cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A Bayesian estimation and decision analysis for an age-structured model using biomass survey data

Abstract The use of Bayesian estimation and decision analysis is described and applied to estimate the probability distribution of virgin stock size, and expected consequences of future quotas for an age- and sex-structured model fit to biomass survey data. It is shown that Bayesian methods can be easily used with complex models when uncertainty in a single parameter is considered. An example from the fishery for hoki (Macruronus novaezelandiae) in New Zealand is presented, in which the weight, vulnerability schedule, fecundity schedules, natural mortality rate and the sensitivity of recruitment to spawning stock are assumed known. Results with a uniform prior probability on stock size are compared with those where an informed prior distribution is available. Three alternative harvest policies are compared and the expected values of several indicators of performance are computed for different quotas. The problems in extending the model to calculate Bayesian posterior distributions with multiple indicators of abundance, many more free parameters, and a stochastic model are considered.
BREAST-TUMOR XENOGRAFT TARGETING AND THERAPY STUDIES USING RADIOLABELED CHIMERIC ANTI-CEA MONOCLONAL-ANTIBODY T84.66

Carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) is expressed in approximately 60% of breast carcinomas. T84.66 is a well characterized anti-CEA murine monoclonal antibody (MAb) that does not cross-react with other CEA-related proteins. It has been humanized and used extensively after radiolabeling in clinical/experimental protocols for localization/therapy of colorectal cancer. MCF-7 human breast cancer cell line expresses CEA and is tumorigenic in athymic mice. In order to determine if anti-CEA MAb could specifically target breast cancer CEA, biodistribution, radiolocalization and therapy studies were performed in the animal model. Five tumor-bearing animals per time point were injected with 15 muCi of In-111-cT84.66. Mice were imaged and sacrificed at 24, 48, 72 and 144 h and biodistribution studies performed. For therapy studies, 19 tumor-bearing mice were injected either with 120 muCi of 90Y-cT84.66 or PBS. The tumors were measured tri-weekly and weighed at autopsy 21 days post therapy. Activity accumulation steadily increased in the tumors reaching 21% of the injected dose per gram of tumor (ID/g) at 144 h. At that time, the %ID/g in the tumor was 3 times higher than that in blood and the liver and 8 times higher than in other major organs. On day 10 post-therapy, 16 of the 19 control mice had tumor volumes between 1 and 3 cm3, while none of the treated tumors ever reached 1 cm3 in size. At autopsy, a 12-fold tumor weight difference (p=0.0001) was observed between control and treated mice (2.4g vs. 0.2g average weight, respectively). In summary, breast cancer CEA was specifically targeted with T84.66 allowing good tumor localization as well as significant tumor growth inhibition. Given the significant expression of CEA in breast cancer, this tumor should be included into the CEA-expressing malignancies for targeting with anti-CEA MAbs.
Preparation and properties of grafted membranes for desalination. Part I

Styrene grafting to cellulose acetate has been studied in an attempt to synthesize a cellulose acetate reverse osmosis membrane with improved resistance to compaction. The studies reported here involved grafting to homogeneous cellulose acetate1 film and evaluation of the tensile creep and water sorption behavior of the resulting grafts. The grafting studies involving homogeneous cellulose acetate films indicated that the kinetics of grafting were rate controlled by monomer diffusion to the growth site. By controlling the ratio of styrene to pyridine (monomer/swelling agent) and controlling total dose, reproducible and predictable grafts were prepared. The tensile creep rate of wet cellulose acetate–styrene grafts decreases sharply with increasing styrene content up to 40% styrene and then decreases more slowly as styrene content is further increased. The creep rate of grafts containing 40% styrene is 7.5 times lower than that of ungrafted cellulose acetate. Unsteady-state water vapor sorption experiments revealed that the equilibrium water content was decreased as a consequence of grafting although water diffusivities were increased or decreased as percent graft was increased according to the method and level of grafting. Water sorption deviated slightly from Henry's law behavior. The water diffusivity, as measured by the rate of sorption, was concentration dependent, decreasing with increasing water concentration. Membrane constants for water transport (defined as D 1C1 g-cm/cm2-sec) could be increased or decreased as a consequence of grafting.
ChemPad: generating 3D molecules from 2D sketches

Molecules are inherently three-dimensional (3D) objects that are represented by chemists on paper and classroom blackboards by a system of two-dimensional (2D) notations. ChemPad, a new Tablet PC application with a pedagogical focus, generates 3D molecular structures from hand drawn digital ink rather than from traditional molecule construction interfaces. Leveraging the gestural power of Fluid Inking [Zeleznik et al. ], ChemPad allows chemists to input molecules in a quick and natural fashion to generate models viewable by the open-source JMol1 molecule viewer. This capability gives ChemPad pedagogical value as shown by our user study of a hundred organic chemistry students who had difficulty with 3D chemistry thinking and used ChemPad to overcome that hurdle.
Right atrial perforation at the end of an atrial fibrillation ablation procedure.

A 74-year-old man with chronic atrial fibrillation underwent ablation under conscious sedation. After sheath removal from the left atrium, the patient flexed his thighs, resulting in a ‘foetal position' developing tamponade due to an right atrial (RA) appendage perforation from sheath migration. This illustrates the importance of close monitoring during sedation weaning, recommending removal of all sheaths prior to sedation withdrawal.
Optically Sensing Additional Sonication Effects on Dispersed HiPco Nanotubes in Aerated Water

Ultrasonication is a necessary process to make single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) soluble in aqueous solution with surfactants such as sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS). However, an understanding of the sonication effects on the electronic and optical properties of SWNTs in aqueous solution is still lacking. Here, we have observed that sonication-induced pH changes suppress the optical transitions of the first interband transition pair (S11) in the density of states of semiconducting SWNTs while other possible intermediates induced by sonication contribute less significantly to the observed spectral changes without the involvement of sonication-induced pH decrease. The suppressed S11 peaks can be restored by adding basic solution, suggesting that the lattice structure of SWNTs is undisrupted by the sonication used here. The absorbance of S11 peaks shows a nearly linear relationship with sonication-induced pH changes in the narrow pH range of 5.2 and 6.1. The results indicate that SDS-encased SWNTs may be u...
Novel Ion Containing Liquid Crystals and Liquid Crystalline Main Chain Polymers Based on Trans-1,2-Bis(4-Pyridyl Ethylene) Mesogen

Abstract Ion bearing liquid crystalline compounds based on trans-1,2-bis (4-pyridinium) ethylene were synthesized and studied. These compounds included low molecular mass analogues, twin model compounds and main chain ionomers. Most of these exhibited liquid crystallinity of the smectic type. As a general rule the introduction of charges into the mesogenic moiety increased the stability (transition temperature) of the mesophase. Large supercooling effects, broad mesophase intervals and tendency to polymorphism are common features of these ionic mesogenic compounds. In the case of twin model compounds a variety of smectic phases were observed. The nature of these was dependent on the nature of the counterion and the thermal history of the compound. Tosylate or p.toluene sulfonate counterions promoted a higher degree of order in smectic mesophases as well as higher transition temperatures compared to methylsulfonate counterions. A pronounced odd-even effect of the isotropisation temperature of the twin comp...
Array measurements of the surface pressure beneath a forced axi-symmetric separation bubble

An array of microphones is used to study the space–time characteristics of the wall-pressure field beneath a forced separation bubble downstream of an axi-symmetric backward-facing step. To excite the flow, an externally driven Helmholtz resonator is employed. A unique aspect of the present study is the utilization of an amplitude-modulated forcing scheme in order to avoid contamination of the measured hydrodynamic pressure fluctuations by acoustic radiation from the forcing device. The results lead to the hypothesis that the optimal forcing frequency is achieved when the forced disturbance originates near the center of the unforced separation bubble in the limit of very low levels of forcing. Moreover, a frequency–wavenumber spectrum analysis highlights the possibility for achieving separation control while minimizing potential acoustic radiation due to coupling between the forced disturbance and resonant modes of the underlying surface.
Confide1ce itfteefals fol transition probabilities in multi-state ma1kov cjialls

This paper is concerned with deriving approximate distributions for the maximum likelihood estimators of the transition probabilities of finite states irreduciblef aperiodic Markov chains, In a previous paper, Young and Sweet developed a procedure which becomes intractable as the number of states (s + 1) of the Markov chain becomes large, due to the fact that inversion of an (s2 +s)x(s2+ s) matrix is necessary. A decomposition method is presented which replaces the inversion of a large matrix with s(s + l)/2 inversions of matrices of size 6x6. Each inversion then yields the parameters of a marginal bivariate distribution which is similar in form to those obtained in finding the distribution for a two-state Markov chain. The two-state problem was solved in the previous papert 'and thus the desired distribution for a particular transition probability estimator is obtained. An illustrative example is given.
Role of government agencies regarding cost-effectiveness claims : FDA perspective

Regulatory agencies affect cost-effectiveness assessment and claims at two loci:They regulate labeling, and they regulate promotion.When a drug company wants to make a claim in its product labeling about a product’s cost-effectiveness, the company must modify its labeling by an application to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). If a drug company intends to make promotional statements about the cost-effectiveness of its product, it must ensure that its promotional statements are not false or misleading and do not contradict the labeling or make new claims about therapeutic effectiveness not in the labeling. But government agencies such as the FDA do not regulate academics who study or make statements about costeffectiveness when those individuals act independently of manufacturers. The concerns about the validity of cost-effectiveness claims described in this article, however, are relevant to any individual or group, regulated or not, involved in such claims, because presumably each of these individuals or groups wants to obtain the right answer for such claims. Recent legislation, particularly the Food and Drug Administration Modernization Act (FDAMA), will affect the FDA’s regulation of cost-effectiveness claims significantly, but the regulations and the guidance to implement FDAMA have not yet been written. Two aspects of the FDA’s approach to regulation will be considered in this discussion: (1) the agency’s basic thinking about pharmacoeconomic issues and (2) some difficulties that arise when comparisons of pharmacologic agents (not just pharmacoeconomic comparisons but any comparisons) are made.
Replicated linear association between DUF1220 copy number and severity of social impairment in autism

Sequences encoding DUF1220 protein domains exhibit an exceptional human-specific increase in copy number and have been associated with several phenotypes related to brain size. Autism is a highly heritable and heterogeneous condition characterized behaviorally by social and communicative impairments, and increased repetitive and stereotyped behavior. Given the accelerated brain growth pattern observed in many individuals with autism, and the association between DUF1220 subtype CON1 copy number and brain size, we previously investigated associations between CON1 copy number and autism-related symptoms. We determined that CON1 copy number increase is associated with increasing severity of all three behavioral features of autism. The present study sought to replicate these findings in an independent population (N = 166). Our results demonstrate a replication of the linear relationship between CON1 copy number and the severity of social impairment in individuals with autism as measured by Autism Diagnostic Interview—Revised Social Diagnostic Score, such that with each additional copy of CON1 Social Diagnostic Score increased 0.24 points (SE = 0.11, p = 0.036). We also identified an analogous trend between CON1 copy number and Communicative Diagnostic Score, but did not replicate the relationship between CON1 copy number and Repetitive Behavior Diagnostic Score. Interestingly, these associations appear to be most pronounced in multiplex children. These results, representing the first replication of a gene dosage relationship with the severity of a primary symptom of autism, lend further support to the possibility that the same protein domain family implicated in the evolutionary expansion of the human brain may also be involved in autism severity.
3D floorplanning with nets-to-TSVs assignment

We propose a new floorplanning approach for TSV-based 3D ICs. A non-negligible area occupied by TSVs, TSVs physical locations and nets-to-TSVs assignment considerably influence chip area, wirelength and delay. TSVs also induce significant thermo-mechanical stress in nearby silicon. The proposed approach addresses the above issues by co-placement of TSVs with circuit blocks, and concurrent nets-to-TSVs assignment for total delay minimization. During the floorplanning process we consider appropriate TSV pitch, Keep-Out-Zone (KOZ) around TSVs and the contribution of TSVs to interconnect delay. Our experimental results show improved solution quality with up to 7% shorter wirelength and an average 8% reduction in the number of TSVs as compared to most recent publications. The total delay reduces between 8% and 36% when delay-aware, instead of wirelength-aware, cost function is used.
Molecular records of twentieth-century El Niño events in laminated sediments from the Santa Barbara basin

ORGANIC molecules preserved in sediments, especially long-chain alkenones, can preserve and record evidence of past climate variations1–5. A dependence of alkenone distributions on temperature has been recognized in cultures of the unicellular coccolithophorid alga Emiliania huxleyi1,6, which survives in sediments and water-column participates6. Through this dependence, stratigraphic profiles of the degree of alkenone unsaturation (expressed asUk37, values1) have been shown in several oceanic settings to reflect long-term changes in sea surface temperatures associated with glacial–interglacial cycles1–5. Here we show that annual variations in alkenone unsaturation in laminated sediments from the Santa Barbara basin, off the shore of California, reveal increases in water temperatures which can be linked directly to the observed sequence of El Nino events in the twentieth century7. The range and variations in water temperatures, calculated from Uk37 values (12.8–15.2 °C) using the relationship established from culture experiments6'8, broadly correspond to the annually averaged temperatures (11.3–15.2 °C) measured intermittently by the CalCOFI programme at 20 m depth between 1953 and 1984. These results show that, in favourable settings, alkenone unsaturation profiles can provide an annually resolved record of oceanic temperaturechanges, and may constitute a valuable tool for describing and evaluating the history of global climate variability and change.
Identification of residues critical for catalysis in a class C β-lactamase by combinatorial scanning mutagenesis

Despite their clinical importance, the mechanism of action of the class C β-lactamases is poorly understood. In contrast to the class A and class D β-lactamases, which contain a glutamate residue and a carbamylated lysine in their respective active sites that are thought to serve as general base catalysts for β-lactam hydrolysis, the mechanism of activation of the serine and water nucleophiles in the class C enzymes is unclear. To probe for residues involved in catalysis, the class C β-lactamase from Enterobacter cloacae P99 was studied by combinatorial scanning mutagenesis at 122 positions in and around the active site. Over 1000 P99 variants were screened for activity in a high-throughput in vivo antibiotic resistance assay and sequenced by 96-capillary electrophoresis to identify residues that are important for catalysis. P99 mutants showing reduced capability to convey antibiotic resistance were purified and characterized in vitro. The screen identified an active-site hydrogen-bonding network that is key to catalysis. A second cluster of residues was identified that likely plays a structural role in the enzyme. Otherwise, residues not directly contacting the substrate showed tolerance to substitution. The study lends support to the notion that the class C β-lactamases do not have a single residue that acts as the catalytic general base. Rather, catalysis is affected by a hydrogen-bonding network in the active site, suggesting a possible charge relay system.
Stress, Metabolism, and Antioxidants in Two Wild Passerine Bird Species

Abstract Antioxidants protect against free‐radical damage, and free radicals, in turn, are thought to underlie aging. Thus, measuring antioxidants may aid field ecologists in understanding the physiological mechanisms that underlie life‐history trade‐offs. Antioxidant levels are known to vary markedly in response to the stress of capture in many birds. These changes in antioxidants could result from regulation (e.g., by stress‐related hormones) or consumption (e.g., by an increase in free radicals due to increased metabolic rate). Here we experimentally test the effect of increased metabolic rate on circulating antioxidant and corticosterone concentrations in two wild passerine bird species, house sparrows (Passer domesticus) and gray catbirds (Dumetella carolinensis). We increased metabolic rate via exposure to low ambient temperatures overnight in captivity and measured circulating antioxidant capacity, uric acid, corticosterone, and oxygen consumption in cold‐exposed and control individuals. Both speci...
Frequency-dependent expression of corticotropin releasing factor in the rat's cerebellum.

Abstract Corticotropin releasing factor (CRF), localized in extrinsic afferents in the mammalian cerebellum, is defined as a neuromodulator within cerebellar circuits, and appears to be an essential element in the generation of long term depression, a proposed mechanism for motor learning. These physiological studies are based on exogenous application of CRF and do not address potential mechanisms that may influence endogenous release of the peptide. In the present study, immunohistochemistry was used to analyze changes in the lobular distribution of CRF-like immunoreactivity (LIR). In addition radioimmunoassay (RIA) was used to quantify changes in levels of the peptide in the cerebellum following stimulation of the inferior cerebellar peduncle (ICP) at 10 or 40 Hz or the inferior olivary nucleus (ION) at 1, 5, 10, or 20 Hz. Results indicate that there is a greater distribution of CRF-like-immunolabeled climbing fibers, mossy fibers, and astrocytes in all lobules of the cerebellum that is directly related to stimulation frequency. Maximal effects were elicited with 40 Hz ICP and 5–10 Hz ION stimulation. Quantitatively, the RIA studies indicate that there is a significant increase in CRF levels in the vermis, hemispheres and flocculus that correlates closely with stimulation frequency. In conclusion, stimulation of cerebellar afferents induces a significant change in the distribution and levels of CRF-LIR in climbing fibers, mossy fibers and glial cells. This suggests that the modulatory effects ascribed to CRF may influence a greater number of target neurons when levels of activity in afferent systems is increased.
Stress signaling: serotonin spreads systemic stress

Cells respond to elevated temperatures through a well-characterized heat-shock response that enables short-term survival, long-term adaptation and mitigation of macromolecular damage. New work reveals a cell non-autonomous layer of stress-response regulation between neurons and the gonad involving serotonin.
Cellular electrophysiology of coronary artery ligation in chronic pressure overload

Abstract We evaluated ischemia-induced cellular electrophysiologic abnormalities in chronic pressure overload ventricular myocardium in vitro. Left ventricular systolic hypertension was induced in cats via partial supracoronary aortic constriction (overload); at 112–3 months, resulting pressure overload was accompaned by ventricular hypertrophy (25–35% by weight) and patchy endocardial fibrosis. Two hours of subsequent acute myocardial ischemia (ischemia) was imposed on overload (ischemia/overload) via total occlusion of distal branches of the left coronary artery system. Spontaneous premature depolarizations in vitro were increased in ischemia/overload compared to control, ischemia or overload alone; bursts of spontaneous, repetitive depolarizations were also unique to these preparations. Multiple site recordings of endocardial transmembrane action potentials overlying the borders (interface) of fibrotic areas in ischemia/overload demonstrated numerous electrophysiologic abnormalities, including several not observed in control, ischemia or overload. Unique to the border areas of ischemia/overload preparations was the presence of maintained but depressed resting potential without action potentials; also, the incidence of depolarizations at the onset of the plateau phase was highest in these preparations. In non-fibrotic areas, electrophysiologic properties including resting potential and action potential amplitude and rate of rise were diminished in ischemia/overload compared to ischemia or overload preparations. These data demonstrate that acute myocardial ischemia in the setting of chronic pressure overload leads to additional cellular electrophysiologic abnormalities compared to ischemia or overload alone.
Folding kinetics of two-state proteins: effect of circularization, permutation, and crosslinks.

Abstract Protein folding kinetics has recently been probed by clever experiments using circular permutants and other topological mutations. A circular permutant is created from a wild-type protein by covalently linking together the chain ends and cleaving elsewhere in the chain. An interesting puzzle is why circular permutation causes no apparent change in the folding mechanism of CI2, but dramatic changes in the folding mechanisms of S6 and of an SH3 domain, as determined by Φ-value experiments. Here, we use a computational model to predict the folding routes of topological variants, based on a measure (effective contact order) of the chain entropy loss at each folding step. The predictions are consistent with the experiments, leading to insights into the folding routes and into the meaning of Φ-values in general. We find that Φ-values do not always describe time sequences of folding events, or positions along a single reaction coordinate; rather, Φ reflects only the degree of rate control. For example, the circular permutant P 40−41 of CI2 is predicted to reverse the time sequence of the formation of β 1 β 4 relative to β 2 β 3 , without changing the diffuse Φ-value distribution, while the circular permutant P 13−14 of S6 switches the rate-limiting step from the formation of β 1 β 4 to β 1 β 3 , changing the Φ-value distribution from diffuse to strongly polarized. As a test of the model, we propose mutations that should reverse these outcomes.
Myocardial adaptation and efficiency in response to intensive physical training in elite speedskaters

Abstract Background Physiological cardiac adaptations to exercise training resulting in the ‘athlete's heart' are well known. Most of these studies, however, were included either those who exercise to exhaustion, non-elite athletes or those who participate primarily in sports requiring extensive weight training. Studies utilizing conventional and tissue Doppler echocardiographic studies in highly competitive elite athletes whose training includes both aerobic and weight training are limited. Aims and methods 1) To identify baseline cardiovascular structural and physiologic adaptations present in elite athletes who participate in both endurance aerobic and weight training programs and to compare them to similarly aged sedentary controls. The population includes 24 speedskaters participating in the 2006 Olympic Games and 15 sedentary young subjects. 2) To evaluate possible structural and physiologic cardiac changes following short duration, vigorous exercise. We repeated the baseline echocardiographic protocol in the athletes following a 3000 m sprint conducted at race pace. Results Compared to non-athletes, the atrial and left ventricular (LV) volumes at rest were larger in elite athletes. There was enhanced LV diastolic function as manifested by higher early annular (septal and lateral) tissue Doppler velocities ( E ′): 12.7±2.3 vs 11.3±1.1 cm/s and 17.4±4.7 vs 14.4±1.2 cm/s, P =0.025 and 0.020 respectively. Evidence of right ventricular (RV) remodeling included larger basal RV dimensions (38±5 vs 32±4 mm, P =0.001), attenuated RV systolic function at rest (RV area change 35±13% in athletes vs 47±11% in controls, P =0.006) and lower RV systolic strain rate (SSR) 1.9±0.5 vs 2.9±1.1/s, P E ′: 13.5±3.6 vs 11.1±1.5 cm/s ( P =0.016). Following exercise, the athletes exhibited augmentation of RV systolic function with increased RV fractional area change (increasing to 43±10%, P =0.007) and SSR (2.5±1.2/s post-exercise, P =0.038). Conclusion Participation by world-class speedskaters in a vigorous training regimen results in cardiovascular anatomic and physiologic adaptations. These changes, including cardiac chamber dilatation, enhanced ventricular diastolic function and attenuated resting RV systolic function, are likely adaptive and allow for more efficient energy use at rest and a robust response to demands of exercise.
Liposomal approach towards the development of a longer-acting factor VIII

Prevention of spontaneous bleeding in patients with severe haemophilia A usually requires therapeutic infusions every 2-3 days because of the short half-life of factor VIII (FVIII). Longer-acting FVIII products that require less frequent infusions would be beneficial and might obviate the need for central catheters in most patients. Liposomal formulation can enhance the efficacy of some therapeutic products. The incorporation of high-molecular weight polyethylene glycol (PEG) can extend the circulatory half-life of the liposome. These combined approaches led to the development of BAY 79-4,980, a PEG-containing liposomal version of Kogenate FS (rFVIII-FS). Results from preclinical models and early clinical trials have shown that BAY 79-4,980 prolongs the time to the next bleed. Further clinical evaluation of the efficacy and long-term safety of BAY 79-4,980 are planned.
Intrinsic variability in the frequency of embryonic diapauses of the annual fish Nothobranchius korthausae, regulated by light:dark cycle and temperature

The influence of the light:dark cycle and temperature on the embryonic development, especially diapause, of the annual fish Nothobranchius korthausae was investigated. The variability of the frequency of diapause II during constant L:D cycle and temperature, but at different times of the year, was also studied. In agreement with previous studies it appeared that diapause I does practically not occur in N. korthausae (and other Nothobranchius species), even under sub-optimal conditions which are known to induce diapause II and III. Only at very low temperatures, a first developmental arrest could be induced during the dispersed phase, as well as during the reaggregation phase. Diapause II and III can be induced more easily, by exposing the embryos to low (sub-optimal) temperatures and short light periods (or constant darkness). Both diapauses are inhibited or terminated at high temperature and long light periods (12L:12D). The occurrence of an indirect light:dark response via the adult fishes could not be demonstrated. At moderate temperatures and in constant darkness (or short light periods) considerable variability in diapause II-frequency was observed. This could be an intrinsic feature of annual fish development, constituting a strategy for better survival of the species.
Biomass and Patulin Production by Byssochlamys nivea in Apple Juice as Affected by Sorbate, Benzoate, SO2 and Temperature

The effects of potassium sorbate, sodium benzoate, SO2 and incubation temperature on biomass and patulin production by Byssochlamys nivea in apple juice were determined. Growth at 21, 30 and 37°C over a 25-day incubation period was significantly retarded by 75 ppm SO2, 150 ppm potassium sorbate and 500 ppm sodium benzoate. Biomass accumulated to approximately 500 mg/100 ml in control samples of apple juice. Patulin was produced in the highest concentrations at 21°C after 20 days incubation. After reaching a maximum concentration at 30 and 37°C, a rapid decline in patulin content was observed. Patulin production was also observed at 12°C. On the basis of concentration, SO2 had the most significant effect on the rate of biomass and patulin production by B. nivea followed by potassium sorbate and sodium benzoate, respectively.
“‘Little bags of remembrance’: du Maurier’s Peter Ibbetson and Victorian Theories of Ancestral Memory”

In the late-Victorian period considerable speculation that dreams provided access to ancestral memories appeared in both literary and psychological texts. Psychologists and psychical researchers such as Thomas Laycock, Samuel Butler, and F. W. H. Myers, among others, conceptualized memories and dreams as social, rather than solitary, mental functions, capable of making trans-historical connections with other minds. Their theories of ancestral memory effectively challenged the boundaries of subjectivity and the singularity of selfhood by extending identity across generations. One of the most sensational and sustained explorations of ancestral memory was George du Maurier’s 1891 novel Peter Ibbetson, which simultaneously adopted, popularized and expanded this ongoing debate about the nature of memory and the evolutionary scope of the unconscious. This essay traces the various ways in which these discourses on ancestral memory intersect. Both echoing and anticipating writers in the newly emerging memory sciences, Du Maurier’s novel explores the central role of the senses in producing and retrieving involuntary memories and envisions the mechanisms of memory as akin to modern technologies such as photography and phonography. Du Maurier’s account of ancestral memory thereby dramatizes some of the most far-reaching questions in late-Victorian psychology about the relationship between memory, identity, and the material world.
The transport and fate of helium in martensitic steels at fusion relevant He/dpa ratios and dpa rates

Abstract Understanding, modeling and managing the effects of He and displacement damage on microstructural evolution and property changes are primary objectives of fusion materials research. We recently implemented an approach for producing controlled He-to-dpa ratios under neutron irradiation using a novel α-implantation technique. Thin 1–4 μm NiAl coatings were deposited on Eurofer-97 TEM discs to produce a uniform He deposition zone of 6–8 μm. The test matrix is aimed at characterizing the transport, fate and consequences of He and He-to-dpa ratio variation on alloys with a wide range of starting microstructure. We explore the effect He-to-dpa ratio and temperature on the microstructure of conventionally processed Eurofer-97. Bubbles were found at all irradiation temperatures, with estimated maximum diameters of ∼12, 6.9 and 1.4 nm at 500 °C (∼9 dpa and 372 appm He), 400 °C (∼3.9 dpa and 82 appm He) and 300 °C (∼3.9 dpa and 89 appm He), respectively.
Maintenance of certification and pay for performance: implications for physiatry.

ABSTRACT DeLisa JA: Maintenance of Certification and pay for performance: Implications for physiatry. Am J Phys Med Rehabil 2006;85:187–191.
Ultrastructural comparisons of neurons of supraoptic and circularis nuclei in normal and dehydrated rats.

Abstract A quantitative ultrastructural investigation was undertaken to compare the nucleus circularis (NC) and supraoptic nucleus (SON) of the rat both under normal and water-deprived conditions. NC was found to have dramatically more of its cells and membrane surface involved in direct soma-somatic contact than the SON. Water deprivation, even for one day, brought about a significant increase in both percentage of cells and membrane surface in contact in both nuclei, apparently by the retraction of fine glial processes from between the somata. The normal NC was made up of only one ultrastructurally identifiable cell type. The normal NC had no cells showing expanded endoplasmic reticulum, although these were seen following 5 days (but not 1 day) of water deprivation. The normal SON did have 4.4% of its cells showing expanded endoplasmic reticulum. This percentage significantly increased following water deprivation. The vesicle population per area of cytoplasm was very similar between the two normal nuclei. One day of water deprivation brought about a significant increase in
Similarity-aware query processing in sensor networks

We assume a sensor network with data-centric storage, where sensor data is stored within the sensor network and ad hoc queries are disseminated and processed inside the network. In such an environment, there are often similarities among submitted queries. Using current solutions, similar queries may have to go through the same expensive query processing steps thus wasting energy. In this paper, we propose a similarity-aware query processing scheme (SAQP) that materializes previous query results within the sensor network and utilizes these materialized results to answer future similar queries. Through simulation, we demonstrate that our SAQP scheme reduces energy consumption on queries with negligible increase in response time, and without compromising the quality of data.
Effects of Dietary Long-Chain Fatty Acids on the Biosynthesis of Unsaturated Fatty Acids in the Rat

Menhaden oil (ME) was included in semisynthetic diets to study the effect of long-chain fatty acids, mainly 20:5n3 and 22:6n3, on the biosynthesis of poly- unsaturated fatty acids and on the 6- and 9-desaturase activities in liver microsomes. Five experimental diets, with the following fat supplements, were fed to male rats from weaning for a period of 33 weeks: 5% safflower oil (SAP) + 10%hydrogenated coconut oil (HCO), 5% SAP + 5% HCO + 5% ME, 5% SAP + 10% ME, 15% HCO and 5% HCO + 10% ME. The last two diets were deficient in linoleic acid. The three nonde- ficient diets contained similar amounts of linoleic acid. Including ME in the diets de pressed the 6- and 9-desaturase activities, especially in the linoleic acid-deficient rats. The syntheses of 20:4n6, 22:4n6 and 22:5n6 were depressed. These effects were related to the preferential accumulation of dietary 20:5n3 and 22:6n3 in the liver microsomes, as compared to the n6 fatty acids. It is hypothesized that dietary 20:5n3 and 22:6n3 increase the minimum requirement for linoleic acid in the diet. J. Nutr. 112: 619-
GeoCollaborative crisis management: designing technologies to meet real-world needs

Preventing, preparing for, responding to, and recovering from natural and human-induced disasters all require access to geographically referenced information and tools for making available information relevant to the tasks at hand. Goals of the research summarized here are to advance our scientific understanding of how groups (or groups of groups) work with geospatial information and technologies in crisis management and to use that understanding to guide development of tools that are intuitive for non-specialist users and that enable coordination within and across crisis management teams. This overview highlights progress on: understanding work in crisis management, enabling distributed information access through context-mediated geo-semantic interoperability, extension of natural, multimodal interface methods to mobile devices, development of a collaborative map-based web portal to support international humanitarian relief logistics, and technology transition into real-world practice. We also introduce our new DHS-supported Regional Visualization & Analytics Center, which builds directly upon our GCCM work.
Use of Reconstruction Plates for the Repair of Segmental llial Fractures Involving Acetabular Comminution in Four Dogs

Four dogs (27.3–31.8 kg) with ilial body fractures associated with various degrees of acetabular comminution were treated using internal fixation. Anatomic reduction and internal fixation were achieved using a long 2.7 mm reconstruction plate on the hemipelvis. Based on the patient's pelvic radiographs, the reconstruction plate was precontoured before surgery to precisely fit a bony pelvis of similar size and shape. Excellent anatomic reduction of the fractures was achieved in all four dogs. Three dogs recovered uneventfully and regained full function of the affected leg. In one dog with comminution of the acetabulum, reduction of the most caudally located fracture was not maintained. Severe osteoarthritis developed, and excision arthroplasty was performed. Reconstruction plates offer greater versatility than dynamic compression plates in the treatment of complex pelvic fractures such as ilial body fractures with acetabular comminution. The technique of precontouring the reconstruction plate prior to surgery decreases intraoperative time and corrects minor discrepancies in reduction.
Tolerability, safety and adherence to treatment with insulin detemir injection in the treatment of type 2 diabetes.

The progressive nature of type 2 diabetes poses challenges in the clinic: treatment must be continually reviewed and adjusted in response to the patient’s changing pathophysiology. Ultimately, insulin replacement therapy will be necessary as the physiological insulin response is compromised. The modern basal insulin analog insulin detemir has been the subject of several clinical trials and observational studies in type 2 diabetes. Compared with NPH insulin, insulin detemir offers an improved balance between achieving current glycemic targets with acceptable tolerability. Insulin detemir also has a unique weight-sparing effect which is associated with body mass index, and this may be a particular advantage to obese patients with type 2 diabetes. This review summarizes data from key clinical studies of insulin detemir, and also provides insights from observational studies.
Cost of Hospitalization for and Risk Factors Associated with Vancomycin-Resistant Enterococcus faecium Infection and Colonization

The increase in costs of hospitalization for patients with drug-resistant infection may be associated with drug resistance itself or with the severity of the underlying illness that predisposes patients to acquire the drug-resistant infection. To address this issue, risk factors and cost of hospitalization were compared for patients infected or colonized with vancomycin-susceptible Enterococcus faecium (VSEF) or vancomycin-resistant E. faecium (VREF) in a large tertiary-care hospital in New York City. From January 1995 through December 1996, 157 patients with VSEF and 262 patients with VREF were identified. CMI (case-mix index) was assigned to each patient as a measure of severity of illness, with a CMI of 1 considered to represent illness of average severity. For all patients who were assigned a CMI of 3, there was no difference between cost of hospitalization for patients with VREF and that for patients with VSEF. These observations indicate that, although vancomycin resistance is associated with an increased cost of hospitalization for less severely ill patients with VREF, patients with severe underlying illness, regardless of vancomycin resistance, incur similar hospitalization costs.
Managing emergency department patients with recent-onset atrial fibrillation.

Abstract Background The management of emergency department (ED) patients with presumed recent-onset atrial fibrillation or flutter ≤ 48 h in duration varies widely. Objective and Method We conducted a prospective study across three affiliated community EDs within a large integrated health care delivery system to describe the management of patients with recent-onset atrial fibrillation or flutter, to determine the safety and effectiveness of ED cardioversion, and to measure the incidence of thromboembolism 30 days after discharge. Results We enrolled 206 patients with convenience sampling between June 2005 and November 2007. Mean age was 64.0 ± 14.4 years (range 21–96 years). Patients were grouped for analysis into four categories based on whether cardioversion was 1) spontaneous in the ED (59; 28.6%); 2) attempted with electrical or pharmacological means (115; 56.3%), with success in 110 (95.7%); 3) hoped for during a short stint of home observation (16; 7.8%, 11 of which spontaneously converted to sinus rhythm within 24 h); or 4) contraindicated (16; 7.8%). Of the entire group, 183 (88.8%) patients were discharged home. Adverse events requiring ED interventions were reported in 6 (2.9%; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.1–6.2%) patients, all of whom recovered. Two (1.0%; 95% CI 0.1–3.5%) patients were found to have an embolic event on 30-day follow-up. Conclusions Our approach to ED patients with presumed recent-onset atrial fibrillation or flutter seems to be safe and effective, with a high rate of cardioversion and discharge to home coupled with a low ED adverse event and 30-day thromboembolic event rate.
Heat or radiofrequency plasma glow discharge treatment of a titanium alloy stimulates osteoblast gene expression in the MC3T3 osteoprogenitor cell line

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine whether increasing the Ti6Al4V surface oxide negative charge through heat (600°C) or radiofrequency plasma glow discharge (RFGD) pretreatment, with or without a subsequent coating with fibronectin, stimulated osteoblast gene marker expression in the MC3T3 osteoprogenitor cell line. Methods: Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction was used to measure changes over time in the mRNA levels for osteoblast gene markers, including alkaline phosphatase, bone sialoprotein, collagen type I (α1), osteocalcin, osteopontin and parathyroid hormone-related peptide (PTH-rP), and the osteoblast precursor genes Runx2 and osterix. Results: Osteoprogenitors began to differentiate earlier on disks that were pretreated with heat or RFGD. The pretreatments increased gene marker expression in the absence of a fibronectin coating. However, pretreatments increased osteoblast gene expression for fibronectin-coated disks more than uncoated disks, suggesting a surface oxide-mediated specific enhancement of fibronectin’s bioactivity. Heat pretreatment had greater effects on the mRNA expression of genes for PTH-rP, alkaline phos phatase and osteocalcin while RFGD pretreatment had greater effects on osteopontin and bone sialoprotein gene expression. Conclusions: The results suggest that heat and RFGD pretreatments of the Ti6Al4V surface oxide stimulated osteoblast differentiation through an enhancement of (a) coated fibronectin’s bioactivity and (b) the bioactivities of other serum or matrix proteins. The quantitative differences in the effects of the two pretreatments on osteoblast gene marker expression may have arisen from the unique physico-chemical characteristics of each resultant oxide surface. Therefore, engineering the Ti6Al4V surface oxide to become more negatively charged can be used to accelerate osteoblast differentiation through fibronectin-dependent and independent mechanisms.
A Level-Crossing Sampling Scheme for Non-Bandlimited Signals

We propose a level-crossing A/D (LCA/D) converter which can be modelled with an oversampling A/D followed by a low resolution quantizer. In this paper we will study the reconstruction of non-bandlimited inputs processed by such a system and compare its performance to uniform sampling.
The water and nonelectrolyte permeability induced in thin lipid membranes by the polyene antibiotics nystatin and amphotericin B.

Nystatin and amphotericin B increase the permeability of thin (<100 A) lipid membranes to ions, water, and nonelectrolytes. Water and nonelectrolyte permeability increase linearly with membrane conductance (i.e., ion permeability). In the unmodified membrane, the osmotic permeability coefficient, P(f), is equal to the tagged water permeability coefficient, (P(d))(w); in the nystatin- or amphotericin B-treated membrane, P(f)/(P(d))(w) approximately 3. The unmodified membrane is virtually impermeable to small hydrophilic solutes, such as urea, ethylene glycol, and glycerol; the nystatin- or amphotericin B-treated membrane displays a graded permeability to these solutes on the basis of size. This graded permeability is manifest both in the tracer permeabilities, P(d), and in the reflection coefficients, sigma (Table I). The "cutoff" in permeability occurs with molecules about the size of glucose (Stokes-Einstein radius approximate, equals 4 A). We conclude that nystatin and amphotericin B create aqueous pores in thin lipid membranes; the effective radius of these pores is approximately 4 A. There is a marked similarity between the permeability of a nystatin- or amphotericin B-treated membrane to water and small hydrophilic solutes and the permeability of the human red cell membrane to these same molecules.
Grating assisted waveguide-to-waveguide couplers

A new radiation-type waveguide-to-waveguide coupler is proposed. The coupling is realized through gratings embedded on the dielectric waveguides involved. Compared to the conventional hybrid-mode coupler, this type of coupler has advantages in that the two waveguides can be quite dissimilar as well as being separated by large distances. It is demonstrated that the coupling performance of this radiation-type coupler can be enhanced significantly by using photonic bandgap (PBG) structures.
Analyzing partition testing strategies

Partition testing strategies, which divide a program's input domain into subsets with the tester selecting one or more elements from each subdomain, are analyzed. The conditions that affect the efficiency of partition testing are investigated, and comparisons of the fault detection capabilities of partition testing and random testing are made. The effects of subdomain modifications on partition testing's ability to detect faults are studied. >