cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Baseline red blood cell and breast milk DHA levels affect responses to standard dose of DHA in lactating women on a controlled feeding diet.

Abstract Background The importance of providing the newborn infant with docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) from breast milk is well established. However, women in the United States, on average, have breast milk DHA levels of 0.20%, which is below the worldwide average (and proposed target) of >0.32%. Additionally, the relationship between maternal red blood cell (RBC) and breast milk DHA levels may provide insight into the sufficiency of DHA recommendations during lactation. Whether the standard recommendation of at least 200 mg/day of supplemental DHA during lactation is sufficient for most women to achieve a desirable RBC and breast milk DHA status is unknown. Methods Lactating women (n = 27) at about 5 weeks postpartum were enrolled in a 10–12 week controlled feeding study that included randomization to 480 or 930 mg choline/d (diet plus supplementation). As part of the intervention, all participants were required to consume a 200 mg/d of microalgal DHA. RBC and breast milk DHA levels were measured by capillary gas chromatography in an exploratory analysis. Results Median RBC DHA was 5.0% (95% CI: 4.3, 5.5) at baseline and 5.1% (4.6, 5.4) after 10 weeks of supplementation (P = 0.6). DHA as a percent of breast milk fatty acids increased from 0.19% (0.18, 0.33) to 0.34% (0.27, 0.38) after supplementation (P 5% was unchanged (52% at baseline and week 10). The proportion of women achieving a breast milk DHA level of >0.32% approximately doubled from 30% to 56% (p = 0.06). Baseline RBC and breast milk DHA levels affected their responses to supplementation. Those with baseline RBC and breast milk DHA levels above the median (5% and 0.19%, respectively) experienced no change or a slight decrease in levels, while those below the median had a significant increase. Choline supplementation did not significantly influence final RBC or breast milk DHA levels. Conclusions On average, the standard prenatal DHA dose of 200 mg/d did not increase RBC DHA but did increase breastmilk DHA over 10 weeks in a cohort of lactating women in a controlled-feeding study. Baseline DHA levels in RBC and breast milk affected the response to DHA supplementation, with lower levels being associated with a greater increase and higher levels with no change or a slight decrease. Additional larger, dose-response DHA trials accounting for usual intakes and baseline DHA status are needed to determine how to best achieve target breast milk DHA levels and to identify additional modifiers of the variable breast milk DHA response to maternal DHA supplementation.
The Corporate Gatekeeper in Ethical Perspective

The fallout from the financial crisis continues to inform the development of corporate and securities law, and the new regulatory landscape for economic activity within the United States is beginning to take form. This evolutionary process, however, has been anything but stable or certain. As might be expected, in concert with such momentous change in law and policy, recriminations for and associated investigations of past activity continue to affect competent regulators as well as market participants. Nevertheless, while many of the underlying causes of the financial crisis are now better understood by both policy makers and scholars, the question remains – given where we were, where do we go from here? While a definitive answer to such a question remains elusive, an additional perspective on the ethical issues of relevance to corporate and securities law may be helpful in considering the possible alternatives. In particular, the ethical rules of corporate gatekeepers in conflicts of interest scenarios is worthy of further consideration and discussion.This article presents the argument that cases involving conflicts of interest in the corporate and securities law space may be viewed as primarily calling into question the ethical rules of the corporate gatekeeper. In support of such an argument, this article sets forth a framework for conflicts of interest scenarios that takes into account four categories of legal rules – activity rules, disclosure rules, liability rules and ethical rules. In adopting such a framework, an ethical perspective will be elaborated to address the ongoing development of corporate and securities law. Further, this article proposes possible revisions to disclosure rules in relation to conflicts of interest policies for Compensation Committees as mandated by Section 952 of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act.This article is the second in a series that explores the intersection of corporate law and legal ethics. Specifically, the present discussion concerns the foundations in doctrine and theory that may apply to issues of conflicts of interest within the ambit of corporate and securities law. Accordingly, the subject matter for discussion includes both rules of the professions – or first-order ethical rules – and rules as may be prescribed by the competent authority – that is, second-order ethical rules.
Contemporary management of acute and chronic mesenteric ischemia: 10-year experience from a multihospital healthcare system.

ABSTRACT Objective Endovascular and hybrid methods are being increasingly used to treat mesenteric ischemia. However, long-term outcomes and risk of symptom recurrence remain unknown. The objective of this study was to define predictors of post-operative morbidity, mortality, and patency loss in acute (AMI) or chronic mesenteric ischemia (CMI). Methods Inpatient and follow-up records for all patients who underwent revascularization for AMI and CMI from 2010 to 2020 at a multicenter hospital system were reviewed. Patency and mortality were evaluated with Cox regression, visualized with Kaplan-Meier curves, and compared using log rank testing. Patency was further evaluated with Fine-Gray regression utilizing death as a competing risk. Post-operative major adverse events (MAE) and 30-day mortality were evaluated with logistic regression. Results 407 patients were included; 148 AMI and 259 CMI. In AMI, 30-day mortality was 31%. Open surgery was associated with lower rates of bowel resection (OR 0.23, 95% CI 0.13, 0.61). Etiology of AMI also did not change outcomes (OR 1.30, 95% CI 0.77, 2.19). Adjusted analyses indicates that a history of diabetes (OR 2.77, 95% CI 1.37, 5.61) and sepsis on presentation (OR 2.32, 95% CI 1.18, 4.58) were independently associated with increased risk of 30-day MAE. In CMI, open surgery and CKD were associated with higher MAE (OR 3.03, 95% CI 1.14, 8.05; OR 2.37, 95% CI 1.31, 4.31) while CKD (OR 3.02, 95% CI 1.10, 8.37) and inpatient status prior to revascularization (OR 2.78, 95% CI 1.01, 7.61) were associated with increased 30-day mortality. In CMI, patients in the endovascular cohort had higher rates of symptom recurrence (29% vs. 13%) with faster onset (endovascular 64 days vs. bypass 338 days). Conclusions AMI remains a morbid disease despite evolving revascularization techniques. An open approach should remain the gold standard as it reduces likelihood of bowel resection. In CMI, endovascular interventions have improved post-operative morbidity but result in early symptom recurrence and re-interventions. An endovascular-first approach should be standard in CMI with close surveillance.
Ayurveda's role in preventing disease

Modern medical science is currently in the throes of a revolution which is likely to have a dramatic impact on both the theory of medicine and the way it is practised. The mechanistic model which served biomedicine well for many years is gradually collapsing, thanks to the efforts of dedicated researchers who have looked beyond that model's flaws. Thus we now know that networks of chemical communication exist between the nervous and immune systems, and that prayer at a distance can positively affect the conditions of those who are seriously ill, even when the prayer and the patient are not known to one another. Another participant in this exciting climate of change and ferment is Ayurveda, India's ancient medical system. While Ayurveda has already contributed much to modern medicine (reserpine, gugulipid, plastic surgery), its real contributions are yet to be made. While some of these are likely to come in matters of materia medica and technique, most will likely be derived from Ayurveda's way of seeing the world, its "darshana." This paper outlines a few of the ways in which Ayurveda's "vision" is likely to facilitate medicine's ability to teach people not just how to avoid disease but how to proactively develop and maintain a healthy "state."
Association Between Transjugular Intrahepatic Portosystemic Shunt and Survival in Patients With Cirrhosis.

Background & Aims A transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) is an effective treatment of refractory ascites and variceal bleeding. However, it is unclear whether a TIPS affects long-term survival. We investigated whether a TIPS is associated with survival in patients with cirrhosis awaiting liver transplantation. Methods By using the United Network for Organ Sharing registries from 2002 to 2013, we followed up a cohort of transplant-naive adults with cirrhosis (N = 97,063) from the time of transplant listing until the time of death or transplantation. We used Cox proportional hazards and competing-risks analyses to compare these primary outcomes between patients with a TIPS (n = 7475; 7.7%) and without a TIPS (n = 89,588; 92.3%) at the time of listing, adjusting for baseline characteristics. Results During an average follow-up period of 1.61 years, 23,305 (24%) patients died before undergoing transplantation, 47,563 (49%) underwent transplantation, and the remaining 26,195 (27%) still were alive without having received a liver transplant. Compared with patients without a TIPS, patients with a TIPS had a lower risk of death (adjusted subhazard ratio, 0.95; 95% confidence interval, 0.9–0.99), transplantation (adjusted subhazard ratio, 0.92, 95% confidence interval, 0.88–0.95), or the combined outcome of death or transplantation (adjusted hazard ratio, 0.85; 95% confidence interval, 0.83–0.88). Conclusions Among patients with cirrhosis awaiting liver transplantation, patients with a TIPS had a lower mortality rate than patients without a TIPS.
Flux Pinning in Bronze-Processed Nb3Sn Wires

With the increasing importance of multifilamentary Nb3Sn conductors for technological uses such as for the production of very high magnetic fields in fusion magnets, means of improving the superconducting critical current density Jc at very high magnetic fields (H > 10 tesla) have been sought intensively, and it has been found that metallurgical factors such as heat treatment conditions,1 alloying additions,2 and mechanical strains3 can strongly influence the critical current density. The correlation of changes in Jc with such metallurgical variations in the Nb3Sn wires has been facilitated by the use of scaling laws for magnetic flux pinning in hard superconductors, and the scaling law developed by Kramer4 has been used frequently.5 We have found in the course of our investigations of the properties of monofilamentary Nb3Sn wires produced by the “bronze process” that the magnetic field dependence of Jc at high fields can qualitatively be characterized well by Kramer’s scaling law. However, when a detailed comparison of the scaling law and available experimental results was made, we found serious inconsistencies in the values of the parameters which appear in the scaling equation.
Previously unrecognized stages of species‐specific colonization in the mutualism between Xenorhabdus bacteria and Steinernema nematodes

Summary The specificity of a horizontally transmitted microbial symbiosis is often defined by molecular communication between host and microbe during initial engagement, which can occur in discrete stages. In the symbiosis between Steinernema nematodes and Xenorhabdus bacteria, previous investigations focused on bacterial colonization of the intestinal lumen (receptacle) of the nematode infective juvenile (IJ), as this was the only known persistent, intimate and species-specific contact between the two. Here we show that bacteria colonize the anterior intestinal cells of other nematode developmental stages in a species-specific manner. Also, we describe three processes that only occur in juveniles that are destined to become IJs. First, a few bacterial cells colonize the nematode pharyngeal-intestinal valve (PIV) anterior to the intestinal epithelium. Second, the nematode intestine constricts while bacteria initially remain in the PIV. Third, anterior intestinal constriction relaxes and colonizing bacteria occupy the receptacle. At each stage, colonization requires X. nematophila symbiosis region 1 (SR1) genes and is species-specific: X. szentirmaii, which naturally lacks SR1, does not colonize unless SR1 is ectopically expressed. These findings reveal new aspects of Xenorhabdus bacteria interactions with and transmission by theirSteinernema nematode hosts, and demonstrate that bacterial SR1 genes aid in colonizing nematode epithelial surfaces.
Under special surveillance: Italy through German eyes, 1975–76

A new document found in Willy Brandt's personal correspondence provides a particularly important insight into German views on Italy in the mid-1970s. The document is a report on Italy's political and economic situation, signed by the former German ambassador in Rome, Rolf Lahr, on 15 December 1975. This article first illustrates the portrait of Italy painted by Lahr. It then contextualizes the document, by explaining why Lahr's analysis may in places seem influenced by his perception of his country, the Federal Republic of Germany. Finally, it argues that Lahr's report was also reflecting a narrative that, as the following G7 summit of Puerto Rico, in June 1976, clearly demonstrated, had wider political implications for German attitudes towards Italy. All of a sudden, West Germany seemed to have moved to the side of the ‘watchers’, while Italy was considered once again a ‘problem’ for European and international politics.
Atlantal hemi-rings and craniocervical instability: identification, clinical characteristics, and management

Object Congenital craniovertebral anomalies are relatively common, but anomalies leading to overt craniocervical instability may be difficult to recognize and treat. The authors present a series of patients with atlantal hemi-rings, a disorder resulting in congenital craniovertebral instability. Presentation, treatment, imaging, and follow-up data obtained in patients with atlantal hemi-rings were assessed to identify factors relevant to craniocervical instability. Methods Nineteen patients were identified with atlantal hemi-rings, defined as a bony discontinuity of the C-1 ring in conjunction with lateral displacement of the C-1 lateral masses (as seen on coronal CT scans). Clinical and radiological characteristics were analyzed, including patient age at presentation, extent of occipitocervical motion, amount of C-1 lateral mass displacement, associated craniocervical anomalies, integrity of the transverse ligament, and neurological status. Results The mean patient age at presentation was 22 months (rang...
Multimodal chemosensory circuits controlling male courtship in Drosophila

Throughout the animal kingdom, internal states generate long-lasting and self-perpetuating chains of behavior. In Drosophila, males instinctively pursue females with a lengthy and elaborate courtship ritual triggered by activation of sexually dimorphic P1 interneurons. Gustatory pheromones are thought to activate P1 neurons but the circuit mechanisms that dictate their sensory responses to gate entry into courtship remain unknown. Here, we use circuit mapping and in vivo functional imaging techniques to trace gustatory and olfactory pheromone circuits to their point of convergence onto P1 neurons and reveal how their combined input underlies selective tuning to appropriate sexual partners. We identify inhibition, even in response to courtship-promoting pheromones, as a key circuit element that tunes and tempers P1 neuron activity. Our results suggest a circuit mechanism in which balanced excitation and inhibition underlie discrimination of prospective mates and stringently regulate the transition to courtship in Drosophila.
HydroViz: design and evaluation of a Web-based tool for improving hydrology education

HydroViz is a Web-based, student-centered, educational tool designed to support active learning in the field of Engineering Hydrology. The design of HydroViz is guided by a learning model that is based on learning with data and simulations, using real-world natural hydrologic systems to convey theoretical concepts, and using Web-based technologies for dissemination of the hydrologic education developments. This model, while being used in a hydrologic education context, can be adapted in other engineering educational settings. HydroViz leverages the free Google Earth resources to enable presentation of geospatial data layers and embed them in web pages that have the same look and feel of Google Earth. These design features significantly facilitate the dissemination and adoption of HydroViz by any interested educational institutions regardless of their access to data or computer models. To facilitate classroom usage, HydroViz is populated with a set of course modules that can be used incrementally within different stages of an engineering hydrology curriculum. A pilot evaluation study was conducted to determine the effectiveness of the HydroViz tool in delivering its educational content, to examine the buy-in of the program by faculty and students, and to identify specific project components that need to be further pursued and improved. A total of 182 students from seven freshmen and senior-level undergraduate classes in three universities participated in the study. HydroViz was effective in facilitating students' learning and understanding of hydrologic concepts and increasing related skills. Students had positive perceptions of various features of HydroViz and they believe that HydroViz fits well in the curriculum. In general, HydroViz tend to be more effective with students in senior-level classes than students in freshmen classes. Lessons gained from this pilot study provide guidance for future adaptation and expansion studies to scale-up the application and utility of HydroViz and other similar systems into various hydrology and water-resource engineering curriculum settings. The paper presents a set of design principles that contribute to the development of other active hydrology educational systems.
Cholecystokinin concentrations and peptide immunoreactivity in the intact and deafferented medullary dorsal horn of the rat

To further address the hypothesis that cholecystokinin (CCK) in the medullary dorsal horn (MDH) arises from intrinsic or higher-order neurons. CCK-8-specific radioimmunoassay (RIA) and immunohistochemichal (IHC) experiments were carried out in adult rats after trigeminal tractotomy. RIA of punches from deafferented superficial layers of the MDH revealed no significant change in CCK levels vs. the control right side. In this same area, IHC revealed modest reductions in CCK, gastrin, and substance P staining. Calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) staining was reduced substantially. Gastrin immunoreactive cell bodies, present normally in inner lamina II, were reduced in number. RIA and IHC methods were also used to assess MDH CCK concentrations in adult rats subjected to left infraorbital nerve section at birth. The left medulla contained significantly higher levels of CCK than the control right medulla (1.27 ± 0.19 vs. 0.97 ± 0.11 ng/mg protein). IHC revealed a dense band of CCK-like staining in laminae I and II ipsi- and contralateral to the lesion. Thus, neonatal deafferentation elevates medullary CCK. To determine if the neonatal lesion-induced increase in medullary CCK is due to primary afferent or higher-order reorganization, RIA and IHC experiments were run after infraorbital nerve section at birth and trigeminal tractotomy in adulthood. RIA revealed no significant change in CCK levels caudal to the tractotomy, although they were higher than control levels in 9 of 12 cases. IHC revealed modest reductions in CCK, substance P, and gastrin staining that resembled the reductions observed in tractotomy-alone cases. These data suggest that (1) most MDH CCK is of non-primary afferent origin, (2) gastrin immunoreactivity in layer II probably originates in CCK-containing cells intrinsic to layer II, the expression of which is dependent upon trigeminal primary afferent input, (3) neonatal V deafferentation induces increased CCK in the superficial MDH, oflecting reorganized intrinsic or higher-order inputs, and (4) higher-order substance P in the MDH is robust. © 1992 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Magnetization of gold-iron alloys*

Abstract Magnetization measurements have been made on Au-Fe alloys containing from 0·05 to 12·5 at. % Fe at temperatures below the magnetic ordering temperature. In combination with Mossbauer spectroscopy a qualitative explanation is derived for the complex mictomagnetic behavior observed.
NOVEL TRANSPORT BEHAVIOR FOUND IN THE DISSIPATIVE REGIME OF SUPERCONDUCTORS

As the transport current density J in a superconductor is increased beyond its critical value Jc, dissipation sets in resulting in a finite resistivity. The superconducting state itself, however, persists up to the pair-breaking value Jd, where the kinetic energy associated with the current overcomes the condensation energy. Within this dissipative regime between Jc and Jd, the transport behavior displays a series of interesting physical phenomena (free flux flow, pair-breaking effect, etc.) as the Lorentz force and kinetic energy associated with the current sequentially overcome various intrinsic (e.g., pair-condensation and interlayer-coupling) and extrinsic (e.g., flux pinning) interactions relevant to the superconducting state. This review discusses these phenomena in the context of recent experiments where the existence of these effects was demonstrated in high-Tc superconductors for the first time. Also described are the general principles of the pulsed-current technique used to extend transport measurements to the required high current densities and power-dissipation levels.
A Shallow Fix: The Uniform Environmental Covenants Act Leaves Hard Brownfield Questions Unanswered

This article describes how restoring abandoned urban properties to productive use is essential in curtailing metropolitan sprawl. However, the uncertain liability regarding subsurface contamination at such sites is often an obstacle to such restoration efforts. Current owners frequently avoid conducting soil and groundwater testing for fear of what they might find might trigger very expensive cleanups. However, without such investigations, it is often difficult to attract investments or financing because developers and banks fear potential cleanup costs as well. It is this liability dynamic that impedes the remediation and reuse of many properties with subsurface environmental liability concerns. These properties are commonly known as “brownfields” and are often found in urban communities with a high percentage of low-income, minority residents. The majority of the brownfields in the United States are regulated by state and local environmental agencies rather than the federal Environmental Protection Agency and this article addresses the issue of standardizing the different approaches.
The nature of pb(II)-bromide complexes in propylene carbonate

The greatly increased solubility of PbBr2 in propylene carbonate (PC) caused by addition of LiBr indicates that PB(II) interacts strongly with bromide ion in propylene carbonate to form stable Pb(II)-bromide complexes. Solubility and spectrophotometric data for LiBr solutions saturated with PbBr2 indicate the presence of two Pb(II)-bromide complexes whose bromide:lead ratios are respectively 3.00 and 2.75. The former, which predominates in dilute (<0.03 m) solutions of LiBr saturated with PbBr2, was shown by potentiometry and solubility data to be PbBr3−, a species also formed when PbBr2 dissolves in PC in the absence of LiBr. The latter, which is predominant in more concentrated LiBr solutions saturated wih PbBr2, was shown by spectrophotometry and solubility data to be the polynuclear complex Pb4Br11−3. Both complexes are sufficiently stable that the free bromide ion concentration in these solutions corresponds to only a small fraction of the total bromide concentration. In LiBr solutions unsaturated with respect to PbBr2, the major Pb(II) species are PbBr3− and PbBr4−2.
A concise route to isocanthin-6-one

Abstract An efficient, four-step route to isocanthin-6-one ( 4 ) is reported. The key step is an intramolecular hetero Diels-Alder reaction.
Thoracotomy for correction of a kinked right internal mammary artery graft.

DOI:€10.1016/S0003-4975(02)04175-9 Ann Thorac Surg 2003;75:1655 Ibrahim B. Cetindag, Jacquelyn A. Quin, Anthony L. Grasch and Stephen R. Hazelrigg Thoracotomy for correction of a kinked right internal mammary artery graft http://ats.ctsnetjournals.org/cgi/content/full/75/5/1655 located on the World Wide Web at: The online version of this article, along with updated information and services, is
In vitro synthesis of microsomal protein and albumin in young and old rats.

Abstract 1. 1. Protein and serum albumin synthesis was investigated with isolated liver microsomes from young and old rats. Albumin synthesis of old rats, based on mg protein, is 50 % higher than that of young rats, but there is no difference in total protein synthesis. 2. 2. The increased albumin synthetic activity resides in the microsomal particles and not in the cell sap. 3. 3. The albumin synthesis of young rats can be stimulated by bleeding. Increased albumin synthesis reaches its peak at 3 h after bleeding and is 40 % higher than in non-bled young rats, whereas in old rats, bleeding does not further increase albumin synthesis. 4. 4. The cell sap fraction from bled rats, either young or old, has a stimulating effect on albumin synthesis by the microsome fraction from young rats.
Three-dimensional data fusion for biomedical surface reconstruction

Traditional surface reconstruction techniques have focused exclusively on contour sections in one anatomical direction. However, in certain medical situations, such as in presurgical planning and radiation treatment, medical scans are taken of the patient in three orthogonal directions to better localize pathologies. Fusion techniques must be used to register this data with respect to a surface fitting method. We explore the issues involved in fusing data from ellipsoid anatomy, such as the brain, heart, and major organs. The output of the fusion process is a set of data points which are correlated to one another to represent the surface of a single object. This data network is then used as input to a surface fitting algorithm which depends on two sampling metrics which we derive. The solution to this problem is important in presurgical planning, radiation treatment, and telemedical systems.
Discussion of: An analysis of the auditor's uncertainty about probabilities

Summary The main objective of Larsson and Chesley's (1986) paper is to provide a framework for an auditor to assign a probability measure associated with uncertainty or ambiguity related to certain types of events arising in an audit environment. For this framework the authors extracted and applied the general methodology developed by Larsson (1976) in his doctoral thesis, which extends a subjective probability measure from a known s-algebra θ to an unknown and an extended class β, such that an auditor (decision maker), when faced with an extended lottery on events in β, can still come up with the use of utility theory maximization to rank the decisions. The authors make the following claims: (1) their methodology helps the auditor with this new audit tool of probability measure assessment; (2) their measure can capture a number of previously specified approaches by others in this area; and (3) their measure provides some “intuitive conclusions and some well-known mathematical properties.” (Abstract)
Statistical identification of structural rearrangement events in molecular dynamics trajectories

Abstract We describe a statistical analysis method to detect simultaneous break points of the mean in multiple observables with Gaussian fluctuations as often observed in single molecule experiments and molecular dynamics trajectories. The maximum likelihood method finds the most likely break point in a given sequence of normally distributed multivariate observations using Hotteling’s T 2 statistic. In stochastic simulations we determine the threshold F -values for the acceptance of a break point in three dimensions and test the sensitivity and accuracy of the method. We present an algorithm that systematically identifies the most likely break points in a trajectory in a self-consistent manner. We test the method and algorithm with trajectories from molecular dynamics simulations on a prototypical atomistic glass former.
Developing ratings for food products: lessons learned from media rating systems.

Children regularly consume low-nutrient, high-calorie food that is not consistent with a healthful diet, contributing to an increasing epidemic of overweight and obesity. Among the multiple causes of this problem is the food industry’s emphasis on marketing calorie-dense food products to children. The Institute of Medicine (IOM) has recommended that industry adopt a uniform system of simplified food ratings to convey the nutritional qualities of food in a manner that is understandable and appealing to children and youth. This report analyzes the need for such a system in a food marketing environment that increasingly identifies healthful products for the consumer in inconsistent fashion. It considers evidence regarding current usage of food labeling and draws parallels with media rating systems in discussing the prospects for a uniform food rating system that would accomplish the IOM’s objective.
Magnitudes and Orientations of the Principal Elements of the 1H Chemical Shift, 1H−15N Dipolar Coupling, and 15N Chemical Shift Interaction Tensors in 15Nε1-Tryptophan and 15Nπ-Histidine Side Chains Determined by Three-Dimensional Solid-State NMR Spectroscopy of Polycrystalline Samples

The magnitudes and orientations of the principal elements of the 1H chemical shift, 1H−15N dipolar coupling, and 15N chemical shift interaction tensors in 15Ne1-tryptophan and 15Nπ-histidine nitrog...
Achievement and avoidance games for generating Abelian groups

For any finite group G, the DO GENERATE game is played by two players Alpha and Beta as follows. Alpha moves first and chooses x 1 C G. The k-th play consists of a choice of xgE G-Sk_ 1 where S n = ~x 1 ..... Xn}. Let G n = . The game ends when G n = G. The player who moves x n wins. In the corresponding avoidance game, DON'T GENERATE, the last player to move loses. Of course neither game can end in a draw. For an arbitrary group, it is an unsolved problem to determine whether Alpha or Beta wins either game. However these two questions are answered here for abelian groups.
Regulation of DNA-like RNA and the apparent activation of ribosomal RNA synthesis in sea urchin embryos: quantitative measurements of newly synthesized RNA.

Summary RNA synthesis was analyzed in sea urchin embryos in order to determine the contribution which changes in synthesis of heterogeneous DNA-like RNA and of ribosomal RNA make to the changes in TNA metabolism which occur during embryogenesis. The base composition and sedimentation behavior of RNA molecules incorporating radioactivity during a short incubation of embryos with radioactive RNA precursors indicate that heterogeneous, DNA-like RNA was the predominant class of RNA synthesized in embryos at all stages of development. During longer incubations with radioactive precursors, radioactivity preferentially accumulated in ribosomal RNA. This preferential accumulation of newly synthesized rRNA was much more extensive at later than at early stages of development. However, accumulation of newly synthesized 28 S ribosomal RNA could be demonstrated as early as the first half of blastula stage when rRNA was extensively purified from DNA-like RNA by sucrose gradient sedimentation and MAK chromatography. In order to interpret these developmental changes in the relative accumulation of ribosomal and DNA-like RNA, the amounts of newly synthesized RNA accumulated during cleavage, blastula, and pluteus stages were quantitatively estimated by measurement of the incorporation of radioactive precursors into RNA and simultaneous determination of the specific activity of the nucleotide triphosphate precursor pools. The results indicated that the accumulation of newly synthesized DNA-like RNA per nucleus was quantitatively much greater at cleavage and blastula stages than at pluteus stage, whereas the accumulation of newly synthesized rRNA per nucleus at blastula and pluteus stages were similar. Therefore, decreases in the quantitative accumulation of DNA-like RNA account entirely for the change in the relative accumulation of ribosomal RNA and DNA-like RNA which occurs during development of sea urchin embryos.
A geostatistical framework for quantifying the reach-scale spatial structure of river morphology: 2. Application to restored and natural channels☆

Abstract Alluvial rivers are shaped by interactions between the bed topography, the flow field, and the movement of sediment. To help refine our understanding of these connections between form and process, I developed a geostatistical framework for quantifying the reach-scale spatial structure of river morphology, described in a companion paper. In this study, I applied this approach to a restored channel and three disparate reaches of a dynamic, natural stream. Repeat topographic surveys of each site were used to examine relationships between channel change and the variability and organization of the topography. For the restored river, the development of point bars increased overall morphologic diversity, primarily because of greater cross-sectional asymmetry. The three natural reaches experienced a variety of adjustments ranging from 1) gradual bar growth and bank erosion to; 2) extensive deposition followed by channel abandonment; and 3) chute cutoff and incision of a new channel. In both the restored and natural streams, geostatistical analysis, which involved variogram modeling, calculation of integral metrics, and inspection of variogram maps, provided an effective, informative summary of the observed channel changes. The use of dimensionless variables accounted for channel size, highlighted differences in spatial structure, and enabled a comparison among sites — the restored reach had not yet achieved the same degree of heterogeneity as the more pristine channels. Emphasizing variability and spatial pattern via this geostatistical framework could yield insight on form–process interactions and help to quantify geomorphic complexity and habitat heterogeneity in the applied context of river restoration.
Sensitized renal transplant recipients: current protocols and future directions

The identification of suitable donor kidneys for transplant candidates with high levels of circulating antibodies against human leukocyte antigen (HLA) is a major challenge and results in prolonged waiting times for transplantation. Technological advances in antibody characterization have permitted a more comprehensive assessment of anti-HLA antibody activity, as well as providing new insights into the clinical effect of HLA antibody class and specificity. Protocols have been developed that enable successful transplantation in patients with donor-specific antibodies (anti-HLA antibodies reactive against their donors). These protocols provide satisfactory early to intermediate-term allograft survival, and constitute an important advance in transplantation. Nevertheless, acute antibody-mediated rejection (AMR) remains a significant challenge, occurring in 20-50% of antibody-incompatible kidney transplantations. Although therapy directed toward lowering donor-specific antibody activity seems to be successful in reversing acute AMR, this condition still has an important negative impact on allograft survival. In addition, subclinical AMR seems to complicate a substantial proportion of positive-crossmatch transplantations even in the absence of allograft dysfunction, and may result in chronic histological abnormalities and shortened allograft function. New interventions for preventing acute AMR, such as anti-C5 antibody-mediated complement blockade and proteasome inhibitor-mediated plasma cell depletion, are promising therapeutic avenues currently under investigation.
Reflexivization across clause boundaries in Italian

At first glance Reflexivization in Italian seems to obey the same restrictions we find in English. Thus, if we consider the proposal that reflexive pronouns and their antecedents must be clausemates in English, we find in Italian that the same clausemate condition holds and that for any two coreferential pronouns within the same clause, the second of them is a reflexive pronoun. If, on the other hand, we consider the proposal that a reflexive pronoun and its antecedent may be indefinitely far apart provided that certain circumstances are not present, such as an intervening specified subject or the reflexive's being in a tensed S to which the antecedent does not belong (as in Chomsky (1973)), again the same conditions hold for Italian Reflexivization; as illustrated in (I)–(3).
Demonstration of Increased Permeability as a Factor in the Effect of Acetylcholine on the Electrical Activity of Venom-Treated Axons

D-Tubocurarine (curare) and acetylcholine (ACh) had been found to block electrical activity after treatment of squid giant axons with cottonmouth moccasin venom at a concentration which had no effect on conduction. It has now been demonstrated that this effect is attributable to reduction of permeability barriers. The penetration of externally applied C14-labeled dimethylcurare, ACh, choline, and trimethylamine into the axoplasm of the squid giant axon was determined in axons treated with either cottonmouth, rattlesnake, or bee venom, and in untreated control axons. The lipid-soluble tertiary nitrogen compound trimethylamine readily penetrated into the axoplasm of untreated axons. In contrast, after exposure of the axons to the lipid-insoluble quaternary nitrogen compounds for 1 hour their presence in the axoplasm was hardly detectable (less than 1 per cent). However, following 15µg/ml cottonmouth venom 1 to 5 per cent of their external concentration is found within the axoplasm while following 50µg/ml venom 10 to 50 per cent enters. The penetration of dimethylcurare is also increased by 10 µg/ml bee venom but not by 1 µg/ml bee venom nor 1000 µg/ml rattlesnake venom. The experiments show that when ACh and curare, following venom treatment, affect electrical activity, they also penetrate into the axon. Treatments which do not increase penetration are also ineffective in rendering the compounds active.
The effect of twin–twin interactions on the nucleation and propagation of {101¯2} twinning in magnesium

Abstract Electron backscattered diffraction serial image analyses on AM30 magnesium alloy compressed under profuse { 1 0 1 ¯ 2 } twinning conditions at different strain levels suggest that twin nucleation and twin propagation rates strongly depend on the number of activated twins in a given grain. This behavior was identified by comparing the twin growth evolution in two grains with roughly the same high Schmid factors for twinning. One grain deformed by a single twin variant, while in the other grain, two intersecting twin variants grew at approximately the same rate. The twin thickening rate was higher in the predominant twinning condition, but the nucleation rate was substantially faster in the two variant twinning condition. The overall volume fraction of twins, however, was approximately the same in both grains, despite the difference in twin microstructure. According to the theory by Christian and Mahajan, there is a higher stress for nucleation than for propagation, and because of the Hall–Petch effect associated with twin segmentation, it is suggested that the grain with two variants should undergo a higher hardening rate than that with a single variant. These observations correspond to some of the most important characteristics of twin–twin hardening, which must be addressed in crystal plasticity simulations.
Behavioral treatments for pica : a review of empirical studies

Behavioral treatments for the eating disorder pica are reviewed. An extensive search of the literature yielded five previous reviews, 45 articles, and 3 dissertations. Interventions designed to reduce pica are described, including self-protective devices, over correction, water mist and aromatic ammonia, brief restraint, differential reinforcement, discrimination training, patient self-report, and ecological modifications. Many interventions were associated with reductions or eliminations of pica and required few hours of intensive therapist or staff involvement. Methodological problems with the published database on pica are assessed. Suggestions for further primary research and reviews are included.
The determinants of analyst-firm pairings

Abstract This paper explores the determinants of observed analyst-firm pairings. We adopt an analyst/brokerage house perspective that allows us to examine not only firm-level characteristics as in prior research, but also attributes of the analyst and the analyst’s brokerage house that may drive these pairings. Our empirical analyses provide two primary insights. First, analyst characteristics such as industry expertise and relative experience, and brokerage house characteristics such as continuity of coverage, are associated with the decision to follow a firm. Second, there is substantial variation in the association between firm, analyst, and brokerage house characteristics and the decision to follow a firm; this occurs across individual analysts as well as across different types of brokerage houses. Overall, our results provide further insights into the factors leading to observed analyst-firm pairings, and indicate that these factors vary across analysts and their brokerage houses – suggesting richer associations than the average firm-level relationships documented by prior research.
MO-SAMS-AUD B-02: Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy (SBRT) II: Physics and Dosimetry Considerations

SBRT of well defined extracranial targets in various anatomical locations demands special treatment planning considerations due to limitations of dose calculation algorithms in heterogeneous medium and small field dosimetry coupled with tumor/organ motion and multiple radiobiological constraints. Unlike conventional intracranial radiosurgery,SBRTtreatment planning and delivery are confounded by reduced 3D physical space for beam placement due to possibility of treatment machine and patient collision as well as a multiplicity of surrounding serial and parallel architecture organs. Currently advanced treatment planning techniques with radiobiological considerations and precise image‐guidedtreatment delivery methods are practiced for SBRT delivery to a wide variety of tumor types. The physics and dosimetry presentation will include an overview of the available technology for SBRT with an emphasis on image guidance, Quality Assurance, and clinical implementation of SBRT. The presentation will also include site specific treatment planning techniques with considerations to accuracy of dose calculation algorithms, radiobiological issues, and physics reporting strategies. Educational Objectives: 1. Understand the issues related to the clinical implementation and technical aspects of SBRT techniques and technology and become familiar with the preliminary reporting of AAPM Task Group 101. 2. Understand the importance of QA procedures and guidelines and reporting requirements for SBRT. 3. Understand the practical aspects of SBRTtreatment planning for paraspinal, lung, liver, and abdominal tumors and recognize the critical issues related to each site. 4. Understand the importance and limitations of dose calculation algorithms and heterogeneity correction methods for SBRT in various anatomical sites.
On persistent coverage control

In this paper we address the problem of persistent coverage of a given convex polygonal region in the plane. We present an algorithmic solution for this problem that takes into account the limitations in the communication and sensing ranges of the agents. We show that our algorithm provides a persistent coverage period that is bounded away by a constant factor from a minimal tour among the centers of an optimal static cover, which is comprised of circles having the same radius as the sensing radius of the agents. A simulation is provided that illustrates the algorithm.
The isoinhibitors of chymotrypsin/elastase from Ascaris lumbricoides: Isolation by affinity chromatography and association with the enzymes☆☆☆

Abstract Five isoinhibitors, proteins that inactivate chymotrypsin and elastase, were isolated from aqueous extracts of the intestinal parasite Ascaris lumbricoides var. suum by affinity chromatography. They were named in the order that they eluted from a CM-Sephadex C-25 column at pH 8.6 using a salt gradient. Isoinhibitor 1, first reported in this paper, is anionic on polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis at pH 9.3. The other four isoinhibitors are cationic on electrophoresis at pH 9.3, separable from each other, and identical with those reported previously [ R. J. Peanasky and G. M. Abu-Erreish (1971) in Proceedings International Research Conference on Proteinase Inhibitors (Fritz, H., and Tschesche, H., eds.), pp. 281–293, de Gruyter, New York]. Amino acid compositions show differences between the isoinhibitors. Antibody to isoinhibitor 1 reacts with its self-antigen only. Antibody to isoinhibitor 5 reacts with isoinhibitors 2–5 but not with isoinhibitor 1. Association equilibrium constants show that each of the isoinhibitors interacts most avidly with α-chymotrypsin. For isoinhibitor 1, the K a for α-chymotrypsin was 2.6 × 10 11 m −1 , for porcine elastase 11.6 × 10 10 m −1 , and for subtilisin Carlsberg 3.3 × 10 7 m −1 . For isoinhibitors 2–5, the K a ranges were 7.1 × 10 10 to 1.3 × 10 10 m −1 for α-chymotrypsin, 1.0 × 10 9 to 5.6 × 10 9 m −1 for porcine elastase I, and 6.0 × 10 8 to 1.3 × 10 9 m −1 for subtilisin Carlsberg. Because of the strong affinity of these inhibitors for α-chymotrypsin and elastase, two proteins in the normal environment of the nematode, the name isoinhibitors of chymotrypsin/elastase is suggested for these proteins.
The Surgical Management of Equinus in the Adult Acquired Flatfoot

Ankle joint equinus plays a significant role in the pathogenesis of adult and pediatric flatfoot. The surgical management of ankle equinus is a widely debated topic, and procedure selection is often based on surgeon preference because there is no consensus regarding the superiority of a single procedure. Gastrocnemius recession offers acceptable cosmesis and minimizes perceived weakness, yet requires increased operating time and is indicated only in mild to moderate contractures. Whereas tendo-achilles lengthening is efficient and technically undemanding, and one may achieve large amounts of required length, final length is sometimes unpredictable and may markedly decrease posterior muscle group strength.
Malignant liver disease in alpha1-antitrypsin deficiency

Ever since the first report by Sharp et al. (1) that alpha1-antitrypsin deficiency (AATD) PiZ is associated with liver disease in infants and children, hepatologists were captured by this association. Whereas the major manifestation of alpha1-antitrypsin (AAT) PiZ deficiency in infants and children involves the liver, many adults affected with this phenotype develop chronic obstructive lung disease. However, in addition to severe panacinar emphysema, adults with AATD also face the risk of the development of chronic liver disease and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).