propagating into a surrounding damage zone, and a damage zone translation relative to the main crack, as well as an energy of interaction between the two are analyzed. The displacement and stress fields for the crack-damage interaction problem are reconstructed employing a semi-empirical stress analysis and experimental evaluation of the average craze density in the crazed zone.
The Rhythm of Perception Entrainment to Acoustic Rhythms Induces Subsequent Perceptual Oscillation

Acoustic rhythms are pervasive in speech, music, and environmental sounds. Recent evidence for neural codes representing periodic information suggests that they may be a neural basis for the ability to detect rhythm. Further, rhythmic information has been found to modulate auditory-system excitability, which provides a potential mechanism for parsing the acoustic stream. Here, we explored the effects of a rhythmic stimulus on subsequent auditory perception. We found that a low-frequency (3 Hz), amplitude-modulated signal induces a subsequent oscillation of the perceptual detectability of a brief nonperiodic acoustic stimulus (1-kHz tone); the frequency but not the phase of the perceptual oscillation matches the entrained stimulus-driven rhythmic oscillation. This provides evidence that rhythmic contexts have a direct influence on subsequent auditory perception of discrete acoustic events. Rhythm coding is likely a fundamental feature of auditory-system design that predates the development of explicit human enjoyment of rhythm in music or poetry.
Molecular analysis of recombination in a family with Duchenne muscular dystrophy and a large pericentric X chromosome inversion.

It has been demonstrated in animal studies that, in animals heterozygous for pericentric chromosomal inversions, loop formation is greatly reduced during meiosis. This results in absence of recombination within the inverted segment, with recombination seen only outside the inversion. A recent study in yeast has shown that telomeres, rather than centromeres, lead in chromosome movement just prior to meiosis and may be involved in promoting recombination. We studied by cytogenetic analysis and DNA polymorphisms the nature of meiotic recombination in a three-generation family with a large pericentric X chromosome inversion, inv(X)(p21.1q26), in which Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) was cosegregating with the inversion. On DNA analysis there was no evidence of meiotic recombination between the inverted and normal X chromosomes in the inverted segment. Recombination was seen at the telomeric regions, Xp22 and Xq27-28. No deletion or point mutation was found on analysis of the DMD gene. On the basis of the FISH results, we believe that the X inversion is the mutation responsible for DMD in this family. Our results indicate that (1) pericentric X chromosome inversions result in reduction of recombination between the normal and inverted X chromosomes; (2) meiotic X chromosome pairing in these individuals is likely initiatedmore » at the telomeres; and (3) in this family DMD is caused by the pericentric inversion. 50 refs., 7 figs., 1 tab.« less
State's Rights, Last Rites, and Voting Rights

There are two ways to read the Court's decision in Shelby County, as a minimalist decision and as a decision that has undermined the basic infrastructure of voting rights policy, law, and jurisprudence. In this Essay, we present the case for reading Shelby County as deeply destabilizing. We argue that Shelby County has undermined three assumptions that are foundational to voting rights policy, law, and jurisprudence. First, the Court has generally granted primacy of the federal government over the states. Second, the Court has deferred to Congress particularly where Congress is regulating at the intersection of race and voting. Third, the Court and Congress have understood that racial discrimination is the problem and have operated from a similar conception of what racial discrimination means. Shelby County undermines all three assumptions. We explore what this means for voting rights policy, law, and jurisprudence going forward.
On the estimation algorithm for adaptive performance optimization of turbofan engines

The performance seeking control (PSC) algorithm is designed to continuously optimize the performance of propulsion systems. The PSC algorithm uses a nominal propulsion system model and estimates, in flight, the engine deviation parameters (EDPs) characterizing the engine deviations with respect to nominal conditions. In practice, because of measurement biases and/or model uncertainties, the estimated EDPs may not reflect the engine's actual off-nominal condition. This factor has a direct impact on the PSC scheme exacerbated by the open-loop character of the algorithm. In this paper, the effects produced by unknown measurement biases over the estimation algorithm are evaluated. This evaluation allows for identification of the most critical measurements for application of the PSC algorithm to an F100 engine. An equivalence relation between the biases and EDPs stems from the analysis; therefore, it is undecided whether the estimated EDPs represent the actual engine deviation or whether they simply reflect the measurement biases. A new algorithm, based on the engine's (steady-state) optimization model, is proposed and tested with flight data. When compared with previous Kalman filter schemes, based on local engine dynamic models, the new algorithm is easier to design and tune and it reduces the computational burden of the onboard computer.
‘REPUBLICANIZING’ KANT'S REPUBLIC: MAKING POLITICS‘ TRIBUTE TO MORALITY COUNT

This article explores the relationship between Kant's political and moral thought. I argue that the “homage” Kant claims politics should pay to morality, if it is to be authentic, cannot be understood as the mere establishment of a system of public justice (Recht). While public justice ensures that the external freedom or capacity for choice of each is harmonized with the same freedom in all—a moral concern—it necessarily remains indifferent to the quality of will that under girds this liberal order. Similarly, Kant s attempt in the Critique of Judgment to link politics to morality via “culture”—a virtue-oriented Bildung resting securely on the foundation of a “civil community”—proves, by Kant's own standards, to be flawed. However, lying dormant in Kant's philosophy is another avenue connecting politics and morality—participatory democracy. Although this alternative was not advocated by Kant, I demonstrate that his writings gesture toward it, that it is not inconsistent with the spirit of either his moral or political philosophy.
Data Clustering and Other Archive Retrieval Strategies for Teleradiology and Picture Archiving and Communication Systems

A key advantage in the conversion from film-based to digital radiology is the possibility of a long-term on line electronic archival of patient studies. The popular approach based on optical disk jukeboxes for the long-term archive and magnetic disk storage for data caching is not economically attractive because of the cost of both the jukebox and the medium. Strategies for extending the archival system design with a tape jukebox have been studied. The proposed strategy calls for the use of high-ratio lossy compression together with low-cost tape storage to make long-term on line archiving more affordable. An intelligent prefetching algorithm based on hospital information system and radiologic information system triggers, which in turn are augmented by manual case preparation, can effectively overcome the longer latency of ad hoc retrievals. This longer latency is caused by both system-level bottlenecks and the sequential access constraint of the tape drive. Strategies for image clustering and tape allocation by patient classification also enhance retrieval efficiency. This archival design using image compression, prefetching, and clustering could be implemented in many of the existing teleradiology and picture archiving and communication systems.
Landfill disposal of CCA-treated wood with construction and demolition (C&D) debris: arsenic, chromium, and copper concentrations in leachate

Although phased out of many residential uses in the United States, the disposal of CCA-treated wood remains a concern because significant quantities have yet to be taken out of service, and it is commonly disposed in landfills. Catastrophic events have also led to the concentrated disposal of CCA-treated wood, often in unlined landfills. The goal of this research was to simulate the complex chemical and biological activity of a construction and demolition (C&D) debris landfill containing a realistic quantity of CCA-treated wood (10% by mass), produce leachate, and then evaluate the arsenic, copper, and chromium concentrations in the leachate as an indication of what may occur in a landfill setting. Copper concentrations were not significantly elevated in the control or experimental simulated landfill setting (alpha = 0.05). However, the concentrations of arsenic and chromium were significantly higher in the experimental simulated landfill leachate compared to the control simulated landfill leachate (alpha = 0.05, p < 0.001). This indicates that disposal of CCA-treated wood with C&D debris can impact leachate quality which, in turn could affect leachate management practices or aquifers below unlined landfills.
Kinetics of the acid and alkaline hydrolysis of Monofluorophosphite

The kinetics of the acid and alkaline hydrolysis of monoflorophosphorous acid has been studied by P-31 NMR and static pH titration over a wide temperature range. The acid catalyzed hydrolysis has a rate constant at 25°C equal to 0.35 dm3 mol−1 s−1 and an activation energy of 53 kJ while the alkaline hydrolysis has a rate constant of 4.6 dm3 mol−1 s−1 and an activation energy of 42 kJ. When the hydrogen in this compound is replaced by either fluorine or a hydroxyl group, the rates of reaction decrease by two orders of magnitude. © 1994 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
THE RIBONUCLEASE ACTIVITY OF NUCLEOLAR PROTEIN B23

Protein B23 is an abundant nucleolar protein and putative ribosome assembly factor. The protein was analyzed for ribonuclease activity using RNA-embedded gels and perchloric acid precipitation assays. Three purified bacterially expressed forms of the protein, B23.1, B23.2 and an N-terminal polyhistidine tagged B23.1 as well as the natural protein were found to have ribonuclease activity. However, the specific activity of recombinant B23.1 was approximately 5-fold greater than that of recombinant B23.2. The activity was insensitive to human placental ribonuclease inhibitor, but was inhibited by calf thymus DNA in a dose dependent manner. The enzyme exhibited activity over a broad range of pH with an apparent optimum at pH 7.5. The activity was stimulated by but not dependent on the presence of low concentrations of Ca2+, Mg2+ or NaCl. The Ca2+ effect was saturable and only stimulatory in nature. In contrast, Mg2+ and NaCl exhibited optimal concentrations for stimulation and both inhibited the ribonuclease at concentrations above these optima. These data suggest that protein B23 has intrinsic ribonuclease activity. The location of protein B23 in subcompartments of the nucleolus that contain preribosomal RNA suggests that its ribonuclease activity plays a role in the processing of preribosomal RNA.
State licensing laws and the interstate practice of occupational medicine.

In 1996, the Occupational Health Law and Policy Section of the American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine (ACOEM) was asked to undertake a study of state licensing regulations after the prosecution of an ACOEM member for practicing medicine without a license. In response to that member's experience, the ACOEM House of Delegates passed a resolution asking the College to lobby individual states for an exclusion to their licensing acts for occupational and environmental physicians. Recognizing the tremendous obstacles to this task, the ACOEM Board of Directors then referred the issue to the Occupational Health Law and Policy Section for further study and analysis. What follows is a report of that study, including the results ofa survey mailed to the licensing authorities of the 50 US states and four US territories. The results of this study are not meant to offer advice to College members regarding compliance with specific state licensing regulations, nor does it define the official position of the states that responded. States that responded were careful to disclaim their responses as the official position of their states' agencies and were assured that the responses were provided for informational purposes only. The purpose of the survey was not to provide information for reference but simply to identify general trends and document the various positions that states may take on certain licensing issues. NOTE: Individuals who may engage in any activity that could conceivably be construed as the practice of medicine in any state in which they are not licensed should consult with the relevant licensing authorities for the most recent official position and guidance.
Changes in nitrogen concentrations of corn leaves near silking time.

Abstract Precision in tissue testing to characterize the nitrogen (N) status of corn (Zea mays L.) is more important than ever before because of current concerns about the effects of N fertilizers on environmental quality. This study was conducted to assess the importance of errors associated with differences in physiological age of plants when plots receiving various rates of N fertilizer are sampled at a single time during the period of silk emergence. Ear leaf samples were collected at four times between early and late silking from five experiments at different locations in Iowa during 1987. Nitrogen deficiencies delayed silking by less than 2 days. After adjustments for delays in the onset of silking, the rates of silk emergence were similar for all N rates. Rapid rates of silk emergence indicated that it is practically impossible to sample leaves at a specific silking percentage such as 50 or 75%. Leaf N concentrations were not significantly influenced by time of sampling during the period of silk em...
Rapid aging and dynamic surface tension of dilute aqueous solutions

Abstract The mechanism controlling rapid aging of surfaces of aqueous solutions is considered with reference to the variation of dynamic surface tension with time. The Ward—Tordai and Sutherland results for the diffusion-controlled mechanism are critically discussed and a new surface model is introduced which reduces to the Sutherland result as a special case. The diffusion-controlled mechanism is inadequate for aqueous solutions of mono-alcohols. Satifactory agreement between experiment and theory is obtained through introduction of first-order adsorption kinetics, but only for values of the adsorption rate constant which make the governing relation a complex-variable equation.
Substance Use and Attitudes on Professional Conduct among Medical Students: A Single-Institution Study.

Objective This study sought to examine how specific substance-use behavior, including nonmedical prescription stimulant (NPS) use, among U.S. medical students correlates with their attitudes and beliefs toward professionalism.
Activation of Epithelial Cells and Lymphocytes by Staphylococcal Enterotoxin B Induces Profound Expression of Inflammatory Cytokines and Chemokines

Enterotoxin B Induces Profound Expression of Inflammatory Cytokines and Chemokines D. A. Wagner, S. C. Shin, B. P. Tancowny, R. P. Schleimer, L. C. Grammer; Allergy and Immunology, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL. RATIONALE: Staphylococcal enterotoxins B (SEB) function as superantigens (Sag), stimulating lymphocytes to produce proinflammatory cytokines and chemokines. Since airways in chronic rhinosinusitis contain Sag, we investigated inflammatory responses of epithelial cells and lymphocytes triggered by SEB. METHODS: BEAS2B airway epithelial cells were cultured with/without purified T lymphocytes and stimulated with medium or SEB toxin (100ng/ml) after pretreatment with medium or interferon gamma (50ng/ml for 24 hours). Supernatants/mRNA were isolated/analyzed for the expression of chemokines, cytokines and inflammatory mediators using Cytokine Bead Array Assays and Taqman Real-Time PCR. RESULTS: Direct stimulation of BEAS2B cells with SEB did not induce chemokine expression and caused only a modest induction of B7-H1 and SAA (average 3.2, 1.3 fold control respectively, n=3). After pretreatment with interferon gamma a greater direct response of BEAS2B cells to SEB was evident (B7-H1 17 fold, SAA 129 fold control, n=3). Profound expression of chemokines & cytokines was observed when epithelial cells were co-cultured with purified T cells and 100ng/ml SEB (For IP-10: BEAS2B, 63 +/28 pg/ml; T cells, 106 +/17 pg/ml; BEAS2B + T cells, 360,000 +/67,000 pg/ml; P=0.0001. For MIG: BEAS2B, 9 +/5 pg/ml; T cells, 22 +/22 pg/ml; BEAS2B + T cells, 290,000 +/87,000 pg/ml; P=0.004. For TNF alpha: BEAS2B, 7 +/4 pg/ml; T cells, 247 +/104 pg/ml; BEAS2B + T cells, 799 +/324 pg/ml; P=0.05). CONCLUSIONS: These data suggest profound production of specific cytokines & chemokines is induced by Sag as a result of interactions between epithelial cells & T lymphocytes. Funding: Ernest S. Bazley Asthma and Allergic Diseases Center
Orally delivered siRNA targeting macrophage Map4k4 suppresses systemic inflammation

The therapeutic potential of gene silencing with siRNAs (short interfering RNAs) is great — in theory. In practice many obstacles will need to be overcome before it becomes a practical proposition, and one of those is the safe delivery of the siRNA to its target tissue. A new delivery system described in this issue may prove to be a significant step towards that end. siRNAs designed to silence expression of the enzyme MAP4k4 in macrophages were encapsulated in micrometre-sized β1,3-D-glucan particles and administered orally to mice. The encapsulated siRNA increased survival rates in mice with lipopolysaccharide-induced inflammation — a common model for inflammatory diseases — and suppressed systemic inflammation. The method is up to 250 times more potent in vivo than previously reported forms of systemic siRNA delivery. Encapsulated small interfering RNA nanoparticles are shown to silence a kinase mediator of inflammatory responses in mice in vitro and in vivo. Gene silencing by double-stranded RNA, denoted RNA interference, represents a new paradigm for rational drug design1. However, the transformative therapeutic potential of short interfering RNA (siRNA) has been stymied by a key obstacle—safe delivery to specified target cells in vivo2. Macrophages are particularly attractive targets for RNA interference therapy because they promote pathogenic inflammatory responses in diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, atherosclerosis, inflammatory bowel disease and diabetes3. Here we report the engineering of β1,3-d-glucan-encapsulated siRNA particles (GeRPs) as efficient oral delivery vehicles that potently silence genes in mouse macrophages in vitro and in vivo. Oral gavage of mice with GeRPs containing as little as 20 μg kg-1 siRNA directed against tumour necrosis factor α (Tnf-α) depleted its messenger RNA in macrophages recovered from the peritoneum, spleen, liver and lung, and lowered serum Tnf-α levels. Screening with GeRPs for inflammation genes revealed that the mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase kinase kinase 4 (Map4k4) is a previously unknown mediator of cytokine expression. Importantly, silencing Map4k4 in macrophages in vivo protected mice from lipopolysaccharide-induced lethality by inhibiting Tnf-α and interleukin-1β production. This technology defines a new strategy for oral delivery of siRNA to attenuate inflammatory responses in human disease.
Harvard Aging Brain Study: Dataset and accessibility

The Harvard Aging Brain Study is sharing its data with the global research community. The longitudinal dataset consists of a 284-subject cohort with the following modalities acquired: demographics, clinical assessment, comprehensive neuropsychological testing, clinical biomarkers, and neuroimaging. To promote more extensive analyses, imaging data was designed to be compatible with other publicly available datasets. A cloud-based system enables access to interested researchers with blinded data available contingent upon completion of a data usage agreement and administrative approval. Data collection is ongoing and currently in its fifth year.
Nodal Status, Number of Lymph Nodes Examined, and Lymph Node Ratio: What Defines Prognosis after Resection of Colon Adenocarcinoma?

Background Lymph node ratio (LNR) has been proposed as an optimal staging variable for colorectal cancer. However, the interactive effect of total number of lymph nodes examined (TNLE) and the number of metastatic lymph nodes (NMLN) on survival has not been well characterized. Study Design Patients operated on for colon cancer between 1998 and 2007 were identified from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database (n = 154,208) and randomly divided into development (75%) and validation (25%) datasets. The association of the TNLE and NMLN on survival was assessed using the Cox proportional hazards model with terms for interaction and nonlinearity with restricted cubic spline functions. Findings were confirmed in the validation dataset. Results Both TNLE and NMLN were nonlinearly associated with survival. Patients with no lymph node metastasis had a decrease in the risk of death for each lymph node examined up to approximately 25 lymph nodes, while the effect of TNLE was negligible after approximately 10 negative lymph nodes (NNLN) in those with lymph node metastasis. The hazard ratio varied considerably according to the TNLE for a given LNR when LNR ≥ 0.5, ranging from 2.88 to 7.16 in those with an LNR = 1. The independent effects of NMLN and NNLN on survival were summarized in a model-based score, the N score. When patients in the validation set were categorized according to the N stage, the LNR, and the N score, only the N score was unaffected by differences in the TNLE. Conclusions The effect of the TNLE on survival does not have a unique, strong threshold (ie, 12 lymph nodes). The combined effect of NMLN and TNLE is complex and is not appropriately represented by the LNR. The N score may be an alternative to the N stage for prognostication of patients with colon cancer because it accounts for differences in nodal samples.
“Civilians in Uniform”: Class and Politics in the British Armed Forces, 1939–1945

The essay examines the British army's transformation from a small professional force into a mass conscript army between 1939 and 1945. Battlefield defeats and criticism of the nation's conduct of the war acted as a stimulus to reform in the early years. Examining such areas as officer selection, discipline, and the expansion of army education services (ABCA), the essay shows how the military adapted to the recruitment of millions of “civilians in uniform” and in some instances worked to contain or resist change. Special attention is given to class conflicts that arose between officers and “other ranks” and situations where perceived indifference to recruits' basic rights provoked protests and strikes, including protests over slow demobilization in 1946. A final section analyzes the role of ABCA and the forces press in creating a space for political discussion; the radical views prevalent among British servicemen; and the contradictions between the official ban on political debate in the forces, the rhetoric of “a people's war,” and the troops' growing focus on postwar reconstruction and the General Election of 1945.
The Protein-Folding Problem, 50 Years On

The protein-folding problem was first posed about one half-century ago. The term refers to three broad questions: (i) What is the physical code by which an amino acid sequence dictates a protein's native structure? (ii) How can proteins fold so fast? (iii) Can we devise a computer algorithm to predict protein structures from their sequences? We review progress on these problems. In a few cases, computer simulations of the physical forces in chemically detailed models have now achieved the accurate folding of small proteins. We have learned that proteins fold rapidly because random thermal motions cause conformational changes leading energetically downhill toward the native structure, a principle that is captured in funnel-shaped energy landscapes. And thanks in part to the large Protein Data Bank of known structures, predicting protein structures is now far more successful than was thought possible in the early days. What began as three questions of basic science one half-century ago has now grown into the full-fledged research field of protein physical science.
RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN GROWTH IN GROSS DOMESTIC PRODUCT (GDP) AND GROWTH IN THE CHEMICAL ENGINEERING LITERATURE IN FIVE DIFFERENT COUNTRIES

Data were compiled and linearly correlated on the growth in the gross domestic product (GDP) with the academic chemical engineering literature over a recent 26-year period for five different English-speaking countries, namely, the United States, Canada, Great Britain, India and Australia. The publication figures were also scaled to the total number of chemical engineering schools in the country; furthermore, all of these data were normalized from zero to unity, using the figures for the most recent year (1996) as the denominators, and then correlated against each other in linear fashion. Resulting confidence levels were in excess of 99% for each of the individual five countries, as well as for the entire set of normalized data for all of the countries.
Atom deposition on surface clusters: thin film growth on Pd(111)

Abstract We have studied the vapor phase deposition of single metal atoms on two-dimensional clusters at the Pd(111) surface. The system considered here are heptamers and dodecamers for the substrate temperature of 100 K. Using molecular dynamics simulations with the corrected effective medium potentials for Pd, Cu and Rh, we have found that an adatom either diffuses on the cluster or incorporates itself into the cluster depending on the size of clusters and the kind of metals in the gas/cluster system. We also discovered that incorporation of a deposited gas atom into a surface cluster at 100 K was not a consequence of the reduction of the barrier heights at the step edges and that the type of post-impact dynamics for hexagonal heptamers depends on the impact point.
Reactivity of singlet oxygen toward strained substrates and a novel non-photochemical method for determination of quenching constants of singlet oxygen.

Abstract Rate constants for quenching of 1 O 2 by a number of strained molecules have been determined by the competitive rubrene photooxidation method; the rate constant for quenching by Q may be evaluated by adaption of a kinetic analysis already in the literature for the rubrene photooxidation method.
Implantation of sterile electrodes in chronic animals

Abstract A simple and rapid technique which obviates the need for soldering over a surgically exposed preparation is described.
Nonmelanoma skin cancer in inflammatory bowel disease: A review†

At least 1 million new cases of nonmelanoma skin cancer (NMSC) are diagnosed in the United States each year and the incidence is increasing. A higher incidence of NMSC in organ transplant recipients on immunosuppression has been documented for some time, and recent studies indicate that patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), particularly those treated with immunosuppressive medications, might also be at higher risk for this condition. In this review we summarize recent data evaluating the associations between immunomodulators, antitumor necrosis factor-α biologic agents and NMSC in patients with IBD and other autoimmune conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis. We also offer recommendations for prevention of NMSC in these populations.
Changes in blood flow and cellular metabolism at a myofascial trigger point with trigger point release (ischemic compression): a proof-of-principle pilot study.

Abstract Objective To demonstrate proof-of-principle measurement for physiologic change within an active myofascial trigger point (MTrP) undergoing trigger point release (ischemic compression). Design Interstitial fluid was sampled continuously at a trigger point before and after intervention. Setting A biomedical research clinic at a university hospital. Participants Subjects (N=2) from a pain clinic who had chronic headache pain. Interventions A single microdialysis catheter was inserted into an active MTrP of the upper trapezius to allow for continuous sampling of interstitial fluid before and after application of trigger point therapy by a massage therapist. Main Outcome Measures Procedural success, pain tolerance, feasibility of intervention during sample collection, and determination of physiologically relevant values for local blood flow as well as glucose and lactate concentrations. Results Both patients tolerated the microdialysis probe insertion into the MTrP and treatment intervention without complication. Glucose and lactate concentrations were measured in the physiologic range. After intervention, a sustained increase in lactate was noted for both subjects. Conclusions Identifying physiologic constituents of MTrPs after intervention is an important step toward understanding pathophysiology and resolution of myofascial pain. The present study forwards that aim by showing that proof-of-concept for collection of interstitial fluid from an MTrP before and after intervention can be accomplished using microdialysis, thus providing methodological insight toward treatment mechanism and pain resolution. Of the biomarkers measured in this study, lactate may be the most relevant for detection and treatment of abnormalities in the MTrP.
Smart coating materials for frequency-selective surface

An effort in designing and manufacturing a tunable frequency-selective multilayer coating material is reported. When a material (metallic or dielectric) is coated with such a composite layer, the reflection from this coated surface will follow a particular frequency spectrum which is application oriented. In addition, to achieve the required temporal frequency response, voltages of different magnitudes can be applied to different layers of the composite coating material at a different time. Because the dielectric constants of a number of layers can be altered temporally under this tuning process, the coated surface will respond to the observer in a specific manner at a given time. A multilayer coating whose constituent layers are made of different Porous Barium Strontium Titanate materials (BST) can provide great freedom and an unprecedented advantage in the design work. We can tailor and tune the properties of BST materials used in each layer provided these materials can be actually made in our research center. In addition, to satisfy the required spectral response, the detailed dispersion characteristics of the coating properties can be achieved by introducing sandwiched dielectric composite layers.© (1993) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Continuous arterial pressure waveform monitoring in pediatric cardiac transplant, cardiomyopathy and pulmonary hypertension patients

A continuous cardiac output monitor based on arterial pressure waveform (FloTrac™/Vigileo™; Edwards Lifesciences, Irvine, CA) is now approved for use in adults but not in children. This device is minimally invasive, calculates cardiac output continuously and in real time, and is easy to use. Our study sought to validate the FloTrac™ with the pulmonary artery catheter (PAC) intermittent thermodilution technique in pediatric cardiac patients. This was a prospective pilot study comparing cardiac output measurements obtained via the FloTrac™ and arterial pressure waveform analysis with intermittent thermodilution. Subjects carried the diagnosis of pulmonary hypertension or cardiomyopathy, or were in the postoperative course after orthotopic heart transplantation. Enrolled in the study were 31 subjects, and 136 data points were obtained. The age range was 8 months to 16 years. The mean body surface area (BSA) was 1.1 m2. Bland-Altman plots for the mean cardiac outputs of all subjects with a BSA ≥1 m2 showed limits of agreement of −2.7 to 8.0 l/min (±5.4 l/min). Patients with a BSA ≤1 m2 demonstrated even wider limits of agreement (±8.5 l/min). The intraclass correlation for the PAC was 0.929 and 0.992 for the FloTrac™. There was poor agreement between the PAC and FloTrac™ in measuring cardiac output in a population of children with pulmonary hypertension or cardiomyopathy, or after cardiac transplantation. This is in contrast to adult studies published thus far. This suggests that the utility of the FloTrac™ and measurements obtained from arterial pulse wave analysis in children is uncertain at this time.
The Role of Cardiac Myosin Light Chain 2V Phosphorylation in the Healthy and Failing Myocardium

While a number of factors underlie cardiac dysfunction in HF, recent attention has fallen on phosphorylation changes in myofilament proteins, notably the regulatory proteins. Cardiac myosin regulatory light chain (cMLC2) is a 166 amino acid protein located on the hinge region of myosin heavy chain and optimally positioned to modulate contraction. Recent studies have shown that cMLC2v contributes to regulating cardiac pump function and allows for beat-to-beat tuning of the myosin motor arm. Humans, as well as large rodents such as rabbits, have high sequence homology and a single phosphorylation site at ser15. We hypothesize that human MLC2v phosphorylation is a critical regulator of myocyte contraction that is dysregulated in HF and that increasing MLC2v phosphorylation with myosin light chain kinase (MLCK) can partially reverse the dysfunction seen with HF. Human donor or HF permeabilized cardiac tissue were incubated with either alkaline phosphatase to reduce phosphorylation or PKA to induce maximal phosphorylation of the other myofilament proteins. Maximal cMLC2v phosphorylation was then achieved by incubation with MLCK. Force-calcium relationship, rate of tension redevelopment, tension cost and length dependent activation was determined. To assess the role of cMLC2v phosphorylation on dynamic regulation of length dependent activation, intact rabbit cardiomyocytes were isolated from rabbit hearts and transfected with MLCK to provide maximal cMLC2v phosphorylation. Cells were then attached using a force transducer and length controller and a simulated length-force relationship, which approximate the pressure-volume relationship in vivo, was evaluated at different diastolic sarcomere lengths. We show that MLC2v phosphorylation is a critical regulator of myocyte contraction that is dysregulated in the failing heart and treatment with MLCK can partially reverse the dysfunction seen with HF.
Robust design optimization of structures through consideration of variation

Abstract Optimal structural design is considered under the presence of variation in loading, geometry and material properties. A Monte Carlo simulation is embedded in a genetic optimization algorithm to produce an output distribution for the objective function and constraint functions at each design evaluation. A hybrid genetic/non-linear-programming algorithm is used with a multi-objective formulation to locate a design that is optimal under the primary design criteria, but is simultaneously insensitive to variation. Cross-sectional, geometric and topological design changes are considered. Specific examples presented include a truss structure and an automotive inner body panel. The goal is to produce optimal designs that map better to the designer's intent.
Prolonged infusion of angiotensin II in apoE(-/-) mice promotes macrophage recruitment with continued expansion of abdominal aortic aneurysm.

Angiotensin II (AngII) infusion initiates abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) development due to medial disruption and results in luminal dilation and thrombus formation. The objective of this study was to determine whether AAA progressed during protracted AngII infusion. Male apoE−/− mice were infused with AngII using miniosmotic pumps. On day 27, suprarenal aortic luminal diameters were ultrasonically measured to identify mice exhibiting AAAs. Mice were designated to three groups with similar mean luminal dilation. Group 1 mice were sacrificed on day 28. Group 2 and 3 mice were subsequently infused with saline or AngII, respectively, for an additional 56 days. In Group 2, saline infusion—after the initial 28 days of AngII infusion—led to an immediate decrease in systolic blood pressure. Over the subsequent 56 days of saline infusion, there were no aneurysm-related deaths or significant changes in luminal diameter. In contrast, continuous AngII infusion in Group 3 maintained persistently increased systolic blood pressure, with aneurysmal rupture–associated deaths, increased luminal diameters, and tissue remodeling. Aortic aneurysmal segments that expanded during continuous AngII infusion exhibited macrophage accumulation in regions of medial disruption, predominantly on the adventitial aspect. Macrophages immunostained for CD206 more than for iNOS, consistent with an M2 phenotype. In conclusion, prolonged AngII infusion promotes AAA expansion, and is associated with enhanced rupture rates and increased macrophage infiltration.
Research Spotlight: The rain that drowned Pakistan could have been predicted

[1] In the middle of the week, during the heart of summer, at the onset of the 2010 monsoon season, the northern end of Pakistan was pounded by torrential rain. Some areas of the country were drowned in 300 millimeters (11.8 inches) of rain over 4 days—10 times the seasonal average. The extreme rainfall caused widespread flooding, killing 2000 people and causing more than $40 billion in damage by the time it let up and the water withdrew. A new analysis by Webster et al. suggests that some of this damage might have been prevented, because the heavy rains that triggered the flooding could have been predicted. (Geophysical Research Letters, doi:10.1029/2010GL046346, 2011)
Body image ups and downs: prediction of intra-individual level and variability of women's daily body image experiences.

Abstract This investigation assessed body image states in the context of everyday life among 108 college women. Participants initially completed measures of body image traits and eating attitudes and subsequently called an automated telephonic response system twice daily for 6 days to convey current body image experiences on the Body Image States Scale. The research examined the extent to which selected pretest variables predicted the level and variability of body image states. As hypothesized, less favorable body image state levels were associated with lower trait body image satisfaction, more body image dysphoria, more dysfunctional investment in appearance, more disturbed eating attitudes, and the use of less adaptive and more maladaptive body image coping strategies. Also as expected, body image variability was predicted by psychological investment in one’s appearance, disturbed eating attitudes, and appearance-fixing coping strategies. Implications of the results and future research directions are discussed.
Monte Carlo studies of the quantum XY model in two dimensions

Monte Carlo simulations are performed for the spin-\textonehalf{} $\mathrm{XY}$ model in two dimensions for large (up to 24\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}24 sites) lattices. Results are obtained over a wide temperature range which includes the critical temperature ${T}_{c}$, estimated to be 0.4-0.5. The energy, specific heat, vortex density, and derivative of the helicity modulus are given as functions of temperature. As the lattice size is increased, the specific heat per spin approaches a finite value and does not diverge.
Analogic: inference beyond logic

Analogic is the unique class of many-valued, non-monotonic logics which preserves the richness of inferences in (Boolean) logic and the manipulability of (Boolean) algebra underlying logic, and, in addition, contains a number of unexpected, emergent properties which extend inferentiability in non-trivial ways beyond the limits of logic. For example, one such inference is rada (reductio ad absurdum, reasoning by contradiction, but now in the absence of excluded middle). This is important to retain since direct proofs of many theorems are not known. Another example is chaining. Transitivity is uncommon in many-valued logics; however, in analogic we can carry out inferences in either direction even through weak links in the chain. The latter, impossible in logic, simulate intuitive leaps in reasoning. Protologic effects inferences using only (n+1) implications which require 2n implications in logic. Indeed protologic has no counterpart in logic, or any other form of reasoning. Analogic is useful in formulating problems which are largely inferential including document and pattern classification and retrieval. These inference properties, long sought after in alternative logics by adding appropriate axioms or other indicative implicit or explicit restrictions, are now available in analogic, in turn the result of removing an axiom and letting inferences become many-valued.
Evolution of the New Pathway Curriculum at Harvard Medical School: The New Integrated Curriculum

In 1985, Harvard Medical School adopted a "New Pathway" curriculum, based on active, adult learning through problem-based, faculty-facilitated small-group tutorials designed to promote lifelong skills of self-directed learning. Despite the successful integration of clinically relevant material in basic science courses, the New Pathway goals were confined primarily to the preclinical years. In addition, the shifting balance in the delivery of health care from inpatient to ambulatory settings limited the richness of clinical education in clinical clerkships, creating obstacles for faculty in their traditional roles as teachers. In 2006, Harvard Medical School adopted a more integrated curriculum based on four principles that emerged after half a decade of self-reflection and planning: (1) integrate the teaching of basic/population science and clinical medicine throughout the entire student experience; (2) reestablish meaningful and intensive faculty-student interactions and reengage the faculty; (3) develop a new model of clinical education that offers longitudinal continuity of patient experience, cross-disciplinary curriculum, faculty mentoring, and student evaluation; and (4) provide opportunities for all students to pursue an in-depth, faculty-mentored scholarly project. These principles of our New Integrated Curriculum reflect our vision for a curriculum that fosters a partnership between students and faculty in the pursuit of scholarship and leadership.
Action change detection in video by covariance matching of silhouette tunnels

Action recognition is an important but challenging problem in video analytics with a number of solutions proposed to date. However, even if a reliable model for action representation is identified and an accurate metric for comparing actions is developed, it is still unclear to how many video frames should the representation and comparison apply. In this paper, we develop a method to detect when actions change, i.e., the temporal boundaries of actions, without classifying the actions. We use a silhouette-based framework for action representation and comparison, both centered around dimensionality reduction using covariance descriptors. We use a nonparametric statistical framework to learn the distribution of the distance between covariance descriptors and detect action changes as covariance-distance outliers. Experimental results on ground-truth data show 1.64% false negative error and 0.19% false positive error, while those for surveillance video agree 100% with manual annotations.
Histologic evaluation of human cadaveric fascia lata in a rabbit vagina model

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the histologic response of human cadaveric fascia lata after vaginal implantation. Freeze-dried, gamma-irradiated cadaveric fascia lata from three lots was implanted between the rectovaginal membrane and vaginal epithelium in New Zealand white rabbits. Rabbits were killed at 2, 4, 8, and 12 weeks after implantation. At necropsy, gross findings were described and specimens for routine cultures were taken. Histologic evaluation determined graft integrity, neovascularization, inflammatory response, and host tissue incorporation. Nine rabbits were available for histologic analysis and 14 for gross and microbiologic analysis. Vaginal erosions occurred with three grafts. The remainder were adherent to the surrounding tissues. Erosion was associated with bacterial colonization of the graft. Autolysis of one graft occurred at 4 weeks. Over time, the inflammatory response decreased and neovascularization increased; by 12 weeks, the graft collagen was replaced by host collagen. Cadaveric fascia lata serves as scaffolding for host tissue incorporation with replacement by host collagen.