cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
APOBEC Mutagenesis Is Concordant between Tumor and Viral Genomes in HPV-Positive Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma

APOBEC is a mutagenic source in human papillomavirus (HPV)-mediated malignancies, including HPV+ oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (HPV + OPSCC), and in HPV genomes. It is unknown why APOBEC mutations predominate in HPV + OPSCC, or if the APOBEC-induced mutations observed in both human cancers and HPV genomes are directly linked. We performed sequencing of host somatic exomes, transcriptomes, and HPV16 genomes from 79 HPV + OPSCC samples, quantifying APOBEC mutational burden and activity in both host and virus. APOBEC was the dominant mutational signature in somatic exomes. In viral genomes, there was a mean of five (range 0–29) mutations per genome. The mean of APOBEC mutations in viral genomes was one (range 0–5). Viral APOBEC mutations, compared to non-APOBEC mutations, were more likely to be low-variant allele fraction mutations, suggesting that APOBEC mutagenesis actively occurrs in viral genomes during infection. HPV16 APOBEC-induced mutation patterns in OPSCC were similar to those previously observed in cervical samples. Paired host and viral analyses revealed that APOBEC-enriched tumor samples had higher viral APOBEC mutation rates (p = 0.028), and APOBEC-associated RNA editing (p = 0.008), supporting the concept that APOBEC mutagenesis in host and viral genomes is directly linked and occurrs during infection. Using paired sequencing of host somatic exomes, transcriptomes, and viral genomes, we demonstrated for the first-time definitive evidence of concordance between tumor and viral APOBEC mutagenesis. This finding provides a missing link connecting APOBEC mutagenesis in host and virus and supports a common mechanism driving APOBEC dysregulation.
Material-Sparing Approach using Differential Scanning Calorimeter and Response Surface Methodology for Process Optimization of Hot-Melt Extrusion.

Abstract The objective of the present investigations was to demonstrate the applicability of DSC combined with response surface methodology as a material-sparing tool for determination of the processing conditions for HME during initial stages of development. Mefenamic acid (MFA) and Eudragit EPO (EPO) were used as a model drug and the polymeric carrier, respectively. Initial screening was performed using film-casting, polarized light microscopy, and TGA analysis to determine the levels for the experimental design. A Box-Behnken design was used to study the effect of the independent parameters, viz. drug loading, heating rate, and processing temperature, on the dependent parameters, viz. residual crystallinity and drug degradation. The results showed a quadratic relationship between independent and dependent parameters. Based on the design space, MFA-EPO dispersions with 20% drug loading were prepared using HME and vacuum compression molding (VCM). Both the HME and VCM samples did not show any signs of residual crystallinity. However, degradation of MFA was observed in VCM sample and the HME filaments processed at 100 rpm, but not at 150 rpm. The results demonstrate that DSC has potential to be a material-sparing tool to optimize drug loading and processing temperature for HME and will help product development using HME cost-effective.
\(VH,H\rightarrow b\bar{b}\) Search

The discovery of the Higgs boson in 2012 by the ATLAS and CMS collaborations [1, 2] was a major achievement in the quest to understand the electroweak symmetry breaking mechanism that generates the masses of elementary particles. Since then, substantial progress has been made to measure the properties of the Higgs boson with increased precision.
Using Dust Grains to Measure Plasma Conditions with a Changing Number Density

Complex plasma systems are of much interest as they permit micron sized dust particles to form stable and unstable structures. These structures can be used as probes to gain insight into the parameters of the plasma system [1] . The dust particle interaction with the ions flowing towards a negative lower electrode creates an ion wake field, which is difficult to measure experimentally. This wake field affects the charge on the dust grains, as well as the electric field and ion flow speed. Using a one-dimensional,seven-particle dust chain confined in a glass box placed on the lower electrode of a Gaseous Electronics Conference rf cell, the ion wake field along with the dust charge and electric field inside the plasma environment can be investigated.
Polymers Based on Unsymmetrical Dimethylhydrazine

Presence of two chemically bonded reaction centres (i.e., primary and tertiary amino groups) in unsymmetrical dimethylhydrazine (DMH) provides the synthesis of various chemical compounds with very interesting properties. Among them the compounds with a latent reactivity combined with an ability to be soluted or dispergated in water and ion containing compounds are of great interest for macromolecular chemistry. The typical examples or using of DMH and its derivatives as monomers, in synthesis of oligomers and polymers, in reactions of polymers and as additives in polymer compositions are reviewed.
Map Generalization as a Graph Drawing Problem

A map may be regarded as a plane graph drawing; and, with the growth of the field of computer cartography, a map is increasingly treated as a straight-line plane graph drawing. Map generalization, the process of redrawing a map at a smaller scale, can, hence, be regarded as a graph drawing problem. The initial version of the map, the input to the process, is a plane graph along with a drawing of that graph. The derived output is also a plane graph that is combinatorially a minor of the input graph. The edges and vertices of the derived graph may be obtained through a sequence of selection and simplification operations. The positioning of those edges and vertices must be obtained through a sequence of placement and displacement operations. Considerable research and development has already been undertaken in the areas of feature selection and simplification. Some generally adequate heuristic solutions to selection and simplification problems are in use today for many types of maps. For other types of maps, such as topographic maps, these solutions are insufficient because they do not simultaneously address the more difficult problems of placement and displacement of features.
Controlling the message: preschoolers’ use of information to teach and deceive others

Effective communication entails the strategic presentation of information; good communicators present representative information to their listeners—information that is both consistent with the concept being communicated and also unlikely to support another concept a listener might consider. The present study examined whether preschool-age children effectively select information to manipulate others’ semantic knowledge, by testing how children choose information to teach or deceive their listeners. Results indicate that preschoolers indeed effectively select information to meet some specific communicative goals. When asked to teach others, children selected information that effectively spanned the concept of interest and avoided overly restrictive or overly general information; when asked to deceive others, they selected information consistent with the intended deceptive messages under some circumstances. Thus, preschool children possess remarkable abilities to select the best information to manipulate what others believe.
Parental Care among the Amphibia

Publisher Summary Despite the fascinating parental care behaviors exhibited by amphibians, relatively few quantitative studies have been published on this class in comparison to birds and mammals. Six modes of parental care are recognized: egg attendance, egg transport, tadpole attendance, tadpole transport, tadpole feeding, and internal gestation in the oviduct. Whereas egg attendance and internal gestation in the oviduct are the only modes of parental care known for caecilians and salamanders, anurans display all six modes. Although parental care is widely distributed phylogenetically within the Amphibia, the percentage of species providing care is low. Postoviposition parental care has been documented in only about 5% of caecilians, 18% of salamanders, and 6% of anurans. Internal gestation in the oviduct probably occurs in about 75% of all caecilians, in 4 species of salamanders, and in 5 species of anurans. Parental care in amphibians is most commonly found in geographical areas of correspondingly high species richness. Increased survivorship of the offspring is the main benefit of parental care, as documented quantitatively by numerous studies. Reduced fitness to the parent, measured by reduced future survival or reproductive success, is the major cost of parental care.
Density Distribution Sunflower Plots

Density distribution sunflower plots are used to display high-density bivariate data. They are useful for data where a conventional scatter plot is difficult to read due to overstriking of the plot symbol. The x-y plane is subdivided into a lattice of regular hexagonal bins of width w specified by the user. The user also specifies the values of l, d, and k that affect the plot as follows. Individual observations are plotted when there are less than l observations per bin as in a conventional scatter plot. Each bin with from l to d observations contains a light sunflower. Other bins contain a dark sunflower. In a light sunflower each petal represents one observation. In a dark sunflower, each petal represents k observations. (A dark sunflower with p petals represents between /2-pk k and /2+pk k observations.) The user can control the sizes and colors of the sunflowers. By selecting appropriate colors and sizes for the light and dark sunflowers, plots can be obtained that give both the overall sense of the data density distribution as well as the number of data points in any given region. The use of this graphic is illustrated with data from the Framingham Heart Study. A documented Stata program, called sunflower, is available to draw these graphs. It can be downloaded from the Statistical Software Components archive at http://ideas.repec.org/c/boc/bocode/s430201.html . (Journal of Statistical Software 2003; 8 (3): 1-5. Posted at http://www.jstatsoft.org/index.php?vol=8 .)
NIPT: current utilization and implications for the future of prenatal genetic counseling.

Background Non-invasive prenatal testing (NIPT) for select fetal trisomies became clinically available in 2011. When it was introduced, there were no recommendations from the major governing bodies in prenatal genetics regarding its incorporation. Purpose We sought to determine how genetic counselors have incorporated NIPT into clinical practice and how NIPT has changed the informed consent process. Methods We distributed an anonymous, online survey to National Society of Genetic Counselors (NSGC) members in October 2012. Results There were 181 respondents who indicated they incorporated NIPT into their practice with the majority (94.1%) offering it to patients with high risk pregnancies. Of the respondents, 45.1% indicated that there should be a separate informed consent form for NIPT. Respondents indicated that a discussion about NIPT with a patient should highlight that it is a screening test, the detection rate is superior to that of maternal serum screening, it screens for specific conditions, and a positive NIPT result should be confirmed with a diagnostic test. Conclusion Following data collection, the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, the American College of Medical Genetics, and NSGC released practice guidelines surrounding NIPT. Our results demonstrate that most genetic counselors have been offering NIPT consistent with these guidelines. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Estuarine circulation in the Taranto Seas

The Taranto basin is a shallow water marine system in the South of Italy characterized by the presence of a lagoon environment together with a semi-enclosed bay connected to the Ionian Sea. This marine system experienced over the last few decades strong biochemical pollution and environmental degradation, and it is considered a hotspot study site for economic, ecological and scientific reasons. The aim of this study was to examine, on an annual temporal scale and with high spatial resolution, the main hydrodynamical processes and transport scales of the system by means of a 3D finite element numerical model application, adopting the most realistic forcing available. The model allowed us to assess the role played by baroclinic terms in the basin circulation, describing its estuarine nature. In particular, the main features of water circulation, salinity and temperature distribution, water renewal time and bottom stress were investigated. Our results allowed us to equate this system dynamic to that of a weakly stratified estuary, identifying the main driving sources of this mechanism. The vertical stratification over the whole year was proved to be stable, leading to a dual circulation flowing out on the surface, mainly through Porta Napoli channel, and inflowing on the bottom mainly through Navigabile channel. This process was responsible also for the renewal time faster on the bottom of the Mar Piccolo basin than the surface. Due to the great importance of the Taranto basin for what concerns sediment pollution, also the effect of currents in terms of bottom stress was investigated, leading to the conclusion that only in the inlets area the values of bottom stress can be high enough to cause erosion.
A Sex-Influenced Modifier in Drosophila That Affects a Broad Spectrum of Target Loci Including the Histone Repeats

A second chromosomal trans-acting modifier, Lightener of white (Low), modulates the phenotypic expression of various alleles of the white eye color gene. This modifier has an unusually broad spectrum of affected genes including white, brown, scarlet and the eye developmental genes, Bar and Lobe. In addition, Low weakly suppresses position effect variegation. Northern blot hybridization with different X and autosomal probes reveals that Low modulates genes of independent expression patterns. Interestingly, many of the modulations of gene expression are developmentally restricted and differ in intensity between the sexes. Low also elevates the expression of the histone tandem repeats in three distinct developmental stages. A deficiency encompassing the histone cluster reduces their transcript levels and significantly alters the expression of some of the tested genes. Thus, Low is a modifier that plays a role in modulating the expression of genes governing various processes including pigment deposition, eye development, chromosomal proteins and position effect variegation.
Export constraint and domestic fiscal reform: Lessons from 2011 subsidy reform in Iran

Abstract This paper uses the 1987–2011 Household Budget Surveys from the Statistical Center of Iran consisting of 293,953 observations, coupled with the price data from the Central Bank of Iran, to estimate the structure of demand for goods and services in urban areas of Iran. The estimation procedure assumes a Quadratic Almost Ideal Demand System (QUAIDS) introduced by Banks et al. (1997) . It then uses the estimated demand system to study the implications of the removal of the massive subsidies on energy and basic foodstuff that were in place in Iran at the end of 2010. It examines the changes in the economy's consumption patterns, income distribution, private and social welfare, and the environment. The paper's key contribution is to recognize and study how the results of this domestic reform depended on international trade barriers faced by the country. It shows how a seemingly welfare improving policy in the absence of export restrictions turned out to be quite the opposite—at least for the current generations of Iranians.
Numerical simulation of sharp-crested weir flows

The sharp-crested weir in a rectangular open channel can be used as a simple and accurate device for flow measurement and control in open channels. However, in the past, the solution to this proble...
Control of pH during denitrification in subsurface sediment microcosms using encapsulated phosphate buffer

Abstract Denitrification, a process in which nitrate (NO−3) is used as an electron acceptor during microbial respiration, often occurs in saturated sediment where oxygen has been depleted. During denitrification, pH may increase several units as nitrate is consumed and HCO−3 and OH− are produced. A novel approach to control pH is the use of encapsulated buffers. Previous research has shown that KH2PO4 microcapsules were effective at maintaining a neutral pH during denitrification in suspended bacterial cultures. Our objective was to test the ability of encapsulated buffers to control pH in subsurface sediment microcosms amended with NO−3. Sediment samples from three depths (37, 40, and 43 m) in the saturated zone beneath the Savannah River Site, near Aiken, SC, were amended with 1 mg NO−3/g. Nitrous oxide (N2O) production was measured by gas chromatography (GC) using the acetylene block technique. NO−3, ammonium (NH+4), total alkalinity, and sediment particle grain size also were measured as part of a nitrogen mass balance and to assess base neutralizing capacity. In two of the three samples, all of the NO−3 added was converted to N2O at a rate between 0.7–2.3% h−1. pH levels above 8.0 were measured in vials to which no microcapsules had been added while the pH in vials containing microcapsules remained within 0.2 pH units of 7.0. The results indicated that over time periods as short as five days, denitrification increased the pH beyond the range considered to be optimal for microbial metabolism. Because these encapsulated buffers were effective at maintaining a neutral pH during denitrification in sediment microcosms, they may facilitate remediation of subsurface contaminants through the mediation of pH-limited biological or chemical processes.
Practice guidelines and physician scorecards: grading the graders.

A discussion of the pros and cons of different tools to assess the quality of medical care.
Advances in the management of gynecologic cancer—radiation therapy

Much progress has been made in the utilization of radiation therapy techniques in the management of gynecologic malignancies. However, new techniques will continue to emerge for the management of these disease processes. At this time, high LET radiation is particularly exciting, as are the potential possibilities for combined modality therapy. It is the expressed hope that these techniques will lead to improved results in terms of management. The appropriate management for carcinoma of the uterus is excellent for the early stages, but treatments for later stages of the disease are not settled at this time. The high probability of involvement of periaortic lymph nodes in carcinoma of the cervix warrants a more appropriate look at the treatment techniques to be employed in the management of this disease, if the maximum potential for cure is expected. In carcinoma of the ovary, various factors influencing the ultimate prognosis have now been identified; these must be taken into consideration when planning treatment. If carcinoma is known or thought to have been left in the pelvis only, vigorous postoperative pelvic irradiation is mandatory. There is evidence to suggest, however, that equally good results can be obtained in those series by the utilization of chemotherapy. In view of the frequency of seeding to the peritoneum, whole abdominal irradiation should be considered for Stage IB through Stage III carcinoma of the ovary.
A technique for measuring parity non-conservation in hydrogenic atoms

Abstract A scheme is discussed for the precise measurement of the parity mixing of the 2 s 1 2 and 2 p 1 2 states in hydrogen and deuterium atoms.
Goal Setting as Impression Management

Summary It was hypothesized that S s working in the presence of an observer (n = 25) would set higher goals than would S s working alone (n = 32) and that there would be a significant goal-performance relationship for S s working alone but not for S s observed. The results of a task-performance exercise supported both hypotheses. Average performance did not differ across conditions.
Evaluating the Mobility of Arsenic in Synthetic Iron-Containing Solids Using a Modified Sequential Extraction Method

Many water treatment technologies for arsenic removal that are used today produce arsenic-bearing residuals which are disposed in non-hazardous landfills. Previous works have established that many of these residuals will release arsenic to a much greater extent than predicted by standard regulatory leaching tests (e.g. the toxicity characteristic leaching procedure, TCLP) and, consequently, require stabilization to ensure benign behavior after disposal. In this work, a four-step sequential extraction method was developed in an effort to determine the proportion of arsenic in various phases in untreated as well as stabilized iron-based solid matrices. The solids synthesized using various potential stabilization techniques included: amorphous arsenic-iron sludge (ASL), reduced ASL via reaction with zero valent iron (RASL), amorphous ferrous arsenate (PFA), a mixture of PFA and SL (M1), crystalline ferrous arsenate (HPFA), and a mixture of HPFA and SL (M2). The overall arsenic mobility of the tested samples increased in the following order: ASL > RASL > PFA > M1 > HPFA > M2.
Hyperspectral remote sensing of salinity stress on red (Rhizophora mangle) and white (Laguncularia racemosa) mangroves on Galapagos Islands

Mangroves are an assemblage of salt-tolerant woody hydrophytes that are the foundational species along tropical and subtropical coastlines, estuaries, lagoons and rivers. Once covering 75% of the world's tropical and subtropical coastlines, mangrove forests have been declining rapidly throughout the world in the last few decades. Monitoring and modelling mangrove forest growth are critical for their conservation. Salinity is one of the primary limiting factors for mangrove forest growth. In this letter, we report the potential of using hyperspectral remotely sensed data collected in the field for monitoring the photosynthesis rate of red (Rhizophora mangle) and white (Laguncularia racemosa) mangroves with regard to salinity gradient. Using photochemical reflectance index (PRI) as proxy for photosynthetic rate, PRI for both species are strongly related to salinity gradient, indicating the potential of monitoring mangrove forest growth on a regional scale using hyperspectral remote sensing.
Effect of stacking faults on diffraction: The structure of lithium metal.

A new method for calculating the effect of stacking faults on x-ray and neutron-diffraction patterns is developed. Using a computer-generated, statistically faulted crystal model, we show that it is possible to examine the effect of various types of faults in different lattice types from a simple and unified point of view. As a benchmark on the application of this method, we recover the standard results obtained by approximate analytical techniques for deformation and growth faults in face-centered-cubic lattices. We then use this method to analyze stacking faults in the 9R hexagonal lattice. A detailed comparison of these calculations with our neutron powder-diffraction results on the low-temperature martensitically transformed phase of lithium metal is given. We find that the structure of Li at 20 K is 9R with a deformation stacking-fault probability density of 0.07 per layer. Finally, we show how this method can be extended to more complex stacking-fault types and other crystal structures.
Risk aversion, uncertain information, and market efficiency

Abstract This paper develops and tests the uncertain information hypothesis as a means of explaining the response of rational, risk-averse investors to the arrival of unanticipated information. The theory predicts that following news of a dramatic financial event, both the risk and expected return of the affected companies increase systematically, and that prices react more strongly to bad news than good. An empirical investigation of over 9000 marketwide and firm-specific events produces results consistent with these predictions. We conclude that the market reacts to uncertain information in an efficient, if not instantaneous, manner.
THE EFFECT OF CHANNEL HEIGHT AND CHANNEL SPACERS ON FLUX AND ENERGY REQUIREMENTS IN CROSSFLOW FILTRATION

Abstract Operation of crossflow ultrafiltration devices with open rectangular or circular channels under laminar flow conditions is well understood and documented. However, many commercial devices are available which operate in flow regimes which cannot be described as laminar. Examples of such devices include those constructed with plastic mesh spacers which define and partially obstruct the path of recirculating flow (spiral wound and cassette configurations) as well as those with wide open channels capable of operation in the turbulent flow regime (tubular and open channel flat plate configurations). The presence of flow spacers has the disadvantage of limiting the use of these devices in processing streams containing suspended solids. Their presence in the flow channel increases resistance to flow of the recirculating fluid and requires increased pumping energy. To their advantage these spacers change the flow dynamics of the recirculating stream and can, by promoting regions of turbulence, enhance process flux. Devices with open channel configurations operated in turbulent flow regimes do not have the same limitations regarding the presence of suspended material in the feed stream. They do, however, require larger pumps and increased pumping energy in order to maintain operation at turbulent flow conditions. Contrasting experiments were performed, using well-defined process streams, on a crossflow device capable of operation with open channels or channels formed by spacers at the same channel heights. Additional experiments were performed at various recirculating fluid solute concentrations and superficial velocities. Performance could then be compared based on flux and energy requirements. Implications from these tests can be drawn concerning module design and optimal operating conditions for ultrafiltration of particulate-free solutions.
Knowledge-based expert systems in structural design

Abstract A large number of problems encountered by structural designers are ill structured and are either not amenable to an algorithmic solution or the algorithms are too cumbersome and restrictive. Knowledge-based expert systems (KBES) provide a means to assist in the solution of these ill-structured problems that demand considerable expertise. KBES also provide a flexible methodology for developing engineering software, as well as a mechanism for formalizing thought processes about design. In this paper applications of KBES to the preliminary design, analysis, and detailed design phases of structural design are discussed. A conceptual view of an integrated structural design system in the light of recent advances in KBES development is also presented.
A Strategic Model to Address Issues of Student Achievement.

This article describes an interactive and collaborative strategic planning process by a community college in which student retention and success became a focus of a re-accreditation endeavor. The underlying assumption of this strategic planning effort was that engaging all groups that have a stake in student retention at the beginning of the planning process would make it more likely that recommendations that came out of the planning effort would be comprehensive, and have the support of all stakeholders on the college campus. As a result of the involvement of faculty, students, academic and support staff, as well as persons from student affairs, a comprehensive approach rather than a piece-meal approach to student success was the result of the planning process. The holistic nature of the institutional changes that emanated from the planning process is linked to the collaborative and interactive model that was used in approaching the problem of student success.
Beyond the principles of bioethics: facing the consequences of fundamental moral disagreement

Given intractable secular moral pluralism, the force and significance of the four principles (autonomy, beneficence, non-maleficence, and justice) of Tom Beauchamp and James Childress must be critically re-considered. This essay examines the history of the articulation of these four principles of bioethics, showing why initially there was an illusion of a common morality that led many to hold that the principles could give guidance across cultures. But there is no one sense of the content or the theoretical justification of these principles. In addition, a wide range of secular moral and bioethical choices has been demoralized into lifestyle choices; the force of the secular moral point of view has also been deflated, thus compounding moral pluralism. It is the political generation of the principles that provides a common morality in the sense of an established morality. The principles are best understood as embedded not in a common morality, sensu stricto, but in that morality that is established at law and public policy in a particular polity. Although moral pluralism is substantive and intractable at the level of moral content, in a particular polity a particular morality and a particular bioethics can be established, regarding which health care ethics consultants can be experts. Public morality and bioethics are at their roots a political reality.
Sea urchin egg hyaline layer: evidence for the localization of hyalin on the unfertilized egg surface.

Abstract The sea urchin embryo hyaline layer is an extracellular investment which develops within 20 min postinsemination of Strongylocentrotus purpuratus eggs and contains a single calcium-precipitable subunit termed hyalin. Other ultrastructural and biochemical studies have suggested that hyalin is localized in the cortical granules. We have examined the hypothesis that hyalin is a cell surface protein of the unfertilized egg using vectorial lactoperoxidase-catalyzed radioiodination. Extracts of labeled unfertilized eggs contained several labeled proteins, one of which was electrophoretically indistinguishable from authentic hyalin isolated by each of three different procedures. Pronase digestion of labeled unfertilized eggs removed 75% of the label, but the labeled hyalin-like molecule was still present in whole cell extracts. Upon insemination, pronase-digested, labeled eggs formed an apparently normal hyaline layer and whole cell extracts contained the labeled hyalin-like molecule. Denuded, labeled eggs were inseminated and the hyaline layer was selectively solubilized in calcium- and magnesium-free artificial seawater. Labeled hyalin was purified from this crude hyalin preparation to constant specific radioactivity and apparent homogeneity as shown by gel electrophoresis. These data strongly suggest that hyalin or a precursor is a cell surface protein of the unfertilized sea urchin egg.
Analysis of Facial Images across Age Progression by Humans

The appearance of human faces can undergo large variations over aging progress. Analysis of facial image taken over age progression recently attracts increasing attentions in computer-vision community. Human abilities for such analysis are, however, less studied. In this paper, we conduct a thorough study of human ability on two tasks, face verification and age estimation, for facial images taken at different ages. Detailed and rigorous experimental analysis is provided, which helps understanding roles of different factors including age group, age gap, race, and gender. In addition, our study also leads to an interesting observation: for age estimation, photos from adults are more challenging than that from young people. We expect the study to provide a reference for machine-based solutions.
Nitrophorins and related antihemostatic lipocalins from Rhodnius prolixus and other blood-sucking arthropods.

Abstract Recent gene sequence and crystal structure determinations of salivary proteins from several blood-sucking arthropods have revealed an unusual evolutionary relationship: many such proteins derive their functions from lipocalin protein folds. Many blood-sucking arthropods have independently evolved the ability to overcome a host organism’s means of preventing blood loss (called hemostasis). Most blood feeders have proteins that induce vasodilation, inhibit blood coagulation, and reduce inflammation, but do so by distinctly different mechanisms. Despite this diversity, in many cases the antihemostatic activities in such organisms reside in proteins with lipocalin folds. Thirteen such lipocalins are described in this review, with a particular focus on the heme-containing nitrophorins from Rhodnius prolixus, which transport nitric oxide, sequester histamine, and disrupt blood coagulation. Also described are the antiplatelet compounds RPAI, moubatin, and pallidipin from R. prolixus, Ornithodoros moubata, and Triatoma pallidipennis; the antithrombin protein triabin from T. pallidipennis; and the tick histamine binding proteins from Rhipicephalus appendiculatus.
Socioeconomic and lifestyle factors and the 10-year incidence of age-related cataracts

Abstract Purpose To investigate the association of socioeconomic and lifestyle factors with incidence of age-related cataracts. Design Population-based longitudinal epidemiologic study. Methods Persons aged 43 to 86 years (n = 4,926) living in Beaver Dam, Wisconsin, were examined in 1988 to 1990, 1993 to 1995, and 1998 to 2000. Medical histories were obtained, and photographs of the lenses were taken at each visit. Photographs were graded according to standard protocols. Results Socioeconomic and lifestyle factors considered were income, education, occupation, smoking, alcohol, caffeine, and multivitamin use. After adjustment for age and sex, income (or education) was inversely and smoking was directly related to the 10-year cumulative incidence of nuclear cataract. None of the factors were significantly associated with incident cortical or posterior subcapsular cataract. We found no evidence in these analyses to suggest that history of multivitamin use altered the relationships of smoking to the incidence of cataracts. In models adjusting for all other significant risk factors, the individual significance values for each individual factor differed little from the models adjusting only for age and sex. Conclusions Incident nuclear cataract was associated with income and smoking 10 years earlier. There were no significant lifestyle exposures associated with incident cortical and posterior subcapsular cataract.
Discrepancies in the recovery of bacteria from multiple sinuses in acute and chronic sinusitis.

The microbiology of acute and chronic sinusitis has been studied extensively. Establishing the concomitant distribution of the causative organisms in cases that involve multiple sinuses is of scientific and practical importance. This study evaluated the aerobic and anaerobic microbiology of acute and chronic sinusitis in patients with involvement of multiple sinuses. The 155 patients evaluated had sinusitis of either the maxillary, ethmoid or frontal sinuses (any combination) and had organisms recovered from two to four concomitantly infected sinuses. Similar aerobic, facultatively anaerobic and anaerobic organisms were recovered from all groups of patients. In patients who had organisms isolated from two sinuses and had acute sinusitis, 31 (56 %) of the 55 isolates were found only in a single sinus, and 24 (44 %) were recovered concomitantly from two sinuses. In those with chronic infection 31 (34 %) of the 91 isolates were recovered only from a single sinus, and 60 (66 %) were found concomitantly from two sinuses. Anaerobic bacteria were more often isolated concomitantly from two sinuses (50 of 70) than aerobic and facultatively anaerobic (ten of 21, P < 0.05). Similar findings were observed in patients who had organisms isolated from three or four sinuses. β-Lactamase-producing bacteria were more often isolated from patients with chronic infection (58–83 %) as compared to those with acute infections (32–43 %). These findings illustrate that there are differences in the distribution of organisms in single patients who suffer from infections in multiple sinuses and emphasize the importance of obtaining cultures from all infected sinuses.
Microsurgical anatomy of the arterial basket of the conus medullaris

OBJECT The arterial basket of the conus medullaris (ABCM) consists of 1 or 2 arteries arising from the anterior spinal artery (ASA) and circumferentially connecting the ASA and the posterior spinal arteries (PSAs). The arterial basket can be involved in arteriovenous fistulas and arteriovenous malformations of the conus. In this article, the authors describe the microsurgical anatomy of the ABCM with emphasis on its morphometric parameters and important role in the intrinsic blood supply of the conus medullaris. METHODS The authors performed microsurgical dissections on 16 formalin-fixed human spinal cords harvested within 24 hours of death. The course, diameter, and branching angles of the arteries comprising the ABCM were then identified and measured. In addition, histological sections were obtained to identify perforating vessels arising from the ABCM. RESULTS The ASA tapers as it nears the conus medullaris (mean preconus diameter 0.7 ± 0.12 mm vs mean conus diameter 0.38 ± 0.08 mm). The ASA forms an anastomotic basket with the posterior spinal artery (PSA) via anastomotic branches. In most of the specimens (n= 13, 81.3%), bilateral arteries formed connections between the ASA and PSA. However, in the remaining specimens (n= 3, 18.7%), a unilateral right-sided anastomotic artery was identified. The mean diameter of the right ABCM branch was 0.49 ± 0.13 mm, and the mean diameter of the left branch was 0.53 ± 0.14 mm. The mean branching angles of the arteries forming the anastomotic basket were 95.9° ± 36.6° and 90° ± 34.3° for the right- and left-sided arteries, respectively. In cases of bilateral arterial anastomoses between the ASA and PSA, the mean distance between the origins of the arteries was 4.5 ± 3.3 mm. Histological analysis revealed numerous perforating vessels supplying tissue of the conus medullaris. CONCLUSIONS The ABCM is a critical anastomotic connection between the ASA and PSA, which play an important role in the intrinsic blood supply of the conus medullaris. The ABCM provides an important compensatory function in the blood supply of the spinal cord. Its involvement in conus medullaris vascular malformations makes it a critical anatomical structure.
Particle‐in‐cell simulations of stochastic electron acceleration

The results of a series of particle‐in‐cell simulations of stochastic wave–particle interaction are presented. The threshold for stochasticity was confirmed. The simulations demonstrate that in a strong magnetic field plasma waves with quiver velocities much less than the speed of light but above a certain threshold can stochastically accelerate electrons to energies far greater than 1 MeV. Moreover, self‐consistency effects drive return currents and produce energetic runaway electrons that violate an invariant of motion.
Dosing algorithm revisit for busulfan following IV infusion

Busulfan (Bu) exposure is critical for efficacy and safety. Body weight (BW), or adjusted ideal body weight (AIBW)-based dosing (WBD) algorithm, has been used in hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). A recently completed phase 2 study revealed that 33.6 % of the subjects were under-, or over-exposed, with this WBD algorithm. This paper was to investigate Bu dosing algorithm in an attempt to improve the suboptimal Bu exposure. Population PK modeling was conducted using the data from 207 patients. Dosing algorithm was developed based on derived covariate model of CL. Model-based simulation was conducted to assist test PK study design. A simplified CL estimation method was proposed based on the PK structure model for Bu. A one-compartment structure model adequately described the PK profile of Bu following an IV infusion. BSA best described the inter-individual variability of CL. The proposed dosing algorithm was dose (mg) = (31.7 × BSA − 11.6) × target AUC [µM min]/1,000. With this dosing algorithm, 14.3 % patients could be under- or over-exposed. A test PK study with reduced study duration and three PK samples can provide as nearly as good an estimate of CL compared to 12 PK samples on two different occasions. The proposed dosing algorithm can significantly improve the sub-exposure of Bu. A shortened test PK study duration with reduced PK samples can provide as near as good estimate for Bu CL. A simplified CL estimation method is valid.
Condom Negotiation Strategy Use and Effectiveness among College Students

College students may engage in risky sexual behaviors, such as inconsistent condom use, which increase their risk of sexually transmitted infections. This study examined the association between six condom influence strategies (CIS) and reported condom use among a diverse group of college students. Differences in CIS and condom use were examined by gender, race or ethnicity, and relationship status (casual, monogamous, or no current relationship). The study also used a cluster analysis to investigate how the CIS were used relative to one another, and how patterns of CIS use were related to condom use. Results showed interesting differences in CIS use by gender, race or ethnicity, and relationship status. Four patterns of CIS usage emerged, and results suggested that using all CIS frequently and using more assertive CIS may be particularly important for increased condom use. Men reported more condom use than women overall, but results indicated that using CIS were especially vital for increasing condom use for women. Surprisingly, there were no differences in condom use found for race or ethnicity and relationship type. Programs aimed at increasing students' condom use could benefit from promoting and practicing CIS, and recognizing potential differences among demographic groups.
Ultrasonic C-scan imaging for material characterization

Abstract Advances in the field have enabled ultrasonic C-scan imaging to go beyond its classical application of detecting large single flaws to meet the challenge of non-destructive evaluation for modern engineered structures and new materials. Increased frequency of operation and novel transducer designs have led to micrometre resolution limits for both surface and subsurface imaging. Improved image processing analysis methods allow more information to be extracted from the classical and contemporary application of the C-scan technique. Important results and developments are discussed with references made to industrial applications.
Cryptosporidium p30, a Galactose/N-Acetylgalactosamine-specific Lectin, Mediates Infection in Vitro

Cryptosporidium sp. cause human and animal diarrheal disease worldwide. The molecular mechanisms underlying Cryptosporidium attachment to, and invasion of, host cells are poorly understood. Previously, we described a surface-associated Gal/GalNAc-specific lectin activity in sporozoites of Cryptosporidium parvum. Here we describe p30, a 30-kDa Gal/GalNAc-specific lectin isolated from C. parvum and Cryptosporidium hominis sporozoites by Gal-affinity chromatography. p30 is encoded by a single copy gene containing a 906-bp open reading frame, the deduced amino acid sequence of which predicts a 302-amino acid, 31.8-kDa protein with a 22-amino acid N-terminal signal sequence. The p30 gene is expressed at 24–72 h after infection of intestinal epithelial cells. Antisera to recombinant p30 expressed in Escherichia coli react with an ∼30-kDa protein in C. parvum and C. hominis. p30 is localized to the apical region of sporozoites and is predominantly intracellular in both sporozoites and intracellular stages of the parasite. p30 associates with gp900 and gp40, Gal/GalNAc-containing mucin-like glycoproteins that are also implicated in mediating infection. Native and recombinant p30 bind to Caco-2A cells in a dose-dependent, saturable, and Gal-inhibitable manner. Recombinant p30 inhibits C. parvum attachment to and infection of Caco-2A cells, whereas antisera to the recombinant protein also inhibit infection. Taken together, these findings suggest that p30 mediates C. parvum infection in vitro and raise the possibility that this protein may serve as a target for intervention.
Rotary shadowing of extended molecules dried from glycerol.

We describe a convenient technique for shadowing extended, flexible molecules difficult or impossible to visualize after conventional preparative methods. The technique uses glycerol but avoids other harsh conditions; physiological salt concentrations can be maintained until the moment of drying.
Social Correlates of Suicide in the British Isles

In 1961, suicide rates in the British Isles were higher in the more urbanized and wealthy regions.
Mitral surgery after prior cardiac operation:port-access versus sternotomy or thoracotomy

Abstract Background In reoperation for mitral valve disease, minimally invasive Port-Access (PORT) is a new alternative to standard median sternotomy (STER) or right thoracotomy (THOR); yet, the results of PORT in this setting have not been defined. The aim of this study was to evaluate the results of minimally invasive thoracotomy in reoperation for mitral valve disease. Methods Retrospective results are reported for three consecutive series of patients undergoing reoperation for mitral disease using either PORT (n = 60, 1996 to 2001), THOR (n = 37, 1985 to 1997), or STER (n = 155, 1985 to 1997). Results Red cell transfusion was 3 ± 4, 14 ± 13, and 12 ± 12 units for PORT, THOR, and STER, respectively. Chest tube output was 352 ± 361, 2048 ± 3166, and 1683 ± 3939 mL, respectively. Cardiopulmonary bypass times for these groups were 208 ± 76 vs. 158 ± 56 vs. 157 ± 53 minutes. Thirty-day mortality was 0/60 (0%), 8/37 (22%), and 21/155 (14%), respectively. Conclusions This early clinical experience suggests that PORT is an acceptable alternative to THOR or STERN in reoperation for mitral valve disease, with potential advantages of avoiding redo sternotomy and reducing the surgical incision. However, these benefits may come at the expense of longer cardiopulmonary bypass times.
Comparative analysis of related notions of opacity in centralized and coordinated architectures

Opacity is a confidentiality property that captures whether an intruder can infer a "secret" of a system based on its observation of the system behavior and its knowledge of the system's structure. In this paper, we study four notions of opacity: language-based opacity, initial-state opacity, current-state opacity, and initial-and-final-state opacity. Initial-and-final-state opacity is a new opacity property introduced in this paper, motivated by secrecy considerations in anonymous network communications; the other three opacity properties have been studied in prior work. We investigate the relationships between these opacity properties. In this regard, a complete set of transformation algorithms among the four notions is provided. We also propose a new, more efficient test for initial-state opacity based on the use of reversed automata, and present a trellis-based test for the new property of initial-and-final state opacity. We then study the notions of initial-state opacity, current-state opacity, and initial-and-final-state opacity in the context of a new coordinated architecture where two intruders work as a team in order to infer the secret. In this architecture, the intruders have the capability of combining their respective state estimates at a coordinating node. In each case, a characterization of the corresponding notion of "joint opacity" and an algorithmic procedure for its verification are provided.