cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Soft-tissue sarcomas of the diaphragm: a report from the Intergroup Rhabdomyosarcoma Study Group from 1972 to 1997.

Purpose: To describe clinical details and outcome of children and adolescents with primary sarcomas of the diaphragm treated on Intergroup Rhabdomyosarcoma Studies (IRS) I through IV. Patients and Methods: We reviewed the records of 15 patients with sarcoma of the diaphragm who were entered on IRS Group protocols between 1972 and 1997. Patient ages at diagnosis ranged from 0.5 to 20 years (median, 13 yrs), and 10 were girls. Patients had chest pain, dyspnea, and/or coughing, decreased breath sounds, and occasionally hepatomegaly. Results: Localized, gross residual disease after initial surgery was present in 10 patients, and five had metastases at diagnosis (pleura, 3; pericardium, 1; lungs and bones, 1). Tumor subtypes were alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) in five cases, embryonal RMS in three, undifferentiated sarcoma in three, extraosseous Ewing sarcoma in three, and unclassified sarcoma in one. Treatment consisted of radiation therapy to the primary tumor and metastases when feasible, and combination chemotherapy with vincristine, actinomycin D, and cyclophosphamide with or without doxorubicin, ifosfamide, cisplatin, and etoposide. Ten patients achieved complete remission (67%), four obtained a partial remission, and one was improved. Five patients (33%) are continuously failure-free and alive at a median of 8.8 years from diagnosis (range, 1.1-15 yrs). However, the other 10 patients experienced relapse at 0.3 to 2 years from start of therapy (median, 1 yr). Sites of relapse were local in five, distant in three, and combined in two. Death after relapse occurred at 0.39 to 2.6 years (median, 1.6 yrs) from diagnosis. Conclusions: Sarcomas of the diaphragm are generally deemed unresectable at diagnosis and/or are metastatic. Most of them are not embryonal rhabdomyosarcomas. Treatment with more effective primary chemotherapy to shrink the tumor, followed-up by surgical resection and radiation therapy, should improve the prognosis for patients with sarcomas arising in the diaphragm, especially for the majority who have localized tumors.
Electrocardiographic manifestations and the cardiac effect of drugs in vitamin B1 deficiency in rats

Abstract 1. 1. An analysis has been made of the cardiac rate, electrocardiographic complexes, and the response to drugs of rats in the nondeficient state and in repeatedly induced vitamin B 1 deficiency. 2. 2. The heart rate of rats on a diet deficient in vitamin B 1 fell gradually to a level of from 350 to 300 beats per minute, from which it could usually be returned to approximately the normal level (450 to 500) within a few hours by adequate doses of crystalline vitamin B 1 , even if food was withheld. 3. 3. In all but four or five of the 22 vitamin-deficient rats studied, the decrease in heart rate was accompanied by changes in the electrocardiographic complexes, consisting most frequently of an increase in height, flattening, inversion, or high or low take-off of the T-waves and depression of the S-T segment. With the doses of vitamin B 1 used the T-waves usually returned to normal within from several hours to a day, although occasionally several days were required. The changes in the electrocardiographic complexes had no close relation to the level of the heart rate, and were not identical in the same animals on successive deficiencies. 4. 4. With the exception of very low cardiac rates the P-R interval remained essentially unchanged. The ratio of the Q-T interval to the square root of the R-R interval (K) usually did not increase as the cardiac rate decreased. 5. 5. Only one of four rats which were allowed to exercise on running wheels became deficient sooner than other vitamin-deficient animals. In none of the four exercising rats were the cardiac changes more marked or of different character than those found in the control vitamin-deficient rats. 6. 6. The cardiac responses of normal and vitamin-deficient rats to epinephrine were essentially the same. Occasional irregularities were observed in the vitamin-deficient animals. 7. 7. Atropine and section of the vagus nerves did not abolish the cardiac slowing or the electrocardiographic changes produced by vitamin B 1 deficiency. 8. 8. The vitamin-deficient rats were more sensitive to the toxic effects of subcutaneous doses of strophanthin, and depression of the S-T or inversion of the T-wave supervened with doses which caused no change in normal rats.
WHY THE MAJOR FIELD TEST IN BUSINESS DOES NOT REPORT SUBSCORES: RELIABILITY AND CONSTRUCT VALIDITY EVIDENCE

To assess the value of individual students' subscores on the Major Field Test in Business (MFT Business), I examined the test's internal structure with factor analysis and structural equation model methods, and analyzed the subscore reliabilities using the augmented scores method. Analyses of the internal structure suggested that the MFT Business measures a unidimensional construct, which does not support reporting individual students' subscores. Augmented score analyses revealed that the observed total score could approximate the true subscore more accurately than the observed subscores, which do not support reporting individuals' subscores either. The results from these two approaches provided consistent evidence in support of the current practice of not reporting individuals' subscores on the MFT Business. The relationship between the two approaches is discussed, followed by a recommendation of an alternate method for future research.
Cyclin L2 Is a Critical HIV Dependency Factor in Macrophages that Controls SAMHD1 Abundance

Summary The restriction factor SAMHD1 limits HIV-1 replication in noncycling cells. SIV and HIV-2 overcome this restriction via the accessory protein Vpx, which targets SAMHD1 for degradation through interactions with the host ubiquitin ligase adaptor DCAF1. However, the factors used by HIV-1 to replicate in macrophages, despite the presence of the restriction factor SAMHD1, are unknown. Using a yeast two-hybrid screen, we identified cyclin L2 as a DCAF1-interacting protein required for HIV-1 replication in macrophages. Knockdown of cyclin L2 results in severe attenuation of HIV-1 replication in macrophages but not cycling cells, and this effect is lost in the absence of SAMHD1. Cyclin L2 and SAMHD1 form a molecular complex that is partially dependent on the presence of DCAF1 and results in SAMHD1 degradation in a proteasome- and DCAF1-dependent manner. Therefore, cyclin L2-mediated control of SAMHD1 levels in macrophages supports HIV-1 replication.
A New Bioinformatics Approach to Natural Protein Collections: Permutation Structure Contrasts of Viral and Cellular Systems

Biological cells and viruses operate by different replication and symmetry paradigms. Cells are able to replicate independently and express little spatial symmetry; viruses require cells for replication while manifesting high symmetry. The author inquired whether different paradigms were reflected in the permutations of amino acid sequences. The hypothesis was that the permutation structure level and symmetry within viral protein collections exceed that of living cells. The rationale was that one symmetry aspect generally accompanies and promotes others in a system. The inquiry was readily answered given abundant sequence archives for proteins. The analysis of collections from diverse viral and cellular sources lends strong support. Additional insights into protein primary structure, the design of collections, and the role of information are provided as well.
Medical and economic impact of extraintestinal infections due to Escherichia coli: focus on an increasingly important endemic problem

Escherichia coli is probably the best-known bacterial species and one of the most frequently isolated organisms from clinical specimens. Despite this, underappreciation and misunderstandings exist among medical professionals and the lay public alike regarding E. coli as an extraintestinal pathogen. Underappreciated features include (i) the wide variety of extraintestinal infections E. coli can cause, (ii) the high incidence and associated morbidity, mortality, and costs of these diverse clinical syndromes, (iii) the pathogenic potential of different groups of E. coli strains for causing intestinal versus extraintestinal disease, and (iv) increasing antimicrobial resistance. In this era in which health news often sensationalizes uncommon infection syndromes or pathogens, the strains of E. coli that cause extraintestinal infection are an increasingly important endemic problem and underappreciated "killers". Billions of health care dollars, millions of work days, and hundreds of thousands of lives are lost each year to extraintestinal infections due to E. coli. New treatments and prevention measures will be needed for improved outcomes and a diminished disease burden.
PRE-TEST CFD CALCULATIONS FOR A BYPASS FLOW STANDARD PROBLEM

The bypass flow in a prismatic high temperature gas-cooled reactor (HTGR) is the flow that occurs between adjacent graphite blocks. Gaps exist between blocks due to variances in their manufacture and installation and because of the expansion and shrinkage of the blocks from heating and irradiation. Although the temperature of fuel compacts and graphite is sensitive to the presence of bypass flow, there is great uncertainty in the level and effects of the bypass flow. The Next Generation Nuclear Plant (NGNP) program at the Idaho National Laboratory has undertaken to produce experimental data of isothermal bypass flow between three adjacent graphite blocks. These data are intended to provide validation for computational fluid dynamic (CFD) analyses of the bypass flow. Such validation data sets are called Standard Problems in the nuclear safety analysis field. Details of the experimental apparatus as well as several pre-test calculations of the bypass flow are provided. Pre-test calculations are useful in examining the nature of the flow and to see if there are any problems associated with the flow and its measurement. The apparatus is designed to be able to provide three different gap widths in the vertical direction (the direction of the normal coolant flow) and two gap widths in the horizontal direction. It is expected that the vertical bypass flow will range from laminar to transitional to turbulent flow for the different gap widths that will be available.Copyright © 2011 by ASME
Transforming growth factor‐β1 and mannose 6‐phosphate/insulin‐like growth factor‐II receptor expression during intrahepatic bile duct hyperplasia and biliary fibrosis in the rat

These studies investigate the role of transforming growth factor-beta 1, a potent inhibitor of epithelial cell proliferation and stimulator of extracellular matrix biosynthesis, during intrahepatic bile duct hyperplasia and biliary fibrosis. These pathogenic responses were induced in rats by common bile duct ligation. Bile duct cell replication, measured by the bromodeoxyuridine labeling index, was significantly increased 24 hr after common bile duct ligation. This response diminished to baseline by 1 wk. Liver collagen content, determined by quantification of hydroxyproline, was increased significantly after 1 wk of common bile duct ligation, and by 4 wk was increased by a factor of 4. Immunohistochemistry revealed low levels of TGF-beta 1 in normal intrahepatic bile duct epithelium. In contrast, the bile duct epithelium in bile duct-ligated rats stained strongly positive for transforming growth factor-beta 1 at 1 and 4 wk after ligation. These results suggest that transforming growth factor-beta 1 may play a role in both the termination of the bile duct epithelial cell proliferative response and the induction of fibrogenesis after common bile duct ligation. In addition, the mannose 6-phosphate/insulin-like growth factor II receptor was up-regulated in hyperplastic bile duct epithelium 1 and 4 wk after ligation. Because the mannose 6-phosphate/insulin-like growth factor-II receptor has been shown to facilitate the proteolytic activation of transforming growth factor-beta 1, these results suggest that the bile duct epithelium may also be involved in the activation of transforming growth factor-beta 1.
A new algorithm for the estimation of talker azimuthal orientation using a large aperture microphone array

Knowing the orientation of a talker allows a a large-aperture microphone array to select and control cameras better in a teleconferencing situation, improve source-location estimation, and, often, improve beamforming. In 2004, we introduced a baseline algorithm for determining orientation azimuth. Recent testing showed the baseline algorithm behaved poorly when the source was not in the center of the focal area for the array. Here, we describe a second-generation algorithm, A2, that has overcome many of the baselinepsilas short-falls. It still extracts the estimate from microphone energies, but is improved by 1) using a narrow-band, high-frequency analysis, rather than the broad band of the baseline algorithm, 2) using spectral subtraction for uncorrelated noise removal and 3) fitting the processed microphone energies to an ideal model for the direct-wave energy. Most important is that 3) incorporates inverse-square-law effects properly on the direct wave only, which was not the case in the baseline. Results from an advanced simulator are presented to illustrate the issues. Then, A2 and baseline algorithm results are compared using about 60 direct recordings from a human talker in a typical and noisy environment using our 448-microphone array. These show that A2 is a significant improvement.
Role of phospholipase C and phospholipase A2 in the nitric oxide-independent vasodilator effect of bradykinin in the rat perfused heart.

The cytochrome P450-dependent component of the coronary vasodilator action of bradykinin which requires activation of K+ channels was examined in terms of the contribution of phospholipases in the rat Langendorff heart preparation. This component was isolated by inhibition of nitric oxide synthase with nitroarginine and cyclooxygenase with indomethacin, neither of which affects the coronary vasodilator action of bradykinin. However, nitroarginine elevated coronary perfusion pressure from approximately 40 to 130 mm Hg. The phospholipase C inhibitor, U73122 {1-(6-((17 beta-3-methoxyestra-1,3,5(10)-trien-17-yl) amino)hexyl)-1H-pyrrole-2,5-dione}, reduced coronary vasodilator responses to bradykinin by greater than 80%. U73122 also diminished the coronary vasodilator action of cromakalim which activates ATP-sensitive K+ channels. The maleimide moiety of U73122 that has the capacity to affect K+ channels inhibited cromakalim-induced coronary vasodilation, but did not affect that to bradykinin. Inhibition of diacylglycerol lipase with RHC 80267 {1,6-bis-(cyclohexyloximinocarbonylamino)-hexane} was without an overall effect on coronary vasodilator responses to bradykinin. The cytosolic phospholipase A2 inhibitor, AACOCF3 {arachidonyl trifluoromethyl ketone?} decreased responses to bradykinin by up to 90% whereas inhibitors of the secretory form of phospholipase A2 oleyloxyethyl phosphorylcholine and ONO-RS-082 {2-(p-amylcinnamoyl)amino-4-chlorobenzoic acid} were less effective than either AACOCF3 or U73122. The phospholipase inhibitors demonstrated selectivity as they did not affect the coronary vasodilator responses to nitroprusside. We obtained additional evidence for the antiphospholipase activity of the inhibitors by demonstrating their capacity to suppress bradykinin-stimulated increases in the release of prostacyclin, measured as 6-keto prostaglandin F1 alpha. The phospholipase inhibitors did not affect cyclooxygenase activity as the ability of arachidonic acid to stimulate prostaglandin formation was unimpaired. These results indicate that the coronary vasodilator action of bradykinin is linked to the activities of both phospholipase C and A2.
Profit-driven service differentiation in transient environments

We focus on service differentiation policies for Web servers where clients have different QoS requirements and the environment has large fluctuations in the client arrival and service patterns and in the QoS class mix. We propose an adaptive admission control mechanism that offers service differentiation among client classes and maximizes the effectiveness of the server's operation. Using actual traces from the 1998 World Cup web site, we conduct a detailed analysis of the proposed policy and show that it meets the performance challenges of a robust QoS policy.
Rapid phenotypic reversion of zidovudine-resistant feline immunodeficiency virus without loss of drug-resistant reverse transcriptase.

Abstract We have selected and plaque purified zidovudine (3'-azido-3'-deoxythymidine [AZT])-resistant mutants from an infectious molecular clone of feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV). The patterns of cross-resistance and drug susceptibilities of these mutants were similar to those of the AZT-resistant FIV that we previously selected in vitro from a wild-type FIV population and to those of the most common AZT-resistant clinical isolates of human immunodeficiency virus type 1. Two AZT-resistant mutants of FIV, one selected from a normal population and one selected from the molecular clone, each reverted rapidly to an AZT-sensitive phenotype when passaged in the absence of drug. Sequence analysis of the reverse transcriptase (RT)-encoding region from the plaque-purified AZT-resistant FIV revealed a single base change at position 2939, resulting in a Glu-to-Lys substitution at amino acid 202 of the RT. Similar analyses of plaque-purified revertants showed that the phenotypic reversion was not the result of a genotypic reversion at this position and that no additional mutations existed within the RT-encoding region of the revertants. Moreover, RTs purified from the mutant and revertant were both resistant to the 5'-triphosphate of AZT. These results indicate the complexity of AZT resistance and suggest the presence of additional factors, outside the RT-encoding region, which may contribute to AZT resistance.
Use of Baclofen to Suppress Cough Induced by Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors

OBJECTIVE:To determine whether baclofen can suppress the cough induced by angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors.DESIGN:Prospective, open-label, clinical trial of a 4-week course of low-dose oral baclofen (5 mg tid days 1–7, 10 mg tid days 8–28).SUBJECTS:Seven patients with severe, persistent ACE inhibitor-induced cough.SETTING:University-affiliated teaching hospital.MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES:Study participants kept daily diaries monitoring the frequency of cough during and after completion of baclofen therapy.RESULTS:All subjects demonstrated diminution of cough after initiation of baclofen. Initial improvement was noted by a mean of 4.0 days (range 3–6), and maximal improvement during treatment was achieved by a mean of 10.7 days (range 5–15). In addition, all subjects demonstrated persistent suppression of cough (range 25–74 d) after discontinuation of the study drug.CONCLUSIONS:Low-dose oral baclofen therapy caused a prolonged antitussive effect in all subjects without inducing any adverse reactio...
Enhancement of conditioned inhibition via an extinction treatment

Rats were used in a conditioned-suppression paradigm to determine whether an extinction treatment would enhance a moderately developed conditioned inhibitor (CS−). To dissipate unconditioned suppression to the training stimuli, the subjects were first habituated to the stimuli and then given Pavlovian conditioned-inhibition (CI) training involving reinforced presentations of a clicker and nonreinforced compound presentations of that stimulus and the intended CS−, either a light or a tone. Thereafter, experimental subjects received presentations of their CS− by itself, whereas controls received no further training. Following the occurrence and loss of conditioned suppression to the CS− in the extinction phase, summation and retardation tests showed enhanced CI for the experimental subjects relative to both the controls and their own earlier levels of inhibitory performance. In fact, the enhanced inhibition for the experimental subjects approximated that shown by a comparison group for which the CS− had been strongly developed as an inhibitor. These findings suggest that an excitatory representation is associated with the CS− early in CI training, and that subsequent presentations of the CS− by itself strengthen its inhibitory effect by allowing it to be nonreinforced in the presence of that representation.
Accuracy of computed tomography in predicting appendiceal perforation.

Abstract Background Some surgeons use nonoperative management with or without interval appendectomy for patients who present with perforated appendicitis. These strategies depend on accurately delineating perforation by computed tomography (CT). Since 2005, our institution has used an evidence-based definition for perforation as a hole in the appendix or fecalith in the abdomen. This has been shown to clearly separate those with a high risk of abscess from those without. To quantify the ability of CT to identify which patients would meet these criteria for perforation, we tested 6 surgeons and 2 radiologists who evaluated blinded CT scans. Methods A junior and senior surgical residents, 2 staff interventional radiologists, and 4 attending pediatric surgeons with 3 to 30 years of experience reviewed 200 CT scans of pediatric patients who had undergone a laparoscopic appendectomy. All CT scans were reviewed electronically, and the reviewers were blinded to the results, outcome, and intraoperative findings. None of the patients had a well-formed abscess on CT. The reviewers were asked to decide only on perforated or nonperforated appendicitis according to our intraoperative definition. Clinical admission data were reviewed and compared between groups. Results In total, the reviewers were correct 72% of the time with an overall sensitivity of 62% and a specificity of 81%. The overall positive predictive value was 67%, and the negative predictive value was 77%. Conclusions This study shows that in the absence of a well-formed abscess, the triage of patient care based on a preoperative diagnosis of perforation from CT may be imprudent and subject a portion of the population to an unnecessarily prolonged course of care.
On Retransmission-Based Error Control for Continuous Media Traffic in Packet-Switching Networks

Abstract Distribution of continuous media traffic such as digital audio and video over packet-switching networks has become increasingly feasible due to a number of technology trends leading to powerful desktop computers and high-speed integrated services networks. Protocols supporting the transmission of continuous media are already available. In these protocols, transmission errors due to packet loss are generally not recovered. Instead existing protocol designs focus on preventive error control techniques that reduce the impact of losses by adding redundancy, e.g., forward error correction, or by preventing loss of important data, e.g., channel coding. The goal of this study is to show that retransmission of continuous media data often is, contrary to conventional wisdom, a viable option in most packet-switching networks. If timely retransmission can be performed with a high probability of success, a retrasmission-based approach to error control is attractive because it imposes little overhead on network resources and can be used in conjunction with preventive error control schemes. Since interactive voice has the most stringent delay and error requirements, the study focuses on retransmission in packet voice protocols. An end-to-end model of packet voice transmission is presented and used to investigate the feasibility of retransmission for a wide range of network scenarios. The analytical findings are compared with extrapolations from delay measurements of packet voice transmission over a campus backbone network.
Error correction of low rate speech in jammed HF ECCM

The authors describe the application of error detection and correction (edac) coding to linear predictive coding based voice coders at 600, 800, and 1200 b/s. In all cases, the transmitted information rate is 2400 b/s, which means that rate 1/4, 1/3, and 1/2 codes are used. The candidate baseline voice coding schemes are described. Several candidate edac codes, both block and convolutional, are discussed, and comparative results from simulations are presented. It is demonstrated that reasonable speech intelligibility can be maintained on jammed frequency-hop low-rate speech systems when appropriately chosen error correction techniques are applied to the speech bit stream. Reed-Solomon (RS) edac performs more robustly than alternative schemes, especially as it inherently allows erasure processing. When a random channel bit error rate of several percent was added to hop jamming, smaller symbol size RS codes are found to operate best. >
Time to Talk: An Urban School’s Use of Literature Circles to Create a Professional Learning Community:

In a culture of comprehensive school reform, which focuses primarily on improving student achievement, teachers must critically analyze educational research and student data to make professional ju...
A comparative study of the K-means algorithm and the normal mixture model for clustering : Univariate case

Abstract This paper gives a comparative study of the K-means algorithm and the mixture model (MM) method for clustering normal data. The EM algorithm is used to compute the maximum likelihood estimators (MLEs) of the parameters of the MM model. These parameters include mixing proportions, which may be thought of as the prior probabilities of different clusters; the maximum posterior (Bayes) rule is used for clustering. Hence, asymptotically the MM method approaches the Bayes rule for known parameters, which is optimal in terms of minimizing the expected misclassification rate (EMCR). The paper gives a thorough analytic comparison of the two methods for the univariate case under both homoscedasticity and heteroscedasticity. Simulation results are given to compare the two methods for a range of sample sizes. The comparison, which is limited to two clusters, shows that the MM method has substantially lower EMCR particularly when the mixing proportions are unbalanced. The two methods have asymptotically the same EMCR under homoscedasticity (resp., heteroscedasticity) when the mixing proportions of the two clusters are equal (resp., unequal), but for small samples the MM method sometimes performs slightly worse because of the errors in estimating unknown parameters.
B-1a Cell Diversity: Nontemplated Addition in B-1a Cell Ig Is Determined by Progenitor Population and Developmental Location

Natural Abs produced by B-1a cells are required for immediate protection against infection. The protective capacity of natural Abs is attributed to germline-like structure, which includes the relative absence of N-region addition. Previous studies have shown B-1a cell Ig from aged mice contains abundant nontemplated (N)-additions. B-1a cells have been shown to derive from a specific lineage-negative (Lin(-))CD45R(low/-)CD19(+) progenitor found both in fetal liver and adult bone marrow. In this study, we report identification of a fetal liver population characterized phenotypically as Lin(-)CD45R(-)CD19(-), which gives rise to IgM(+)IgD(low)CD45R(low)CD5(+)Mac-1(+)CD19(high)CD43(+)CD23(low) B-1a cells upon adoptive transfer to SCID recipients. These B-1a cells derived from the Lin(-)CD45R(-)CD19(-) fetal liver population produce natural Ab that binds pneumococcal Ags, but this Ig contains substantial N-addition despite initial absence of TdT. Furthermore, we show extensive N-addition is also present in B-1a cells derived from the Lin(-)CD45R(low/-)CD19(+) B-1 progenitor found in the bone marrow. Together these results demonstrate B-1a cell N-addition depends on the type of progenitor and the location of the progenitor during its development. These findings have implications for how regulation of different progenitors from fetal liver and bone marrow may play a role in the age-related increase in N-region addition by B-1a cells in normal animals.
Evaluating design projects in EE curriculum

The authors describe the design experiences and the evaluation of capstone design projects in the electrical engineering (BS) curriculum at Tennessee State University. Evaluation tools are also described. >
Coupling dark metabolism to electricity generation using photosynthetic cocultures.

We investigated the role of green sulfur bacteria inlight-responsive electricity generation in microbial electrochemical cells (MXCs). We operated MXCs containing either monocultures or defined cocultures of previously enriched phototrophic Chlorobium and anode-respiring Geobacter under anaerobic conditions in the absence of electron donor. Monoculture control MXCs containing Geobacter or Chlorobium neither responded to light nor produced current, respectively. Instead, light-responsive current generation occurred only in coculture MXCs. Current increased above background levels only in the dark and declined slowly over 96 h. This pattern suggested that Chlorobium exhausted intracellular glycogen reserves via dark fermentation to supply an electron donor, presumably acetate, to Geobacter. With medium containing sulfide as the sole photosynthetic electron donor, current generation had a similar and reproducible negative light response. To investigate whether this metabolic interaction also occurred without an electrode, we performed coculture experiments in batch serum bottles. In this setup, sulfide served as the sole electron donor, whose oxidation by Chlorobium was required to provide S0 as the electron acceptor to Geobacter. Copies of Geobacter 16S rDNA increased approximately 14-fold in batch bottle cocultures containing sulfide compared to those lacking sulfide, and did not decline after termination of sulfide feeding. These results suggest that products of both photosynthesis and dark fermentation by Chlorobium were sufficient both to yield an electrochemical response by Geobacter biofilms, and to promote Geobacter growthin batch cocultures. Our work expands upon the fusion of MXCs with coculture techniques and reinforces the utility of microbial electrochemistry for sensitive, real-time monitoring of microbial interactions in which a metabolic intermediate can be converted to electrical current. Biotechnol. Bioeng. 2014;111: 223–231. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
The genetic signature of conditional expression.

Conditionally expressed genes have the property that every individual in a population carries and transmits the gene, but only a fraction, f, expresses the gene and exposes it to natural selection. We show that a consequence of this pattern of inheritance and expression is a weakening of the strength of natural selection, allowing deleterious mutations to accumulate within and between species and inhibiting the spread of beneficial mutations. We extend previous theory to show that conditional expression in space and time have approximately equivalent effects on relaxing the strength of selection and that the effect holds in a spatially heterogeneous environment even with low migration rates among patches. We support our analytical approximations with computer simulations and delineate the parameter range under which the approximations fail. We model the effects of conditional expression on sequence polymorphism at mutation‐selection‐drift equilibrium, allowing for neutral sites, and show that sequence variation within and between species is inflated by conditional expression, with the effect being strongest in populations with large effective size. As f decreases, more sites are recruited into neutrality, leading to pseudogenization and increased drift load. Mutation accumulation diminishes the degree of adaptation of conditionally expressed genes to rare environments, and the mutational cost of phenotypic plasticity, which we quantify as the plasticity load, is greater for more rarely expressed genes. Our theory connects gene-level relative polymorphism and divergence with the spatial and temporal frequency of environments inducing gene expression. Our theory suggests that null hypotheses for levels of standing genetic variation and sequence divergence must be corrected to account for the frequency of expression of the genes under study.
Calcium imaging of mechanically induced fluxes in tissue-cultured chick heart: role of stretch-activated ion channels.

Heart rate and contractility are sensitive to stretch. To better understand the origin of these effects, we have studied the effect of mechanical stimuli on a model system of tissue-cultured heart cells. Gently prodding cells with a pipette produced a Ca2+ influx that often led to waves of calcium-induced calcium release (CICR) spreading from the site of stimulation. Ca2+ release could also be produced by pulling on neighboring cells. The response was blocked by removing extracellular Ca2+ or by adding 20 microM Gd3+ to normal saline. The mechanical sensitivity probably arose from stretch-activated ion channels (SACs) based on several lines of evidence. Chick heart cells contain nonselective cation SACs that pass Ca2+ as well as Na+ and K+. Both the SACs and the fluorescence response are blocked by 20 microM Gd3+. Removal of Ca2+ from the extracellular medium blocked the fluorescent response. Cultures without SACs (grown in the absence of embryo extract) had no mechanically induced fluxes. These data contradict the recent claim that SAC activity is a patch-clamp artifact (C.E. Morris and R. Horn, Science Wash. DC 256: 1246-1249, 1991). The SACs had a density of approximately 1/micron 2 and were expected to pass less than 20 fA of Ca2+ current under physiological conditions. The change in intracellular concentration of Ca2+ ([Ca2+]i) resulting from activation of SACs may be too small to induce CICR unless the channels pass current into a restricted space (N. LeBlanc and J.R. Hume, Science Wash. DC 248: 372, 1990).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Abnormal Fixational Eye Movements in Amblyopia.

Purpose Fixational saccades shift the foveal image to counteract visual fading related to neural adaptation. Drifts are slow eye movements between two adjacent fixational saccades. We quantified fixational saccades and asked whether their changes could be attributed to pathologic drifts seen in amblyopia, one of the most common causes of blindness in childhood. Methods Thirty-six pediatric subjects with varying severity of amblyopia and eleven healthy age-matched controls held their gaze on a visual target. Eye movements were measured with high-resolution video-oculography during fellow eye-viewing and amblyopic eye-viewing conditions. Fixational saccades and drifts were analyzed in the amblyopic and fellow eye and compared with controls. Results We found an increase in the amplitude with decreased frequency of fixational saccades in children with amblyopia. These alterations in fixational eye movements correlated with the severity of their amblyopia. There was also an increase in eye position variance during drifts in amblyopes. There was no correlation between the eye position variance or the eye velocity during ocular drifts and the amplitude of subsequent fixational saccade. Our findings suggest that abnormalities in fixational saccades in amblyopia are independent of the ocular drift. Discussion This investigation of amblyopia in pediatric age group quantitatively characterizes the fixation instability. Impaired properties of fixational saccades could be the consequence of abnormal processing and reorganization of the visual system in amblyopia. Paucity in the visual feedback during amblyopic eye-viewing condition can attribute to the increased eye position variance and drift velocity.
Leadership for the Millennial Generation

With the impending retirement of employees in the Baby Boomer generation, organizations must become increasingly able to manage and attract younger workers, particularly Millennial employees. Furth...
Developement of Gas-Phase Mixing Measurements in Turbulent Spray Flows Using Filtered Rayleigh Scattering

In this paper we will describe recent advances made in our laboratory towards the development, validation, and application of a filtered Rayleigh Scattering technique for measurements of gas-phase concentration fields in the presence of liquid-phase droplets. Preliminary studies of the maximum level of droplet scattering attenuation attainable utilizing an injection-seeded, Q-Switched Nd:YAG laser in conjunction with a molecular iodine filter will be presented. These results demonstrate the correlation of the spectral purity of the laser with the effectiveness of the molecular filter in suppressing particle (Mie) scattering. Improvements in spectral purity and the maximum Mie scattering rejection as a result of implementing an external etalon into the optical path of the laser output will be demonstrated. Initial validation studies of the FRS technique also are presented in which gas-phase information is extracted from a droplet-laden turbulent jet. Comparisons of suppression capabilities with and without the external etalon are presented, allowing for an assessment gains offered in implementing the etalon. Finally, we present initial results from an evaporating spray jet of acetone into air.
Primary cutaneous malignant melanoma: recognition, properties, and management.

Abstract The fact that malignant melanoma occurs on a readily observable organ, the skin, and behaves in a predictable biological pattern in many cases suggests that its rate of cure should be high. Yet, despite advances in recognition and management, a significant percentage of patients still succumb to their disease. More sensitive methods of early detection and more effective therapies are required to improve survival.
Application of SEM/EDX and FTIR to Failure Analysis of Electrical Contacts of Mobile Phones

Some typical cases on electrical contact failure analysis by SEM/EDX and FTIR were summarized.It is found that the main failure cause of the electrical contacts is the rise of electric resistance caused by surface contamination and oxidation.Generally,the contaminants have complex appearance and composition.Using SEM/EDX and FTIR,most of the contaminants introduced in the course of production and service can be identified,such as scraps,man-made contaminants,dusts,and viscose contaminants.
Postsynaptic alpha- and beta-adrenergic supersensitivity of recovery properties in the canine ventricle.

We studied postsynaptic manifestations of adrenergic supersensitivity in the canine left ventricle (LV) regionally denervated by phenol in 14 dogs. Measurements were performed from 17 to 23 days later under alpha-chloralose anesthesia after sinoaortic denervation and vagotomy. After the sternum was split, multipolar pacing and recording electrodes were placed in both innervated and denervated LV. With isoproterenol infusion at 0.1, 1, and 10 micrograms/min, there was no change in activation times or pacing threshold. However, supersensitivity was manifested by a parallel left shift in the isoproterenol dose to effective refractory period (ERP) response curve (greater than or equal to 5.7 ms) in the denervated endocardium and epicardium compared with the respective innervated LV (P less than 0.05). In addition, local repolarization in the denervated area shortened more than the innervated area with isoproterenol infusion and correlated (r = 0.56) with the change in ERP. Postsynaptic supersensitivity of Purkinje to isoproterenol was also manifested by a parallel left shift (greater than or equal to 10 ms) in the dose to relative refractory period response curve in the denervated compared with the innervated area (P less than 0.05). In addition, a greater prolongation of Purkinje refractoriness was observed with phenylephrine only at 50 micrograms.kg-1.min-1. We conclude that postsynaptic supersensitivity occurred with the beta-agonist isoproterenol in both muscle and Purkinje. However, only Purkinje in the denervated area demonstrated an enhanced response to the alpha-agonist phenylephrine.
Short Signatures from Homomorphic Trapdoor Functions.

We present a lattice-based stateless signature scheme provably secure in the standard model. Our scheme has a constant number of matrices in the public key and a single lattice vector (plus a tag) in the signatures. The best previous lattice-based encryption schemes were the scheme of Ducas and Micciancio (CRYPTO 2014), which required a logarithmic number of matrices in the public key and that of Bohl et. al (J. of Cryptology 2014), which required a logarithmic number of lattice vectors in the signature. Our main technique involves using fully homomorphic computation to compute a degree d polynomial over the tags hidden in the matrices in the public key. In the scheme of Ducas and Micciancio, only functions linear over the tags in the public key matrices were used, which necessitated having d matrices in the public key. As a matter of independent interest, we extend Wichs’ (eprint 2014) recent construction of homomorphic trapdoor functions into a primitive we call puncturable homomorphic trapdoor functions (PHTDFs). This primitive abstracts out most of the properties required in many different lattice-based cryptographic constructions. We then show how to combine a PHTDF along with a function satisfying certain properties (to be evaluated homomorphically) to give an eu-scma signature scheme. ∗School of Computer Science, College of Computing, Georgia Institute of Technology. Email: jmas6@cc.gatech.edu
Quantifying Ligand Exchange Reactions at CdSe Nanocrystal Surfaces

The exchange reactions of X-type ligands at the surface of CdSe nanocrystals have been quantified via 1H NMR, absorbance, and emission spectroscopies. 1H NMR was used to quantify displacement reactions of oleate-capped CdSe nanocrystals with carboxylic-acid-, phosphonic-acid-, and thiol-terminated ligands that incorporate terminal alkene functionalities. The alkenyl protons of the native oleate ligand and the vinylic protons of the exchange ligand provide spectroscopic handles to quantify both free and surface-bound forms of these ligands. Undec-10-enoic acid was found to undergo an exchange equilibrium with oleate (Keq = 0.83), whereas phosphonic-acid- and thiol-terminated ligands irreversibly displace native oleate ligands. Absorption and emission experiments indicate that the carboxylic acid exchanges occur solely between surface-bound ligands, whereas exchange reactions with phosphonic acids and thiols alter the surface metal atoms of the nanocrystals, presumably through the displacement of Cd(oleate)...
Posterior Urethral Obliteration Treated by Endoscopic Reconstitution, Internal Urethrotomy and Temporary Self-Dilation

Abstract Five patients with complete posterior urethral obliteration (less than 3cm.) underwent endoscopic reconstitution of the urethra followed by planned direct vision internal urethrotomy and temporary self-dilation. Of these patients 3 complied with the treatment regimen and are currently free of voiding complaints (average followup 31 months), while 2 failed to perform self-dilation and required repeat internal urethrotomy. Of the latter 2 patients 1 then performed self-dilation and has a stable urethra (followup 2 years). The youngest patient refused to perform self-dilation and underwent successful perineal urethroplasty. Major complications did not occur. The treatment regimen as described is a suitable alternative to surgical urethroplasty in select patients with short urethral defects (less than 3cm.) who are willing to perform temporary urethral self-dilation.
Biological and Clinical Properties of the Type 1 Interferons

Interferons (IFNs) are class 2 cytokines that carry out important physiological functions in higher vertebrates, particularly in the regulation of host adaptive and innate immune responses. The complex type 1 IFN family, which includes IFN-α and IFN-β, will be the focus of this chapter. Virus and other innate immune stimuli induce expression of type 1 IFNs, which then act on responsive cells to establish an antiviral state. Type 1 IFN effects are mediated by the protein products of IFN-responsive genes, the identities and functions of which are only now starting to emerge fully. In a clinical setting, type 1 IFNs, IFN-α in particular, have shown effectiveness against a variety of malignancies. Current efforts aimed at improving pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic profiles of IFNs, identifying subtypes with novel biological activities and/or establishment of combined treatment modalities involving type 1 IFNs should lead to future improvements in therapeutic effectiveness.
Competency Judgments: Case Studies From the Internist’s Perspective

Occasional cases in the clinical setting involve ethical conflicts requiring the expertise of ethicists, attorneys, and psychiatrists. Physicians, properly trained in the basic techniques of patient interviewing and physical and mental examination, can, however, recognize dementia and organic disease states affecting patients’ competence to decide in matters regarding their treatment. This may require a greater emphasis in medical education on those states reflecting underlying mental diseases such as depression and schizophrenia. Given proper instructions, however, physicians may be trained to make proper psychiatric diagnoses. When there are questions, psychiatric consults may be solicited. Only in matters of irresolvable conflict among health care professionals, patients, and interested parties should legal advice be sought.
Structural Identification of an 18-Story RC Building in Nepal Using Post-Earthquake Ambient Vibration and Lidar Data

Few studies have been conducted to assess post-earthquake performance of structures using vibration measurements. This paper presents system identification and finite element modeling of an 18-story apartment building that was damaged during the 2015 Gorkha earthquake in Nepal. In July 2016, a few months after the earthquake, the authors visited the building and collected its ambient acceleration response. The recorded data are analyzed and the modal parameters of the structure are identified using an output-only system identification method. A linear finite element model of the building is also developed based on the geometry of the building and its material properties to estimate numerically its dynamic characteristics. The identified modal parameters are compared to those of the model to identify possible shortcomings of the modeling and identification approaches. The identified natural frequencies and mode shapes of the first two vibration modes are in good agreement with the model.
Laser chemical vapor deposition of TiC on tantalum

Laser chemical vapor deposition (LCVD) of titanium carbide (TiC) coatings onto tantalum substrates using hydrogen gas, titanium tetrachloride (TiCl4) and either methane (CH4) or acetylene (C2H2) source gasses was investigated. The influences of the molar ratio of the source gases and the deposition temperature on the phase assemblage, composition, and morphology of the coatings was examined. Using C2H2, nearly stoichiometric coatings were produced at 1000°C and at a TiCl4/C2H2 ratio of 1/0.4. Stoichiometric coatings were also produced using CH4 but the deposition temperature was 400°C higher and a much larger fraction of the carbon source was required compared to C2H2. Although deposition rates were much slower when using CH4, the coatings exhibited a smoother surface finish and had a higher density compared to those produced using C2H2. The suitability of CH4 and C2H2 as carbon sources for depositing stoichiometric, phase-pure coatings is discussed in light of these results.
Notes on the Distribution of the Species of Caladium in Trinidad, West Indies

The genus Caladium (Araceae) is represented on the island of Trinidad by four species – C. bicolor , C. picturatum , C. schomburgkii , and C. humboldtii . The distributions of these species are discussed. Key words: Araceae, Caladium.