cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Thyroid hormone, glucagon, and medium-chain fatty acids regulate transcription initiated from promoter 1 and promoter 2 of the acetyl-CoA carboxylase-α gene in chick embryo hepatocytes

Abstract High-carbohydrate feeding and triiodothyronine (T3) increase the abundance of acetyl-CoA carboxylase-α (ACCα) mRNA in avian hepatocytes, whereas starvation, glucagon, and medium-chain fatty acids decrease the abundance of ACCα mRNA. These changes in ACCα mRNA levels are mediated by alterations in the rate of transcription of the ACCα gene. In liver, ACCα transcription is initiated from two promoters, promoter 1 and promoter 2, resulting in transcripts that contain heterogeneity in their 5′-untranslated regions. Here, we investigated the role of promoter 1 and promoter 2 in mediating nutrient- and hormone-induced changes in ACCα mRNA abundance by measuring the level of transcripts expressed from promoter 1 and promoter 2 using a ribonuclease protection assay. The results indicated that both promoter 1 and promoter 2 were regulated by starvation/refeeding in livers of intact chicks and by T3, glucagon, and medium-chain fatty acids in chick embryo hepatocyte cultures and that alterations in the activity of promoter 2 accounted for a greater proportion of the changes in total ACCα mRNA abundance caused by nutrient and hormone treatment. Five DNase-hypersensitive sites were also identified between −500 and +1 bp relative to the transcription start site of promoter 2 in livers of intact chicks and in chick embryo hepatocyte cultures. In transient transfection analyses, this region of DNase hypersensitivity conferred regulation of transcription by T3, glucagon, and medium-chain fatty acids in chick embryo hepatocytes. Data from this study demonstrate that diet-induced changes in the activities of promoter 1 and promoter 2 in livers of intact chicks are mimicked in chick embryo hepatocyte cultures by manipulating the concentrations of T3, glucagon and medium-chain fatty acids in the culture medium and that cis -acting sequences mediating the effects of nutrients and hormones on promoter 2 activity are located immediately upstream of the transcription start site of this promoter.
Nearly All-Speed, Stabilized Time-Accurate Upwind Scheme on Unstructured Grid

A time-accurate, upwind, finite volume method for computing compressible flows on unstructured grids is presented. The method is second-order-accurate in space and time and yields high resolution in the presence of discontinuities. In the basic Euler and Navier-Stokes upwind scheme, many concepts of high-order upwind schemes are adopted: the surface flux integrals are carefully treated, a Cauchy-Kowalewski time-stepping scheme is used in the time-marching stage, and a multidimensional limiter is applied in the reconstruction stage. However, even with these up-to-date improvements, the basic upwind scheme is still plagued by the so-called pathological behaviors (for example, the carbuncle, the expansion shock, etc.), which are mostly triggered due to some undesirable local numerical instability. A simple multidimensional dissipation model is used to systematically suppress such behaviors and stabilize the scheme for flows at high Mach numbers, whereas for flows at very low Mach number (for example, M = 0.02), it is found that computation can be directly carried out without invoking preconditioning. The modified, stabilized scheme is referred to as the enhanced time-accurate upwind scheme (Loh, C. Y., and Jorgenson, P. C. E., "A Time Accurate Upwind Unstructured Finite Volume Method for Compressible Flow with Cure of Pathological Behaviors," AIAA Paper 2007-4463, 2007.) in this paper. The unstructured grid capability renders flexibility for use in complex geometry, and the present enhanced time-accurate upwind Euler and Navier-Stokes scheme is capable of handling a broad spectrum of flow regimes from high supersonic to subsonic at very low Mach number, appropriate for both computational fluid dynamics and computational aeroacoustics. Numerous examples are included to demonstrate the robustness of the scheme.
On cascades of bilinear systems and generating series of weighted Petri nets

It has been established in the literature that the cascade interconnection of two bilinear systems does not in general produce another bilinear system. The goals of this paper are two-fold. First, an alternative proof of the sufficient condition for preserving bilinearity under cascades due to Ferfera is presented which is much simpler than the original. Then it is shown that the well known correspondence between rational series and formal power series recognized by weighted finite-state automata can be generalized to produce a correspondence between the generating series of cascades of bilinear systems and a class of weighted Petri nets.
Attention‐Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Moderates the Life Stress Pathway to Alcohol Problems in Children of Alcoholics

Background: Parent alcoholism is a well-established risk factor for the development of pathological alcohol involvement in youth, and life stress is considered to be one of the central mechanisms of the parent alcoholism effect; however, little is known about the moderators of the life stress pathway. Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) has also been shown to predict pathological alcohol involvement, however, little is known about whether or not ADHD interacts with parent alcoholism to increase offspring risk. The goals of this study were to examine stressful life events as mediators of the relationship between parent alcoholism and adolescent pathological alcohol involvement, and to examine whether or not this mediated pathway was stronger for adolescents with ADHD than for adolescents without ADHD. Method: Participants were 142 adolescents with a childhood ADHD diagnosis (probands) and 100 demographically matched control adolescents without childhood ADHD. Probands, controls, and at least 1 parent were interviewed about drinking behavior; probands and controls were interviewed about negative life events. Results: A moderated mediation paradigm was used to test the hypotheses using ordinary least squares regression. Results showed that the relationships between parent alcoholism and 2 of the stress variables (“family” stress and “peer” stress) were significant for probands only, and that stress in the probands mediated the parent alcoholism effect on offspring alcohol involvement. Conclusions: These results provide preliminary support for the hypothesis that offspring characteristics might moderate the life stress pathway to alcoholism, and indicate that ADHD may serve to facilitate the transmission of pathological alcohol use from parent to child.
A scanning tunneling microscopy study on self-assembled Fe(III) meso-tetra(4-carboxyphenyl) porphyrin chloride chains

Abstract Fe(III) meso-tetra(4-carboxyphenyl) porphyrin chloride (Fe-TCP chloride) molecules co-deposited together with 5-(octadecyloxy) isophthalic acid (5-OIA) molecules on a highly-ordered pyrolytic graphite were studied with the help of a scanning tunneling microscope (STM) under ambient conditions. The measurements were carried out at solid–liquid interface. STM images show the formation of one-dimensional Fe-TCP chloride/5-OIA chains stretching tens of nanometers across the surface. The driving mechanism behind the formation of these chains is the physical interaction between the molecules.
Structural basis for the interaction of superantigen with the alternative superantigen-binding receptor p85.

Superantigens are microbial products which bind both to the TCR β-chain and, with moderate affinity, to MHC class II molecules. Class II-bearing cells bind the superantigen and present the superantigen to T cells expressing certain TCR β-chain variable region alleles. We have previously reported that the superantigen staphylococcal enterotoxin B (SEB) binds with moderate affinity to the protein p85 expressed on COS-1, an African Green Monkey kidney fibroblast-like cell line. In the present report we carry out a structural analysis to examine the basis for the interaction of superantigen to p85. We show that SEC1, SEC2, and SEC3 also bind to p85 based on inhibition of the binding of radiolabeled SEB. On the other hand, SEA, SED, SEE and toxic shock syndrome toxin-1 do not exhibit detectable binding. In an effort to characterize the structural basis for the SEB binding to p85, we have generated both amino- and carboxy-terminal truncations of SEB expressed as fusion proteins with the maltose-binding protein of Escherichia coli. Our results show that the full-length SEB fusion protein and a truncation missing the 81 amino-terminal amino acids both compete successfully with native SEB for binding. On the other hand, carboxy-terminal truncations in which 19 or 34 residues are deleted both fail to compete for binding. These results are consistent with results which show that monoclonal anti-SEB antibodies specific for carboxy-terminal determinants block SEB binding to p85, but an amino-terminal mAb fails to exhibit any alteration in binding. These results suggest that residues at or near the carboxy-terminus of SEB play a role in binding to p85.
The best card trick

You, my friend, are about to witness the best card trick there is. Here, take this ordinary deck of cards, and draw a hand of five cards from it. Choose them deliberately or randomly, whichever you prefer — but do not show them to me! Show them instead to my lovely assistant, who will now give me four of them, one at a time: the 7♠, then the Q♥, the 8♣, the 3♦. There is one card left in your hand, known only to you and my assistant. And the hidden card, my friend, is the K♠.
Dual gate pulsed wave Doppler imaging for investigating cardiovascular dysfunctions

Ultrasound Doppler imaging is frequently performed in a clinical and research environment to assess cardiovascular functions. Blood flow and tissue motion velocities can be measured employing pulsed-wave flow and tissue Doppler imaging respectively. Conventionally, flow and tissue Doppler are acquired separately in different cardiac cycles and synchronized using an electrocardiogram signal as a reference. Dual gate pulsed wave Doppler imaging, which utilizes two separate gates for flow and tissue Doppler, has been implemented by interleaving tissue Doppler to flow Doppler imaging sequences to measure the velocity of flow and tissue motions simultaneously. The proposed approach was implemented on the high-frequency ultrasound imaging system operating a 28 MHz 256-element linear array transducer. Micro-flow phantom having a polyimide tube with a diameter of 510μm was fabricated. The array-based Doppler system was evaluated by measuring constant flow velocities (30, 40, 50 and 80 mm/s) in the micro-flow phantom using a single-gate Doppler, and then dual-gate Doppler was evaluated by measuring the velocity of flow and wall motions. In the micro-flow phantom experiment using dual-gate Doppler imaging, while flow velocity in the tube is changing from 0 to 70 mm/s, the wall motions of either contraction or relaxation could be identified in tissue Doppler imaging.
To Fluid-Substitute Or Not to Fluid-Substitute: How Pore Shape And Chemical Processes Affect Gassmann's Predictability

Gassmann’s theory treats the rock-fluid interaction as purely mechanical. Hence, only two effects are considered: the change in rock bulk density and the change in rock effective elastic moduli. As a consequence, neither the geometrical nor the chemical complexity of a rock is taken into account. Gassmann-computed moduli are shown in literature both to overestimate and underestimate the ultrasonic, saturated measurements. High-frequency effects inducing dispersion are considered to cause moduli stiffening: that suggests that the conventional fluid substitution scheme using Gassmann’s theory is likely violated by additional mechanisms that sometimes counteract high-frequency effects. This paper reports results from laboratory experiments and effective media modeling showing how mechanisms induced by pore geometry and chemical processes affect the elastic moduli and thus, their departure from Gassmann’s predictability.
A charging control strategy for active building-integrated thermal energy storage systems using frequency domain modeling

Abstract Primary space conditioning can be provided through active building-integrated thermal energy storage (BITES) systems, such as radiant space heating through concrete slabs. This approach can reduce peak space conditioning demand and energy costs while satisfying thermal comfort. However, thermal charging rates need to be predictively controlled due to the slow thermal response of BITES systems. This paper presents a charge control strategy using frequency domain models and room air temperature set-point profile as input. The models were previously verified with full-scale experiment data. The calculation procedures are demonstrated on active BITES systems with and without airflow to zone. Results show that the calculated charging rates satisfy the desired room air temperature set-point profiles. This control strategy is important for integrating the design and operation of active BITES systems because frequency domain models also provide important design information.
Experiences in Online Process Groups: A Qualitative Study

Online group counseling is an area scant with research, as much investigation has focused on the provision of online individual counseling services. During the course of an academic year, 12 master’s-level counseling students participated in 2 online (videoconferencing) process groups. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to gain insight into members’ experiences in online counseling groups. Several themes were identified, including the linear nature of the group, superficial engagement within the group, and feeling disconnected from one another. Limitations and implications are discussed.
Santal monohydrate, an isoflavone isolated from Wye­thia mollis

The title compound [systematic name: 3-(3,4-di­hydroxy­phen­yl)-5-hy­droxy-7-meth­oxy-4H-chromen-4-one monohydrate], C16H12O6·H2O, is a monohydrate of a natural product santal isolated from Wye­thia mollis. In the santal mol­ecule, the dihedral angle between the benzo­quinone and di­hydroxy­phenyl fragments is 53.9 (1)° and an intra­molecular O—H⋯O hydrogen bond occurs. In the crystal, O—H⋯O hydrogen bonds link the components into corrugated layers parallel to the ac plane. The short distance of 3.474 (5) A between the centroids of the benzene rings in neighbouring santal mol­ecules reveals then existence of π–π inter­actions within the layers.
Effects of atmospheric irregularities on sonic-boom propagation.

A review is given of information obtained in recent years concerning the effects on sonic-boom signatures of departures of the atmosphere from a perfectly stratified time invariant model. These effects include the observed random variations in boom overpressures from those expected for a stratified atmosphere, the anomalously large and variable rise times, and the occurrence of spiked or rounded waveforms rather than the characteristic N waves. The extent of the variability in data recorded during actual flight tests is summarized in the form of histograms, representing experimentally obtained probability density functions. The physical mechanisms believed to be responsible for the variations and the anomalous features in the signatures are described. These include refraction and subsequent wavefront rippling by turbulence, the possible focusing or defocusing of rays, the formation of caustics, and the phenomenon of wavefront folding, diffraction, and scattering. Recent statistical theories of shock propagation through a turbulent atmosphere proposed by Crow, George and Plotkin, Pierce, Horning, and others are reviewed.
A Simple, Inexpensive Carbonate−Phosphoric Acid Reaction Method for the Analysis of Carbon and Oxygen Isotopes of Carbonates

A simple and inexpensive method for reacting carbonate samples with phosphoric acid for the measurement of stable carbon and oxygen isotope ratios in carbonates is described. The technique is applied to samples taken in a sealed septum tube inside which a small tube is attached using ordinary household glue. The acid is loaded into this small tube. The whole assembly is evacuated and the vessel is tilted so that the acid makes contact with the carbonate. Isotope determinations were made using calcite at 25 °C and calcite and dolomite at 50 °C. With dolomite, the reaction was complete in 12 h. Measurements of yield and isotope ratios confirm that this method is as good as the traditional method, which uses potentially breakable Pyrex reaction vessels and costly grease or greaseless stopcocks.
An Interview With Larry Golden: Long-Time Marriage and Family Counselor and Counselor Educator:

Larry Golden started the marriage and family therapy program at Our Lady of the Lake University and was founding chair of the Department of Counseling at the University of Texas at San Antonio. He ...
Augmented penalty functions for delayed control systems

A descent method is given for the numerical solution of delayed optimal control problems with fixed delays by first reducing them to nondelayed problems and then using the technique of augmented penalty functions. The system resulting from the reduction to a nondelayed problem is of higher order than the original system; however, the time is proportionally shorter, and the variational matrices are sparse.
Chronic Disease and Applied Sociology: An Essay in Personalized Sociology*

This essay represents an attempt to combine personal experience and general sociological knowledge in formulating (1) an analytic model of disease and (2) a definition of chronic disease that would help us better understand the trials and tribulations of chronically diseased persons as they cope with their environments. These objectives are achieved but their heuristic value as analytic tools or their utility for pragmatic intervention requires amplification and demonstration. The ideas and themes discussed are viewed as important considerations fur applied sociological pursuits, particularly in medical sociology, but also have broader implications for sociology in general.
Calcium Influx Measured at Single Presynaptic Boutons of Cerebellar Granule Cell Ascending Axons and Parallel Fibers

Action potential-evoked calcium influx into presynaptic boutons is a key determinant of synaptic strength and function. Here, we have examined the calcium dynamics at individual presynaptic boutons of the cerebellar granule cells in the molecular layer of cerebellar slices and investigated whether different subpopulations of granule cell boutons exhibit different calcium dynamics. We found that a population of boutons with low basal calcium clearance rates may activate a second clearance mechanism and exhibit biphasic calcium decay on high calcium influx induced by bursts of action potentials. We also found that boutons on ascending axons and parallel fibers show similar calcium influx amplitudes and calcium clearance rates in response to action potentials. Lastly, we found that parallel fiber boutons located in the inner molecular layer have a higher calcium clearance rate than boutons located in the outer molecular layer. These results suggest that cerebellar granule cell boutons should not be regarded as a homogeneous population, but rather that different subpopulations of boutons may exhibit different properties. The heterogeneity of presynaptic boutons may allow different learned behaviors to be encoded in the same circuit without mutual interference and may be a general mechanism for increasing the computational capacity of the brain.
Persistent genotypic differences in mouse activity under unusually varied circumstances

Twenty-one comparisons of activity differences among C57, DBA and C3H strains of mice have appeared over the past 11 yr. Despite wide variations in the use of substrains, experimental techniques and testing devices, strain rank order remains statistically stable. Such uniformity may indicate well-buffered physiological correlates.
Approximation by chaotic operators and by conjugate classes

We show that every bounded linear operator on a separable, infinite-dimensional Hilbert space H is the sum of two operators in the norm-closure of the set of operators on H that are chaotic in the sense of Devaney. We also observe that the density of several classes of cyclic operators, with respect to the strong operator topology, may be derived from a result by Hadwin et al. (Proc Amer. Math. Soc. 76 (1979) 250–252).
Dosimetry measurement in ion implanters

Abstract Measurement of ion beams by electronic techniques is analyzed in detail, looking at such problems as collector designs, suppression of secondaries, monitoring of beam uniformity, purity of the ion beam, integrator accuracy and other sources of errors.
Susceptibility of Gram-Negative Anaerobic Bacilli to Gentamicin and Other Aminoglycosides

Previous studies have shown that kanamycin, neomycin, and paromomycin are relatively inactive against gram-negative anaerobic bacilli. However, there were differences noted between the drugs that had implications in terms of: (7) oral therapy with aminoglycosides; (2) likelihood of anaerobic or other superinfection following various modes of therapy with aminoglycosides; (3) the use of these compounds in selective media for anaerobes; and (4) susceptibility tests for the characterization of strains. The present study compared the activity of gentamicin with the above three aminoglycosides, and with framycetin, against various anaerobic gram-negative bacilli, using a plate-dilution test. Gentamicin was more active than the other compounds against Bacteroides fragilis, Bacteroides melaninogenicus, and Sphaerophorus and was intermediate in activity against the others. Gram-negative anaerobic bacilli are prevalent in the normal flora of the body, participate in various physiologic and pathophysiologic processes, and are frequently involved in infections of diverse types throughout the body. The present report compares the activity of gentamicin and other aminoglycoside antibiotics against these organisms.
The Wicking Kinetics of Liquid Droplets into Yarns

The wicking kinetics of liquid droplets into yarns is studied using a computerized imaging system. A new method is suggested for characterizing the yarn structure by monitoring droplet absorption. The method is based on the comparative analysis of the time needed for droplet disappearance as a function of droplet volume for various yarns. A mathematical model is developed to describe the wicking kinetics. We show that for wetting liquids, the time of droplet absorption Tw is a linear function of the initial droplet volume squared V02. For a given liquid-yarn pair, the slope of this relationship provides important information about the yarn properties. The linear relationship between Tw and V02 is verified by experimental data for a typical spin finish. The model predicts that droplet wicking can occur even if the advancing contact angle θa is slightly greater than 90°. However, for nonwetting liquids, the relationship between Tw and V02 is nonlinear, and a criterion for droplet wicking into nonwetted yarn...
The murine Th2 locus undergoes epigenetic modification in the thymus during fetal and postnatal ontogeny.

Epigenetic modifications play a central role in the differentiation and function of immune cells in adult animals. Developmentally regulated epigenetic patterns also appear to contribute to the ontogeny of the immune system. We show here that the epigenetic profile of the T-helper (Th) 2 locus undergoes changes in T lineage cells beginning in mid-gestation and extending throughout the first week of life. In particular, regulatory regions of the Th2 locus are largely methylated at CpG residues among fetal liver common lymphoid progenitor cells. The locus subsequently becomes highly hypomethylated among the downstream progeny of these cells within the fetal thymus. This hypomethylated state is preserved until birth when the locus becomes rapidly re-methylated, achieving adult-like status by 3–6 days post birth. Notably, the capacity for rapid, high level Th2 cytokine production is lost in parallel with this re-methylation. In vitro organ culture and in vivo transplantation experiments indicate that signals from the adult environment are required to achieve the postnatal methylated state. Together, these findings indicate that the Th2 bias of neonates may be conferred, in part, by an epigenetic profile inherited from fetal life. However, the fetal program is rapidly terminated post birth by the development of signals leading to the acquisition of adult-like epigenetic patterns.
Mike or me? Self-recognition in a split-brain patient

A split-brain patient (epileptic individual whose corpus callosum had been severed to minimize the spread of seizure activity) was asked to recognize morphed facial stimuli--presented separately to each hemisphere--as either himself or a familiar other. Both hemispheres were capable of face recognition, but the left hemisphere showed a recognition bias for self and the right hemisphere a bias for familiar others. These findings suggest a possible dissociation between self-recognition and more generalized face processing within the human brain.
Research analysis of Space Shuttle Orbiter entry aerothermodynamic flight data at the NASA Langley Research Center

The methods used to analyze the aerothermodynamic data gathered from the Shuttle protoflights are reviewed. Trajectory and atmospheric reconstruction allow an accurate definition of the freestream environment through which the Shuttle has flown. The reconstructions, combined with aerodynamic coefficient and convective heating rate determinations, provide predictive capability for comparison with future flights. Data are acquired by operational instrumentation (12,000 parameters), development flight instrumentation (4500 measurements), and Orbiter experiments instrumentation; tracking and meteorological data are also included in the analyses. The aerothermodynamic and aerodynamic technology base for large, winged, lifting body entry vehicles is being expanded by the analysis efforts. Sensor locations on the Shuttle and data management techniques are described.
Protein kinase C activation leading to protein F1 phosphorylation may regulate synaptic plasticity by presynaptic terminal growth

It has recently been proposed by the author that protein kinase C regulates the expression of synaptic plasticity. In the present review it is suggested that this regulation involves a growth of presynaptic terminals. This proposal was based on the discovery that one of the substrates of protein kinase C, protein F1 (molecular mass = 47 kDa, pI = 4.5) is increased in its phosphorylation 5 min, 1 hr, and 3 days following long-term potentiation (LTP) in the intact hippocampal formation. No other phosphoprotein studied was altered by LTP. The amplitude or persistence of synaptic plasticity was directly related to the extent of protein F1 phosphorylation. As a critical control, it was shown that protein F1 was unaltered following synaptic activation that did not alter synaptic strength. Protein F1 in the hippocampus was also altered in its phosphorylation after an experience involving memory of a spatial environment. Phosphoprotein F1 may thus participate in both neurophysiological and behavioral events that evoke plasticity. The identification of the F1 substrate has recently been sought. The physical characteristics of protein F1 (mol wt., isoelectric point) indicate that it is the same as the B-50 protein and the growth protein, GAP—43. Protein F1 is then a brain-specific, synaptically enriched phosphoprotein. Recent evidence indicates that protein F1 is present in high concentration in growth cones of late embryonic rat brain in which postsynaptic specializations are not detected, suggesting a presynaptic locus. With respect to the identity of the F1 kinase, we have shown that protein F1, like B-50, is a substrate for protein kinase C, a Ca2+/phospholipid-dependent kinase. Activation of this enzyme by tumor-promoting phorbol esters can trigger cell growth and neurite extension. Recent evidence indicates a presynaptic localization of the enzyme. On the basis of the colocalization of enzyme and substrate in the presynaptic terminal it is proposed that protein kinase C control of the phosphorylation state of protein F1 may regulate the expression of synaptic plasticity via presynaptic terminal growth.
A Systematic Approach to Aural-Visual Identification Instruction in Music for Young Children:

This study investigated the functional nature of a model for aural-visual identification instruction (AVII) to design effective instruction for musical concept development in young children. The pu...
The effect of radiosurgeryduring management of aggressive meningiomas

Abstract Background Aggressive (atypical or malignant) meningiomas are difficult tumors to manage. We review the local control and survival rates of patients with aggressive meningiomas after multi-modality therapy that included stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS). Methods Thirty patients had SRS for treatment of malignant ( n = 12) or atypical ( n = 18) meningiomas. There were 17 (57%) males and 13 (43%) females with an average age of 58 years. The mean number of prior surgical resections was two. The median imaging follow-up was 2.3 (0.1–11.4) years; median clinical follow-up was 3.8 (0.25–11.5) years. Results After SRS, the overall median time until progression of neurologic signs was 48.0 (+/−6.51) months. Median time to neurologic progression was significantly worse for patients treated late after recurrence versus early after craniotomy. Atypical meningiomas had 5- and 10-year overall actuarial survival rates of 59% (±13), while malignant meningiomas had 5- and 10-year overall actuarial survival rates of 59% (±16) and 0%. These curves were not significantly different from one another. Atypical meningiomas had a 5-year progression-free survival (PFS) of 83% (±7%), while malignant meningiomas had a 5-year PFS of 72% (±10) ( p = 0.018). On multivariate analysis, early SRS and smaller tumor volumes were associated with better PFS, while younger age was associated with better survival. One patient had an adverse radiation effect after SRS. Conclusions Stereotactic radiosurgery is an important adjuvant management strategy for residual tumors identified early after craniotomy and partial resection. Aggressive use of early boost radiosurgery following craniotomy and radiation therapy is recommended for patients with malig-nant meningiomas.
Distress among Indigenous North Americans: Generalized and Culturally Relevant Stressors.

Stress process and life-course models of mental distress emphasize sociocultural and historical processes that influence stress exposure and the impact of stress on mental health outcomes. Drawing from these theoretical orientations as well as concepts from the historical trauma literature, the authors examine the effects of culturally relevant and more generalized sources of stress on distress among North American Indigenous adults and test for the potential cumulative and interactive effects of stress on distress across the life course via self-reported early childhood and adult and contemporary stressors. Results of ordinary least squares regression analyses reveal positive, significant associations between general stressors and distress as well as culturally meaningful stressors and distress. In addition, the authors found evidence of the accumulating and interactive impact of stress on psychological distress.
A comparison between single-agent and multi-agent classification of documents

Information services such as searching, retrieval, and filtering are playing a dominant role in our life during the current information age. One critical functionality of these information services is to obtain effective classification for input documents. Thesaurus(vocabulary)-based document representation followed by clustering constitutes a popular approach to document classification. However, two alternatives exist to construct the information classificationsystem. The first one uses a single, monolithic, huge thesaurus and classifies all documents by one centralized machine. The second one exploits distributed computing environmentsby allowing multiple agents with small thesauri to collaborate with each other over a computer network. The objective of this paper is to compare these two approaches (i.e., single-agent and multi-agent) in terms of various criteria including response time, quality of classification, and economic/privacy considerations. Two experimental studies, involving classification of Computer Science and Medline documents, are presented to compare the performanceof a single-agent system with that of a multi-agent system in real world settings. These results indicate that a collaborative multi-agent system constitutes a attractive methodologyfor classifying a large volume of information efficiently, when the thesaurus is large.
Density independent population dynamics by Trichoderma virens in soil and defined substrates

Abstract Classical models of population dynamics predict that with increasing initial population densities the per capita growth will diminish. Observations over a broad range of initial densities with a wild-type and a genetically engineered strain of the filamentous fungus, Trichoderma virens (Arx), in soil and autoclaved soil differed from these predictions. The per capita growth response of T. virens in vitro was found to be density dependent on potato dextrose agar, but density independent on water agar. Further experiments with a defined, carbon-free medium (Vogel's medium) and, with the same medium containing sucrose, indicated that density dependent per capita growth occurred in the nutrient-rich medium but not the oligotrophic medium. This hypothesis was tested and supported experimentally through observation of density dependent per capita growth after adding nutrients to autoclaved soil. Development of better models of population dynamics will be important to predict successfully the likelihood...
Potential on-shore and off-shore reservoirs for CO2 sequestration in Central Atlantic magmatic province basalts

Identifying locations for secure sequestration of CO2 in geological formations is one of our most pressing global scientific problems. Injection into basalt formations provides unique and significant advantages over other potential geological storage options, including large potential storage volumes and permanent fixation of carbon by mineralization. The Central Atlantic Magmatic Province basalt flows along the eastern seaboard of the United States may provide large and secure storage reservoirs both onshore and offshore. Sites in the South Georgia basin, the New York Bight basin, and the Sandy Hook basin offer promising basalt-hosted reservoirs with considerable potential for CO2 sequestration due to their proximity to major metropolitan centers, and thus to large industrial sources for CO2. Onshore sites are suggested for cost-effective characterization studies of these reservoirs, although offshore sites may offer larger potential capacity and additional long-term advantages for safe and secure CO2 sequestration.
Reassessment of copepod grazing impact based on continuous time series of in vivo gut fluorescence from individual copepods

Copepod grazing is a fundamental link between autotrophs and heterotrophs, affecting the particle size spectrum, modifying trophic interactions for a wide range of organisms, and playing a potentially significant role in the carbon cycle. A considerable amount of work has been done to quantify and understand feeding in copepods from a behavioral, physiological and ecological standpoint. An impressive body of knowledge has accumulated as a result. However, some of the methods used to experimentally determine copepod grazing have known, un-quantified problems. The small size of individual copepods requires the use of multiple animals, thereby introducing poorly understood variability. Digestion and gut dynamics in copepods are not fully understood either. Here we propose an approach to measure grazing that aims to be complementary to past contributions. Using a novel planar laser imaging technique, we have quantified grazing (pellet evacuation rates and gut clearance rates, K) in feeding copepods (Calanus pacificus). Highly resolved time series up to 5 h long were obtained from individual copepods at three different temperatures. K was found to be temperature-dependent, to vary in time and among copepods, and to be significantly higher during feeding than non-feeding, invalidating some assumptions of previous methods. Previous studies not accounting for the observed variations in K may have underestimated copepod ingestion by 15–70%. This suggests that copepods may exert a greater grazing pressure on phytoplankton than previously estimated, implying a higher copepodmediated vertical carbon transport, and a greater transfer rate of energy to higher trophic levels.
Early pediatric antiepileptic drug nonadherence is related to lower long-term seizure freedom.

Objective: To examine the relationship between previously identified nonadherence trajectories during the first 6 months of antiepileptic drug (AED) therapy and long-term seizure-free rates (defined as ≥1 year of seizure freedom at the 4 years postdiagnosis milestone) in a cohort of children with newly diagnosed epilepsy. Methods: A prospective longitudinal observational study of AED adherence and seizure freedom in a consecutive cohort of 124 children (ages 2–12 years) with newly diagnosed epilepsy was conducted. The association between previously identified AED adherence trajectories (i.e., near-perfect adherence [e.g., average adherence = 96.8%] vs nonadherent) and seizure freedom for ≥1 year at the 4 years postdiagnosis milestone was determined. Results: Children who exhibited nonadherence to AED therapy in the first 6 months of treatment were 3.24 times more likely not to have achieved ≥1 year of seizure freedom at the 4 years postdiagnosis milestone compared to children in the near-perfect adherence group (χ 2 = 5.13; p = 0.02). Specifically, at the 4 years postdiagnosis milestone, only 12% of children in the near-perfect adherence group were continuing to experience seizures compared to 31% of children in the nonadherent group. Conclusions: Children with epilepsy who achieved near-perfect adherence during the first 6 months of therapy experienced a higher rate of seizure freedom 4 years postdiagnosis compared with those children who demonstrated early nonadherence. This suggests that adherence intervention early in the course of treatment could play a role in improving long-term seizure freedom rates in children with epilepsy.
Utility of bedside sonography to distinguish soft tissue abnormalities from joint effusions in the emergency department.

Objective. The purpose of this study was to determine the utility of bedside sonography to differentiate soft tissue abnormalities from joint effusions. Methods. We conducted a retrospective review of emergency department (ED) patients presenting with joint pain, erythema, and swelling who received bedside sonography. The ED sonographic examinations were performed by emergency physician sonologists who were not involved in clinical assessment and management of these patients. The treating physician’s opinions regarding the probability of joint effusion and need for aspiration were documented in the sonography log before the sonographic examination was performed. The bedside sonograms of all patients included in this study were also reviewed for accuracy. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize the data. Results. A total of 54 patients (mean age ± SD, 41 ± 18.9 years) were identified over a 1-year period. The symptomatic joints in our study subjects were as follows: knee, 24 of 54 (44%); elbow, 21 of 54 (38%); ankle, 8 of 54 (15%); and metatarsophalangeal joint, 1 of 54 (2%). Twenty-two of 54 patients (40.7%; 95% confidence interval [CI], 27.6%‐53.8%) were found to have joint effusions on sonography. Sonography altered management in 35 of 54 patients (65%; 95% CI, 52%‐77.5%). Joint aspiration was planned in 39 of 54 cases (72.2%; 95% CI, 60.2%‐84.1%) before sonography. After sonography, only 20 of these patients (37%; 95% CI, 24.1%‐49.9%) underwent joint aspiration. There was a statistically significant difference in treatment plans after the addition of bedside sonographic results (P < .01). Conclusions. Our study suggests that bedside sonography is useful in differentiating joint effusions from soft tissue abnormalities and directing appropriate therapy. Key words: emergency sonography; joint cellulitis; joint effusion; joint swelling; musculoskeletal sonography; point-of-care sonography.
Clinical benefits of endoscopic vein harvesting in patients with risk factors for saphenectomy wound infections undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting.

Abstract Objective: The influence of endoscopic harvesting techniques on the prevalence of leg-wound complications after coronary artery bypass grafting remains to be defined for patients at high risk for the development of wound infections. Methods: Among 1473 patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting who had the saphenous vein harvested by either a continuous incision or skip incisions leaving intact skin bridges, we determined the prevalence of wound infections to be 9.6%. The following variables were entered into logistic regression analysis to identify significant risk factors that might be predictive of wound infection: diabetes, peripheral vascular disease, obesity, renal failure, steroid use, age, sex, and type of closure. We then prospectively randomized 132 patients found to be at high risk of wound infection to either endoscopic vein harvesting or a continuous open incision. Results: Univariate analysis showed female sex ( P = .04), diabetes ( P P P = .02) and obesity ( P = .001) were independent predictors. In patients at high risk, the prevalence of wound infection was 4.5% for the endoscopic group versus 20% for the open group ( P = .01). Vein procurement time was greater in the endoscopic group (65 minutes vs 32 minutes, P P Conclusion: The use of endoscopic vein harvesting decreases the prevalence of postoperative leg-wound infections in high-risk patients with diabetes and obesity. Whether this translates into an economic benefit that justifies the additional cost of that technology requires further analysis. (J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 2000;119:69-76)
Pulmonary tractotomy with selective vascular ligation for penetrating injuries to the lung

background : The operative management of penetrating lung injuries includes oversewing of small lung lacerations (pneumonorrhaphy), wedge resection, or anatomic resection. There are penetrating injuries of the lung for which oversewing of entrance and exit wounds will predispose to intrapulmonary hematoma or pulmonary venous-systemic air emboli, yet for which formal resection would be time consuming. The technique of pulmonary tractotomy with selective vascular ligation was developed in parallel with hepatotomy for liver injuries. patients and methds : Over the past 9 years, pulmonary tractotomy has been used 18 times in 16 patients at our institution. All patients were male. Their injuries were 12 gunshot and 4 stab wounds. results : There were three deaths unrelated to the tractotomy. Five surviving patients developed complications. conclusion : Pulmonary tractotomy is a straight-forward procedure that controls deep hemorrhage from lung injuries and may obviate the need for formal resection.
Byzantine fault tolerance can be fast

Byzantine fault tolerance is important because it can be used to implement highly-available systems that tolerate arbitrary behavior from faulty components. We present a detailed performance evaluation of BFT, a state-machine replication algorithm that tolerates Byzantine faults in asynchronous systems. Our results contradict the common belief that Byzantine fault tolerance is too slow to be used in practice, BFT performs well so that it can be used to implement real systems. We implemented a replicated NFS file system using BFT that performs 2% faster to 24% slower than production implementations of the NFS protocol that are not fault-tolerant.
Mutation of Conserved Histidines Alters Tertiary Structure and Nanomechanics of Consensus Ankyrin Repeats

The conserved TPLH tetrapeptide motif of ankyrin repeats (ARs) plays an important role in stabilizing AR proteins, and histidine (TPLH)-to-arginine (TPLR) mutations in this motif have been associated with a hereditary human anemia, spherocytosis. Here, we used a combination of atomic force microscopy-based single-molecule force spectroscopy and molecular dynamics simulations to examine the mechanical effects of His → Arg substitutions in TPLH motifs in a model AR protein, NI6C. Our molecular dynamics results show that the mutant protein is less mechanically stable than the WT protein. Our atomic force microscopy results indicate that the mechanical energy input necessary to fully unfold the mutant protein is only half of that necessary to unfold the WT protein (53 versus 106 kcal/mol). In addition, the ability of the mutant to generate refolding forces is also reduced. Moreover, the mutant protein subjected to cyclic stretch-relax measurements displays mechanical fatigue, which is absent in the WT protein. Taken together, these results indicate that the His → Arg substitutions in TPLH motifs compromise mechanical properties of ARs and suggest that the origin of hereditary spherocytosis may be related to mechanical failure of ARs.
Hemispheric laterality in animals and the effects of early experience

A review of research with chicks, songbirds, rodents, and nonhuman primates indicates that the brain is lateralized for a number of behavioral functions. These findings can be understood in terms of three hypothetical brain processes derived from a brain model based on general systems theory: hemispheric activation, interhemispheric inhibition, and interhemispheric coupling.Left-hemisphere activation occurs in songbirds and nonhuman primates in response to salient auditory or visual input, or when a communicative output is required. The right hemisphere is activated in rats when spatial performance is required, and in chicks when they are placed in an emotion-provoking situation. In rats and chicks interhemispheric activation and inhibition occur when there is an affective component in the environment (novelty, aversive conditioning) or when an emotional response is emitted (copulation, attack, killing). An interhemispheric coupling (correlation) found in rats and rabbits implies that the hemispheres are two major components in a control system with a negative feedback loop. Early-experience variables in rats can induce laterality in a symmetric brain or facilitate its development in an already biased brain.It is predicted that functional lateralization, when present, will be similar across species: the left hemisphere will tend to be involved in communicative functions while the right hemisphere will respond to spatial and affective information; both hemispheres will often interact via activation-inhibition mechanisms when affective or emotional processes are involved. Homologous brain areas and their connecting callosal fibers must be intact at birth and must remain intact throughout development for lateralization to reach its maximum level. Injury to any portion of this unit will result in hemispheric redundancy rather than specialization. One major function of early experience is to provide stimulation during development, which acts to enhance the growth and development of the corpus callosum, thereby giving rise to a more specialized brain.