cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Examining margin reduction and its impact on dose distribution for prostate cancer patients undergoing daily cone-beam computed tomography.

Purpose To examine the dosimetric impact of margin reduction and quantify residual error after three-dimensional (3D) image registration using daily cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) for prostate cancer patients. Methods and Materials One hundred forty CBCTs from 5 prostate cancer patients were examined. Two intensity-modulated radiotherapy plans were generated on CT simulation on the basis of two planning target volume (PTV) margins: 10 mm all around the prostate and seminal vesicles except 6 mm posteriorly (10/6) and 5 mm all around except 3 mm posteriorly (5/3). Daily CBCT using the Varian On-Board Imaging System was acquired. The 10/6 and 5/3 simulation plans were overlaid onto each CBCT, and each CBCT plan was calculated. To examine residual error, PlanCT/CBCT intensity-based 3D image registration was performed for prostate localization using center of mass and maximal border displacement. Results Prostate coverage was within 2% between the 10/6 and 5/3 plans. Seminal vesicle coverage was reduced with the 5/3 plan compared with the 10/6 plan, with coverage difference within 7%. The 5/3 plan allowed 30–50% sparing of bladder and rectal high-dose regions. For residual error quantification, center of mass data show that 99%, 93%, and 96% of observations fall within 3 mm in the left–right, anterior–posterior, and superior–inferior directions, respectively. Maximal border displacement observations range from 79% to 99%, within 5 mm for all directions. Conclusion Cone-beam CT dosimetrically validated a 10/6 margin when soft-tissue localization is not used. Intensity-based 3D image registration has the potential to improve target localization and to provide guidelines for margin definition.
Incorporation of n−3 fatty acids into WB-F344 cell phospholipids inhibits gap junctional intercellular communication

In this investigation, we demonstrate that rat liver epithelial (WB-F344) cells grown in medium supplemented with n−3 fatty acids (FA) results in the inhibition of gap junctional intercellular communication (GJIC). Cells incubated for 48 hr in medium containing 50 μM α-linolenate (18∶3n−3) resulted in a 60% inhibition of GJIC, compared to control cells, while treatment with γ-linolenate (18∶3n−6) had no effect. Supplementation with octadecatetraenoate (18∶4n−3), eicosapentaenoate (20∶5n−3), and docosahexaenoate (22∶6n−3), inhibited GJIC by 42%, 28%, and 18%, respectively. Incubation with each of the n−3 FA markedly increased the total n−3 FA content of cellular phospholipids (PL). Growing cells in medium containing 50 μM arachidonate (20∶4n−6) plus 50 μM 18∶3n−3 partially attenuated the inhibition of GJIC induced by 18∶3n−3. The mechanism by which n−3 FA inhibit GJIC remains to be determined.
Localization and the Toeplitz algebra on the Bergman space

Abstract Let T f denote the Toeplitz operator with symbol function f on the Bergman space L a 2 ( B , d v ) of the unit ball in C n . It is a natural problem in the theory of Toeplitz operators to determine the norm closure of the set { T f : f ∈ L ∞ ( B , d v ) } in B ( L a 2 ( B , d v ) ) . We show that the norm closure of { T f : f ∈ L ∞ ( B , d v ) } actually coincides with the Toeplitz algebra T , i.e., the C ⁎ -algebra generated by { T f : f ∈ L ∞ ( B , d v ) } . A key ingredient in the proof is the class of weakly localized operators recently introduced by Isralowitz, Mitkovski and Wick. Our approach simultaneously gives us the somewhat surprising result that T also coincides with the C ⁎ -algebra generated by the class of weakly localized operators.
Evidence from biosynthetically incorporated strontium and FTIR difference spectroscopy that the C-terminus of the D1 polypeptide of photosystem II does not ligate calcium.

Recent FTIR studies have provided evidence that the C-terminal α-COO- group of the D1 polypeptide at D1-Ala344 is a unidentate ligand of a Mn ion in photosystem II [Chu, H.-A., Hiller, W., and Debus, R. J. (2004) Biochemistry 43, 3152−3166; Kimura, Y., Mizusawa, N., Yamanari, T., Ishii, A., and Ono, T.-A. (2005) J. Biol. Chem. 280, 2078−2083]. However, the FTIR data could not exclude Ca ligation. Furthermore, the recent ∼3.5 A X-ray crystallographic structural model positions the α-COO- group of D1-Ala344 near a Ca ion [Ferreira, K. N., Iverson, T. M., Maghlaoui, K., Barber, J., and Iwata, S. (2004) Science 303, 1831−1838]. Therefore, to conclusively establish whether the α-COO- group of D1-Ala344 ligates Mn or Ca, the symmetric carboxylate stretching mode of the α-COO- group of D1-Ala344 was identified in the S2-minus-S1 FTIR difference spectrum of PSII particles having Sr substituted for Ca. Cells of the cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 were propagated in media having Sr substituted for Ca and ...
Steroid Hormone Uptake by Anterior Pituitary Cell Suspensions11

Anterior pituitary glands from 7–day ovariectomized rats were serrated and digested with 0.05% pronase in calcium—magnesium free Hanks' medium (CMFH). Cells dispersed in CMFH contained characteristic secretory granules and had RNA/DNA and protein DNA ratios similar to those of intact pituitary tissue. When a constant number of cells was incubated with increasing concentrations of 3H-estradiol, uptake and retention of 3H-estradiol resulted from specific and nonspecific binding processes. The specific component had a high affinity (KA = 2.3 X 109M-1) and low capacity for estradiol (0.0029 pmole/Mg DNA). The nonspecific component had a lower affinity for 3H-estradiol and was not saturable using concentrations of estradiol up to 1.55 X 10-8M. Nonspecific uptake was greatly reduced when 3H-estradiol was bound to BSA before incubation with cells. Scatchard plot data for specific binding indicated there are ∼19000 binding sites per cell (10.8 pg DNA). Pituitary cells concentrated 3H-estradiol rapidly at 37 C, an...
Aging and olfactory recognition memory: effect of encoding strategies and cognitive abilities.

The effects of two encoding manipulations on recognition memory for odors were examined in 20 young and 20 elderly males. Subjects were instructed to use two different encoding strategies: (1) labeling-plus-definition (i.e., naming the odor and giving a short description) and, (2) life-episode association (i.e., associating a memory of a life-episode with each odor). Results revealed that elderly subjects performed significantly worse than young subjects in the labeling-plus-definition condition, but not in the life-episode task in which they achieved a level of performance not significantly different from the young. Encoding specificity or precision did not significantly impact recognition memory for the odors in either group. Analysis of response bias revealed that, in the label-plus-definition condition, young subjects were more conservative in responding style, while more liberal in their responding in the life-episode condition. In contrast, elderly subjects exhibited nearly identical response bias across both encoding conditions. The results suggest that age-related deficits in olfactory memory may be strategy dependent.
Development of angle-resolved low coherence interferometry for clinical detection of dysplasia

This review covers the development of angle-resolved low coherence interferometry (a/LCI) from initial development through clinical application. In the first applications, the approach used a time-domain interferometry scheme and was validated using animal models of carcinogenesis to assess the feasibility of detecting dysplasia in situ. Further development of the approach led to Fourier-domain interferometry schemes with higher throughput and endoscope-compatible probes to enable clinical application. These later implementations have been applied to clinical studies of dysplasia in Barrett's esophagus tissues, a metaplastic tissue type that is associated with an increased risk of esophageal adenocarcinoma. As an alternative to systematic biopsy, the a/LCI approach offers high sensitivity and specificity for detecting dysplasia in these tissues while avoiding the need for tissue removal or exogenous contrast agents. Here, the various implementations of a/LCI are discussed and the results of the preliminary animal experiments and ex vivo human tissue studies are reviewed. A review of a recent in vivo clinical study is also presented.
Attitude formation and mere exposure phenomena: A nonartifactual explanation of empirical findings.

Infrequent positive (E+) and negative (E—) words were used as stimuli in exposure experiments. Increased exposure led E+ words to become more positive and E— words to become more negative. Exposure also led the summed evaluations of the associations to E+ and E— words to become, respectively, more positive and more negative. These parallel findings were predicted from an attitude formation process that was based on Fishbein's attitude model. Explanations of response competition, mental sets, attitude conditioning, demand characteristics, subject hypotheses, and relative rating strategies were also tested. None of these explanations could account for the exposure effects. It was concluded that mere exposure effects are not necessarily artifacts and that the attitude formation process can potentially reconcile inconsistent findings in the literature. Zajonc (1968) marshaled an impressive array of correlational and experimental evidence to support the hypothesis that the mere exposure of a stimulus is a sufficient condition to enhance an individual's evaluation of it. The frequency-positive affect relationship has since been replicated in different settings (Zajonc & Rajecki, 1969), with different stimuli (Saegart, Swap, & Zajonc, 1973), and different subject populations (Heingartner & Hall, 1974). Harrison (1968) proposed a response competition hypothesis to explain Zajonc's (1968) findings. This explanation assumes that a novel stimulus initially arouses negative affect because many response tendencies toward the stimulus compete to identify the stimulus as a particular object or entity. Repeated stimu
Particulate and Whisker Modifications of Matrix Resin for Improved Toughness of Fibrous Composites

The mechanical properties of continuous graphite fiber reinforced com posites containing filler modified epoxy matrix have been investigated. Modification of epoxy resin with either thermoplastic p...
Drug testing: Technical complications of a complex social issue

To control the adverse effects of substance abuse, urinary drug testing has become common practice in some occupational settings. Although it is virtually impossible to assess accurately the impact of drug abuse at work, increased accidents and absenteeism as well as impaired productivity have been attributed to drug abuse. The major analytical techniques used to screen for illegal drug use are thin-layer chromatography and enzyme- and radioimmunoassays. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry is uniformly recommended to confirm any positive screening test. The major technical problem in interpreting screening tests is that the presence of a substance in the urine indicates merely exposure to the drug, not necessarily intoxication, habituation, or addiction. Since no certifying criteria are available to insure quality control among laboratories performing urinary drug testing, results may vary widely. In fact, a study conducted by the Centers for Disease Control suggests that poor performance of some laboratories may adversely affect the treatment of drug abuse. The Federal Rehabilitation Act (1973, section 504) prohibits discrimination against the handicapped, which includes both drug abuse and alcoholism. Legal challenges to urinary drug testing have focused on issues related to the right to privacy and freedom from unreasonable searches. Because of the wide-ranging legal, ethical, and medical ramifications of drug-screening programs, careful review of these issues is recommended before an organization establishes such a program.
Risk Factors for Nursing Home Use After Hospitalization for Medical Illness

Background Hospitalization, a sentinel event for many older persons, may mark a transition from independent living to either community-based or institutionalized long-term care. We determined the independent risk factors, including loss of function, of nursing home (NH) admission at hospital discharge and NH use at 3 months after hospital discharge among a diverse group of hospitalized older persons. Methods The subjects in this study were 1,265 noninstitutionalized persons from phase II of Hospital Outcomes Project for the Elderly. Using multiple logistic regression, we modeled NH admission with variables measured at the time of hospital admission as well as with length of stay (LOS) and decline in ADL independence from hospital admission to discharge. In addition, we modeled NH use at 3 months after hospital discharge with variables measured at the time of hospital discharge as well as with post-hospital measures of rehospitalization and decline in ADL independence following hospitalization. Results The independence risk factors of NH placement at discharge are geographic site, increasing age, living alone, and low baseline ADL independence, LOS, and decline in ADL independence during hospitalization. The independent predictors for NH use at 3-month follow-up are increasing age, living alone, mental status, low discharge ADL independence, LOS, and decline in ADL independence during the 3 months after discharge. Conclusions Simple but different clinical variables predict NH use at hospital discharge and at 3 months. Furthermore, functional loss during and after hospitalization is an important independent risk factor of nursing home use and is a clinical outcome that may be modified to decrease the likelihood of NH admission.
Electrophysical sorption of single carbon halogenated solvents onto soil

Sorption of halogenated single carbon organic contaminants onto a sandy loam has been found to be controlled by the electrostatic attraction between a slightly negatively (δ−) charged clay particle and a positively (δ+) charged carbon atom within the solvent molecule. Adsorption isotherms for chloroform, bromodichloromethane and methylene chloride indicate that the extent of sorption appears to have a direct functional relationship to the molecular charge distribution within the solvent molecule, and to the atomic radii of the molecular substituents of the contaminant. When a carbon atom is saturated with highly electronegative substituents (e.g. carbon tetrachloride), an electron cloud surrounds the molecule and shields the slightly positive (δ+) carbon nuclei. This shielding effect limits the sorption that occurs. A study on carbon tetrachloride sorption resulted in no detectable sorption onto the sandy loam soil. This theory of adsorption is defined as Electrophysical Sorption (EPS) because it reflects the combination of electrostatic and physical contributions to sorption.
CONVEX STANDARD FUNDAMENTAL DOMAIN FOR SUBGROUPS OF HECKE GROUPS

It is well known that if a convex hyperbolic polygon is constructed as a fundamental domain for a subgroup of SL(2,ℝ), then its translates by the group form a locally finite tessellation and its side-pairing transformations form a system of generators for the group. Such a hyperbolically convex fundamental domain for any discrete subgroup can be obtained by using Dirichlet’s and Ford’s polygon constructions. However, these two results are not well adapted for the actual construction of a hyperbolically convex fundamental domain due to their nature of construction. A third, and most important and practical, method of obtaining a fundamental domain is through the use of a right coset decomposition as described below. If Γ2 is a subgroup of Γ1 such that Γ1=Γ2⋅{L1,L2,…,Lm} and 𝔽 is the closure of a fundamental domain of the bigger group Γ1, then the set is a fundamental domain of Γ2. One can ask at this juncture, is it possible to choose the right coset suitably so that the set ℛ is a convex hyperbolic polygon? We will answer this question affirmatively for Hecke modular groups.
Adaptive mode pushing

In the analysis of certain magnetic devices, it is found that nonlinear ill-conditioned equations have to be solved. Mode pushing was developed to accelerate the rate of convergence of the iterative solutions to these problems. This paper discusses an algorithm that increases the rate of convergence still further by making mode pushing adaptive. Special attention is given to physical situations where one is computing critical points, especially when there is hysteresis.
Molecular Genetics and the Treatment of Addiction

Substance use disorders represent complex phenotypes that result from the intricate interplay of genetic variation, neurobiological mechanisms, and psychosocial and environmental variables. To date, one of the least studied factors has been genetic variation. This chapter provides a critical review of the expanding literature on molecular genetics applied to the treatment of addiction. We begin with a brief overview of concepts in psychiatric genetics, followed by an extended review and discussion of pharmacogenetics and pharmacogenomics applied to addiction medicine. Next, we discuss practical and ethical issues in the translation of pharmacogenetics science into clinical practice. Lastly, we outline future directions for the field. Although personalized medicine is still largely incipient in the field of addiction, it holds considerable potential to improve the clinical care of individuals suffering from addictive disorders.
Evaluation of Production and Financial Risk: A Stochastic Dominance Approach

As producers make the transition from irrigated to dryland crop production, the impact on net returns and owner equity is uncertain. This study estimates, via a daily crop growth simulation model and a lender' s response function, the profit distributions under alternative weather conditions for four dryland crop rotations. Stohastic dominance with respect to a function was utilized to rank each rotation for various risk aversion intervals. Solutions from the mode indicate that financia1 risk increases faster than production risk with the leverage ratio and both components of risk vary across crop rotations. Lorsque les producteurs prennent la decision de changer de systeme de production, soit d' abandonner la culture irriguee, les repercussions sur les benefices nets et l' avoir propre du propretaire sont incertains. En utilisant un modele probabiliste quotidien de croissance des cultures et une courbe d' offre de credit de la part des preteurs, cette etude analyse la distribution des profits pour differentes conditions climatiques pour quatre systemes possibles de rotation des cultures en sol non-irrigue. La dominance stochastique par rapport a une fonction est utilisee pour classifier les rotations possibles et ce, pour differentes classes d' aversion au risque. Les resultats de simulation indiquent que le risque financier relatif au risque de production augmente avec un accroissement du levier financier de l' entreprise et ces deux composantes du risque total varient selon la rotation envisagee.
Structural and behavioral synthesis for testability techniques

In this paper, a behavioral synthesis for testability system is presented. In this system, a testability modifier is connected to an existing behavioral level synthesis program, which accepts a circuit's behavioral description in C or VHDL as input. The outline of the system is as follows: (1) a testability analyzer is first applied to identify the hard-to-test areas in the circuit from the behavioral description; (2) a selection process is then applied to select test points or partial scan flip-flops. Selection is based on behavioral information rather than low-level structural description. This allows test point insertion or partial scan usage on circuits described as an interconnection of high level modules; (3) test statement insertion (TSI), an alternative to test point insertion and partial scan, is used to modify the circuit based on the selected test points. The major advantage of using TSI is a low pin count and test application time as compared to test point insertion and partial scan. In addition, TSI can be applied at the early design phase. This approach was implemented in a computer program, and applied to several sample circuits generated by a synthesis tool. The results are also presented. >
Molecular structure of amyloid fibrils controls the relationship between fibrillar size and toxicity.

BACKGROUND According to the prevailing view, soluble oligomers or small fibrillar fragments are considered to be the most toxic species in prion diseases. To test this hypothesis, two conformationally different amyloid states were produced from the same highly pure recombinant full-length prion protein (rPrP). The cytotoxic potential of intact fibrils and fibrillar fragments generated by sonication from these two states was tested using cultured cells. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS For one amyloid state, fibril fragmentation was found to enhance its cytotoxic potential, whereas for another amyloid state formed within the same amino acid sequence, the fragmented fibrils were found to be substantially less toxic than the intact fibrils. Consistent with the previous studies, the toxic effects were more pronounced for cell cultures expressing normal isoform of the prion protein (PrP(C)) at high levels confirming that cytotoxicity was in part PrP(C)-dependent. Silencing of PrP(C) expression by small hairpin RNAs designed to silence expression of human PrP(C) (shRNA-PrP(C)) diminished the deleterious effects of the two amyloid states to a different extent, suggesting that the role of PrP(C)-mediated and PrP(C)-independent mechanisms depends on the structure of the aggregates. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE This work provides a direct illustration that the relationship between an amyloid's physical dimension and its toxic potential is not unidirectional but is controlled by the molecular structure of prion protein (PrP) molecules within aggregated states. Depending on the structure, a decrease in size of amyloid fibrils can either enhance or abolish their cytotoxic effect. Regardless of the molecular structure or size of PrP aggregates, silencing of PrP(C) expression can be exploited to reduce their deleterious effects.
Mössbauer spectroscopy investigation and hydrodesulfurization properties of iron-nickel phosphide catalysts

Abstract Unsupported and silica-supported Fe x Ni 2− x P y catalysts having a range of metal compositions (0 x ⩽ 2.0) were investigated using Mossbauer spectroscopy, and the results correlated with the surface and hydrodesulfurization (HDS) properties of the supported catalysts. Mossbauer spectroscopy permits determination of the relative site occupancy of Fe atoms in tetrahedral (M(1)) and pyramidal (M(2)) sites in the Fe x Ni 2− x P y materials. Fe atoms preferentially occupy M(2) sites for materials with significant Fe contents ( x > ∼0.60), but the Fe site preference reverses as the Fe content decreases ( x x Ni 2− x P y materials. Thiophene HDS measurements of the Fe x Ni 2− x P y /SiO 2 catalysts revealed catalysts with high Fe contents (0.80 ⩽ x ⩽ 2.00) to have low activities, while the activities of Ni-rich catalysts increased dramatically with increased Ni content (0.03 ⩽ x ⩽ 0.60). The highest HDS activity was measured for a catalyst having a nominal precursor composition of Fe 0.03 Ni 1.97 P 2.00 /SiO 2 ; this catalyst was 40% more active than a optimized nickel phosphide catalyst prepared from a precursor having a nominal composition of Ni 2.00 P 1.60 /SiO 2 . The 25 wt.% Fe 0.03 Ni 1.97 P 2.00 /SiO 2 catalyst also had a dibenzothiophene HDS activity just over 10% higher than that of the 25 wt.% Ni 2.00 P 1.60 /SiO 2 catalyst at 548 K. The trend of increasing HDS activity for the Fe x Ni 2− x P y /SiO 2 catalysts correlates with preferential Fe occupation of M(1) sites (and, therefore, Ni occupation of M(2) sites). Supported by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and oxygen chemisorption measurements, we conclude that the high activity of Ni-rich Fe x Ni 2− x P y /SiO 2 catalysts can be traced to a high surface density of Ni in M(2) sites that are resistant to site blockage due to S incorporation.
A Murine Model for the Effects of Pelvic Radiation and Cisplatin Chemotherapy on Human Papillomavirus Vaccine Efficacy

Therapeutic human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccines for cervical cancer depend on a competent immune system to be effective. However, cancer patients are often found to be immunosuppressed, which could be attributable to prior radiation, chemotherapy, or the tumor burden itself. This study investigated whether pelvic radiation or cisplatin treatment affected the efficacy of an HPV vaccine and how long these effects lasted. Mice were given pelvic radiation, 2 Gy/day to a total dose of 45 Gy, or 5 mg/kg/week of cisplatin for 3 weeks. Mice were then immunized with an HPV-16 peptide vaccine between 0 and 16 weeks after their treatment. An ELISPOT analysis revealed that a reduced level of peptide-specific, IFN γ -producing spleen cells was present in immunized mice treated previously with pelvic radiation or cisplatin compared with immunized mice that had not been treated. However, when mice were challenged with HPV-16-expressing tumor cells, immunized mice developed no tumors, regardless of prior treatment, whereas nonimmunized mice did develop tumors. Our results suggest that pretreatment with pelvic radiation or cisplatin alone does not prevent the induction of an effective immune response by a peptide vaccine. These data will have important implications for immunotherapeutic treatment of pretreated cancer patients, especially in the adjuvant setting when immunosuppression by tumor burden would be low.
Comparison of the Activation of Soluble and Immobilized Phospholipase A2

Phospholipase A2 is perhaps the most well-studied and well-characterized enzyme of phospholipid breakdown and as such serves as a paradigm or model system for the study of enzymes of lipid metabolism (Review: 1). Over the years, our laboratory has used a variety of approaches to study the phospholipase A2 from the venom of the Indian cobra (Naja naja naja) as summarized elsewere (2). Among these approaches, we (3) prepared an immobilized form of the enzyme and studied its kinetic properties; this study was published in 1978.
Worms and Germs, Drink and Dementia: US Health, Society, and Policy in the Early 20th Century

Case study and narrative are essential and complementary ways to understand history: case study dissects historical events into their logical elements, whereas narrative connects us to the sum of these elements, which may be startlingly different from the outcomes predicted by logic. The historical stories in this report describe selected US public health events from 1900 to 1932 and link these experiences to modern leadership challenges in public health policy. In 1991 Richmond and Kotelchuck proposed a model for public policy that can be represented by a 3-circle Venn diagram (1,2). The circles represent scientific evidence (sound data regarding the problem), social infrastructure (systems in place to support a solution), and political will (public support and resources to achieve the solution). In the center of the diagram, where these 3 sectors overlap, is public policy (Figure). Figure. Model of Public Policy in Relation to Scientific Evidence, Social Infrastructure, and Political Will
Student Attitudes toward Instructional Technology in the Large Introductory U.S. Government Course

technologies have been around for more than a decade, and more and more faculty in all areas of academia are moving to computerbased instruction. The Campus Computing Project (1998), which conducts an annual survey of computer use in higher education, estimated that in 1998 nearly 45% of college and university courses used email (a 400% increase since 1994), one-third of all courses used Inter-
Differential vulnerability of neurons in Huntington’s disease: the role of cell type‐specific features

J. Neurochem. (2010) 113, 1073–1091. Abstract Abnormal expansion of a polyglutamine tract in huntingtin (Htt) protein results in Huntington’s disease (HD), an autosomal dominant neurodegenerative disorder involving progressive loss of motor and cognitive function. Contrasting with the ubiquitous tissue expression of polyglutamine-expanded Htt, HD pathology is characterized by the increased vulnerability of specific neuronal populations within the striatum and the cerebral cortex. Morphological, biochemical, and functional characteristics of neurons affected in HD that might render these cells more vulnerable to the toxic effects of polyglutamine-Htt are covered in this review. The differential vulnerability of neurons observed in HD is discussed in the context of various major pathogenic mechanisms proposed to date, and in line with evidence showing a ‘dying-back’ pattern of degeneration in affected neuronal populations.
New alternatives in management of the infected vascular prosthesis.

Background: Infection of vascular prosthetics implanted for arterial occlusive disease occurs in approximately 1-5% of patients, including early and late clinical presentation. The incidence of infection depends on the anatomical site, with the highest rate occurring in vascular access grafts placed for hemodialysis and in inguinal and lower extremity incisions in patients undergoing bypass procedures for femoropopliteal tibial occlusion. Treatment of prosthetic graft infection has traditionally included antimicrobials, excision of the infected prosthesis, and extraanatomical bypass. With the recognition that prosthetic infection secondary to Staphylococcus epidermidis can be managed with less extensive procedures, clinical data have been reported on in situ replacement with antibiotic-bonded prostheses. Patients who have S. aureus isolated, including methicillin-resistant S. aureus, or gram-negative pathogens, still require conventional graft excision and extraanatomical bypass. Methods: Selective review...
Implementation of a Mesh Movement Scheme in a Multiply Nested Ocean Model and Its Application to Air–Sea Interaction Studies

A mesh movement scheme is implemented in a multiply nested primitive equation ocean model. Mesh movement can be specified or determined in the course of the model run so as to follow an evolving oceanic feature, such as a wave front or propagating eddy, or atmospheric forcing, such as a tropical cyclone. Mass, heat, and momentum are conserved during the movement. The mesh movement scheme is tested in idealized and realistic configurations of the model. The idealized tests include simulations in which the moving meshes follow a propagating equatorial Kelvin wave, a dipole, or move across an existing mesoscale eddy. The tests demonstrate that the solutions in the fine-mesh region of the nested meshes reproduce well the equivalent solutions from uniform fine-mesh models. The model is applied for simulations of the ocean response to tropical cyclones, in which the moving meshes maintain high resolution near the cyclone center. The solution in the inner meshes reproduces very well the uniform fine-mesh simulation, in particular the sea surface temperature. It demonstrates that the moving meshes do not degrade the solution, even with the application of strong winds and the generation of energetic surface currents and near-inertial gravity waves. The mesh movement scheme is also successfully applied for a real-case simulation of the ocean response to Typhoon Roy (1988) in the western North Pacific. For this experiment, the model is initialized using the fields from a general circulation model (GCM) multiyear spinup integration of the large-scale circulation in the tropical Pacific Ocean. The nested-mesh solution shows no difficulty simulating the interaction of the storm-induced currents with the existing background circulation.
HABITAT HETEROGENEITY, HABITAT ASSOCIATIONS, AND RODENT SPECIES DIVERSITY IN A SAND-SHINNERY-OAK LANDSCAPE

The habitat-heterogeneity hypothesis states that an increase in habitat heterogeneity leads to an increase in species diversity. Although community-level analyses of effects of habitat heterogeneity on species diversity are important, they do not reveal the mechanism through which heterogeneity affects diversity. In contrast, habitat associations of particular species suggest a potential mechanism whereby diversity is affected by habitat heterogeneity. The sand‐shinnery-oak ecosystem of southwestern United States contains 2 habitat types: blowouts and matrix. Blowouts are small and infrequent wind-formed open patches without shrubs. These disturbances are surrounded by a dense shrub-dominated matrix, mostly containing the low stature oak, Quercus havardii. Habitat associations of particular species with respect to blowouts versus matrix were assessed using capture frequencies and species abundances. Only Dipodomys ordii was more abundant in blowouts than in surrounding matrix, and this only occurred during summer. This seasonal change could be a consequence of competition or predation. All other species showed a preference for the matrix. Considerations of scale and edge effects between blowouts and matrix may provide additional insight into habitat associations of rodents, leading to a deeper understanding of the mechanistic basis of diversity in this ecosystem.
Angiotensin AT1 receptor blockade fails to attenuate pressure-overload cardiac hypertrophy in fetal sheep.

We examined the hypothesis that endogenous angiotensin II and angiotensin type 1 (AT1) receptors participate in the development of fetal right ventricular hypertrophy by studying the effects of AT1...
Abstract 2249: Stroke Intervention Website: Design and Usage Evaluation

Background and Purpose: Web-based interventions have the potential to increase accessibility and efficiency of healthcare services, such as education and support for family caregivers. The major ai...
Shape 4.0: 3D Shape Modeling and Processing Using Semantics

In the last decade, sensor, communication, and computing technologies have advanced rapidly, producing dramatic changes in our daily lives and in a variety of application domains. Emerging technologies are leading us to a gradual, but inescapable integration of our material and digital realities and the advent of cyber-physical worlds. Although attaining visual realism is within the grasp of current 3D modeling approaches, it is less clear whether current modeling techniques will accommodate the needs of human communication and of the applications that we can already envisage in those futuristic worlds. Inspired by the evolution trends of the Web, this article describes the evolution of shape modeling from the Shape 1.0 geometry-only, mesh-based stage to the forthcoming semantics-driven Shape 4.0 era.
Mass Spectrometric Methods for the Determination of Thermodynamic Data

Abstract Over the last half-century, mass spectrometric methods have proven to be a powerful means of examining the thermodynamics of chemical systems. An overview of the developments that enable thermochemical data to be extracted from mass spectrometric experiments is provided and includes the determination of data for ionic as well as neutral systems. Means to determine ionization and appearance energies and the heats of reaction for chemical exchange processes are all included.
Nocturnal excretion of a urinary melatonin metabolite among electric utility workers.

Objectives The effects of 60-Hz magnetic field and ambient light exposures on the pineal hormone melatonin were studied among electric utility workers. Methods Personal exposure was measured at 15-second intervals over 3 consecutive 24-hour periods. Exposure metrics based on magnetic field intensity, intermittence, or temporal stability were calculated for periods of work, home, and sleep. A rate-of-change metric (RCM) was used to estimate intermittence, and the standardized RCM (RCMS = RCM/standard deviation) was used to evaluate temporal stability. The effects of magnetic field exposure on total overnight 6-hydroxymelatonin sulfate (6-OHMS) excretion and creatinine-adjusted nocturnal 6-OHMS (6-OHMS/cr) concentration were analyzed with adjustment for age, month, and light exposure. Results Magnetic field intensity, intermittence, or cumulative exposure had little influence on nocturnal 6-OHMS excretion. Residential RCMS magnetic field exposures were associated with lower nocturnal 6-OHMS/cr concentrations. In multivariate statistical analyses, the interaction term for geometric mean and RCMS magnetic field exposures at home was associated with lower nocturnal 6-OHMS/cr and overnight 6-OHMS levels. Modest reductions in the mean 6-OHMS levels occurred after RCMS exposures during work. The greatest reductions occurred when RCMS exposures both at work and at home were combined; therefore the effects of temporally stable magnetic fields may be integrated over a large portion of the day. Conclusion Results from this study provide evidence that temporally stable magnetic field exposures are associated with reduced nocturnal 6-OHMS excretion in humans.
Numerical simulation of aerosound from an airfoil using k-epsilon turbulence model

Numerical simulation of aerosound from low-speed turbulent flow over a NACA 0012 airfoil by using the k-epsilon turbulence model has been performed. Various attack angles and various freestream velocities are tested. The aerodynamics and fluid dynamics from numerical results were compared with experimental data. Lighthill's and Curle's theories were employed to estimate the aerosound. The numerical sound field was checked with experimental data, and prediction was made for various attack angles and velocities. (AIAA).
Epidemiological Study of Mumps in Jieyang City in 2004

Objective To analyze the epidemic trend of mumps in Jieyang city in 2004, and to formulate a countermeasure to prevent and control the disease. Method Epidemiological methods and statistics were used to analyze the collected data. Results 259 cases of mumps were reported in 2004, with an incidence rate of 4.47/105. The peak season for mumps was between May and July. It was most prevalent among the 10 years old kids. Conclusions The incident rate of mumps was gradually increasing in recent years. Countermeasures must be implemented to prevent and control the disease.
Regulation of Cinnamoyl-CoA reductase by sense,antisense and RNAi method to tobacco

Lignin is the second abundant organics in the terrestrial vascular plants,which is crucial for the plants to adapt the environment during evolution.Cinnamoyl-CoA reductase(CCR) is a key enzyme in the lignin biosynthesis pathway,catalyze the conversion of cinnamoyl-CoA esters to their cinnamaldehydes respectively.A 1017bp cDNA of CCR was isolated from populus tomentosa.Sense,antisense and a full-length repeat constructs of CCR were introduced into tobacco(Nicotiana tabacum) to regulate the gene expression.The transgenic plants exhibited correlation between the gene transcript and the enzyme activity.All the down-regulation plants showed a lower transcript levels and catalyze ability.The accumulation of soluble phenolic acid in cell wall of the down-regulated lines indicates that the carbon flow of lignin synthesis might be blocked.Lignin content was evaluated by the standard Klason lignin method and Acetyl bromide method,The severely down-regulated line A1 showed almost 50% decrease either in Klason lignin or bromoacetylated lignin.The changes of the cell wall properties in transformants suggested that the CCR might be a good control point in lignin pathway regulation.
Some problems of forest management of Georgia

Abstract Forests are the most important resource of our planet. The usefulness of forests is spread from commercial exploitation of them for timber and other products to maintenance of wildlife, ecological balance, prevention of soil erosion, etc. In achieving these goals the essential factor is the proper forest management. Forest management is a system of actions for supplying different products and services for society. In developed countries forest management tends to be elaborated and planned in order to achieve the objectives that are considered desirable for environment and economy. Forests are the most biologically diverse land ecosystems that can supply different products and services. The working of this system is influenced by the natural environment, climate, topography, soil, etc., and also by human action. Forests have been and are managed to obtain the traditional forest products: fire wood, fiber for paper, building timber etc. with little thinking for other products and services. Nevertheless, as a result from the development of ecology science and environmental awareness, management of forests for multiple use is becoming more common. Public concern regarding forest management have shifted from the extraction of timber for earning money for the economy, to the preservation of additional forest resources, including wildlife, soil and water conservation, recreation etc. Forests are the repositories of aesthetic, ethical cultural and religious values.
Atrial fibrillation ablation in patients undergoing aortic valve replacement.

BACKGROUND AND AIM OF THE STUDY Current guidelines suggest that the use of a mechanical prosthesis is favored when patients are already receiving long-term anticoagulation for conditions such as atrial fibrillation (AF). Surgical AF ablation can restore normal sinus rhythm (NSR) and obviate the need for anticoagulation. The study aim was to determine the impact of concomitant AF ablation in patients with AF undergoing aortic valve replacement (AVR) on the restoration of NSR and subsequent requirement for anticoagulation. METHODS Between April 2004 and December 2009, a total of 124 patients (mean age 74 +/- 12 years) with pre-existing AF underwent AVR with or without coronary artery bypass grafting. The documented preoperative rhythm was long-standing persistent AF in 39 patients (32%), persistent AF in five (4%), and paroxysmal AF in 80 (65%). Eighty patients (65%) had concomitant surgical AF ablation. In the ablation group, bilateral pulmonary vein isolation was performed in 55 cases (69%), left atrial-maze in 15 (19%), and Cox-maze in 10 (13%). A left atrial appendage closure was performed in 70 patients (88%). Sinus rhythm, in addition to anti-arrhythmic and warfarin use, were assessed between three and 15 months after surgery. Postoperatively, 13 patients died and 18 were lost to follow up during the three- to 15-month window; consequently, 71 patients were available for analysis in the ablation group, and 22 in the non-ablation group. RESULTS In-hospital mortality was 4% (the Ambler score predicted a median (IQR) of 6 (4-9)%). Freedom from AF when not receiving anti-arrhythmic drugs (AADs) occurred in 58 patients (82%) in the ablation group, compared to eight (36%) in the non-ablation group (p < 0.001). Fifty patients (70%) were free from warfarin in the ablation group, compared to six (27%) in the non-ablation group (p < 0.001). No differences were identified in freedom from AF between the surgical AF lesion sets. AF ablation, younger age, and paroxysmal AF were independently associated with freedom from AF when not receiving AADs. CONCLUSION Surgical AF ablation is associated with an improved restoration of NSR in patients with AF requiring AVR. The need for anticoagulation is reduced in the majority of patients. A bioprosthetic valve may be an acceptable option for a patient with AF who requires AVR.
Alternative Methods for Hepatic Decompression

A review of the techniques presently used for decompressing the biliary tract proximal to nonresectable tumors high in the bile duct is presented.
Nonoperative Management of Traumatic Aortic Pseudoaneurysms

Background Current blunt thoracic aortic injury (BTAI) guidelines recommend early repair of traumatic pseudoaneurysms (PSAs) due to risk for subsequent aortic rupture. Recent analyses indicate that early repair is required only in the setting of high-risk features, while delayed repair is safe and associated with lower morbidity and mortality in appropriately selected patients. To evaluate the appropriate indications for nonoperative management (NOM) of traumatic PSAs, we performed a systematic review of studies reporting outcomes for this management strategy. We hypothesized that NOM is safe in appropriately selected patients with traumatic aortic PSAs. Methods English language single- and multi-institutional series reporting NOM of traumatic thoracic aortic PSAs were identified by systematic literature search and review. A descriptive analysis was performed of NOM, with stratification by lesion size and patient follow-up. The primary outcomes were late aortic intervention, aortic-related death, and all-cause mortality. Results Eighteen studies, which included 937 patients with traumatic PSAs, were analyzed. One hundred ninety-one patients were managed nonoperatively. The primary indication for NOM was prohibitive risk for aortic repair due to severe comorbidities or concurrent injuries. Where reported, PSAs with Conclusions NOM of traumatic aortic PSAs is a common practice in BTAI series reporting lesion-specific management, and is associated with low rates of treatment failure. These findings suggest that routine early repair may not be required for traumatic PSAs, particularly for lesions limited to
Modification of B Lymphocyte Differentiation by Anti-Immunoglobulins

The discovery that in birds and mammals lymphoid cells mediating delayed sensitivity are developmentally and, in part, functionally independent from those involved in antibody production has greatly stimulated research on the cellular aspects of immunity. Recognition that B and T cells are separate populations has led to the definition of morphologic and functional markers for these cell lines. These markers have made it feasible to study the early events of lymphoid differentiation.
Goodbye BRONJ… Hello MRONJ.

Since the first reports in 2003 and 2004, osteonecrosis of the jaws (ONJ), associated with the bisphosphonate drugs used in the treatment of certain malignancies, and osteoporosis have been a promi...
Selective inhibition of autoimmune exacerbation while preserving the anti-tumor clinical benefit using IL-6 blockade in a patient with advanced melanoma and Crohn’s disease: a case report

Novel immunotherapies, or checkpoint inhibitors, targeting programmed cell death protein-1 (PD-1) and cytotoxic T lymphocyte-associated antigen-4 (CTLA-4) have significantly improved outcomes for patients with numerous different cancer types. However, owing to their exclusion from clinical trials and risk for autoimmune exacerbation on these treatments, the impact on safety and degree of toxicity of these potentially life-prolonging therapies is not well characterized in patients with an underlying autoimmune disease or previous organ transplant. We report a case of a patient with advanced melanoma and refractory Crohn’s disease who was treated concurrently with pembrolizumab (anti-PD-1 antibody) and tocilizumab (anti-interluekin-6 receptor antibody). This novel treatment strategy was well tolerated and did not result in Crohn’s disease exacerbation for at least 16 weeks. Importantly, this treatment resulted in marked, durable antitumor responses. This outcome suggests that targeted immunosuppression combined with checkpoint inhibitors may hold promise as a treatment strategy for this unique patient population and may warrant additional study.
Stambeli: Music, Trance, and Alterity in Tunisia

Richard C. Jankowsky, Chicago and London, University of Chicago Press, 2010, xiv + 237, (with CD) Trance and spirit possession rituals have continued to attract the attention of ethnomusicologists ...
Ammosamides Unveil Novel Biosynthetic Machinery

In this issue of Cell Chemical Biology, Jordan and Moore (2016) present a thorough biosynthetic analysis of ammosamides, a bacterial natural product. The work highlights the previously unknown overlap between two natural products families: pyrroloquinoline alkaloids and ribosomally synthesized posttranslationally modified peptides (RiPPs).