cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Functional complementation between the PDX1 vitamin B6 biosynthetic gene of Cercospora nicotianae and pdxJ of Escherichia coli

The pathway for de novo vitamin B(6) biosynthesis has been characterized in Escherichia coli, however plants, fungi, archaebacteria, and most bacteria utilize an alternative pathway. Two unique genes of the alternative pathway, PDX1 and PDX2, have been described. PDX2 encodes a glutaminase, however the enzymatic function of the product encoded by PDX1 is not known. We conducted reciprocal transformation experiments to determine if there was functional homology between the E. coli pdxA and pdxJ genes and PDX1 of Cercospora nicotianae. Although expression of pdxJ and pdxA in C. nicotianae pdx1 mutants, either separately or together, failed to complement the pyridoxine mutation in this fungus, expression of PDX1 restored pyridoxine prototrophy to the E. coli pdxJ mutant. Expression of PDX1 in the E. coli pdxA mutant restored very limited ability to grow on medium lacking pyridoxine. We conclude that the PDX1 gene of the alternative B(6) pathway encodes a protein responsible for synthesis of the pyridoxine ring.
DELIVERY OF THE NONVERTEX SECOND TWIN : A REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE

Twin gestations comprise approximately 1 percent of all pregnancies (1), and are associated with increased perinatal morbidity and mortality, mainly due to the increased incidence of prematurity and growth restriction (2). Hazards of twin delivery can be attributed to malpresentation, most often by the second twin. The vertex-nonvertex presentation occurs in approximately 40 percent of all twins (3, 4). Although there is consensus regarding the safety of vaginal delivery for twins when both are vertex (5), controversy exists over intrapartum management when the second twin is nonvertex. Some investigators advocate cesarean delivery, particularly when the second twin is nonvertex (6), or if the expected birth weight is < 2000 gm (6-8). This review aims to determine whether vaginal delivery of the nonvertex second twin, either by breech extraction or attempted external cephalic version, is associated with increased morbidity or mortality over cesarean delivery.
Identification of lipopolysaccharide binding site on high molecular weight kininogen

Plasma kallikrein kinin system (KKS) activation along with its cellular receptors expression are increased after injury and in patients with septic shock, hypotensive bacteremia and rhesus monkey infected with Salmonella typhimurium. KKS signaling cascade is activated by activated factor XII (FXIIa, Hageman factor)- and prolylcarboxypeptidase (PRCP)-dependent pathways on endothelial cells. Among the many entities that comprise the KKS, high molecular weight kininogen (HK), a bradykinin precursor, is critical in the assembly and activation of this system. HK is primarily expressed in the liver and secreted into the bloodstream. The activation of the KKS influences the permeability of the endothelium by liberating bradykinin (BK) from HK. BK is a potent inflammatory peptide which stimulates constitutive bradykinin B2 and inducible B1 receptors to release nitric oxide and prostacyclin. Regardless of the triggers, PK can only be activated on HK bound to the artificial negatively charged or to cell membrane surfaces. Since LPS has a negatively charged moiety and the ability to induce inflammatory responses in human, we determined the interaction between LPS and HK. HKH19 (HK cell binding site) and heparin inhibited LPS binding to HK with IC(50)s of 15nM and 20 microg/ml, respectively. C1-inhibitor and N-acetylglucosamine glycan inhibited LPS binding to HK with IC(50)s of about 10 microg/ml and 10mM, respectively. This novel study underscores the implication of HK in infection. We propose that HKH19, heparin, and C1-inhibitor present therapeutic potential for the treatment of sepsis and hypotensive bacteremia.
Belief in a just world and trust

Abstract Three studies examined the relationship between belief in a just world and level of trust. Results showed that subjects with a high level of belief in a just world were (a) less suspicious with regard to deception in a social-psychological experiment, (b) less suspicious with regard to the promise of a free gift, and (c) less suspicious with regard to the government's position on several public issues. The same studies also examined the relationships among belief in internal-external control, authoritarianism, and level of trust. In some but not all cases, belief in internal control and high level of authoritarianism were related to more trusting attitudes. It was suggested that the relationship between internality (as measured by the I-E Scale) and trust was mediated by the construct of belief in a just world.
Immunopathologic Study of Sural Nerves in Rheumatoid Arthritis

In 5 patients with rheumatoid neuropathy of vascular etiology, nerve fibers showed axonal degeneration. One patient with acute neuropathy, not receiving corticosteroids, had acute necrotizing arteritis; IgG, IgM, and β 1C, but not albumin, were found in vessel walls. Patients with chronic neuropathy who received corticosteroids before biopsy had proliferative endarteritis with fibrinogen but not immunoglobulins in the vessels. The proliferative endarteritis of rheumatoid arthritis probably represents the healed stage of an acute arteritis.
Fruit abscission by Physalis species as defense against frugivory

Fruit abscission as a response to herbivory is well-documented in many plant species, but its effect on further damage by mobile herbivores that survive fruit abscission is relatively unstudied. Physalis plants (Solanaceae) abscise fruit containing feeding larvae of their main frugivore, Heliothis subflexa Guenee (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), a specialist moth. We tested the ability of H. subflexa larvae placed under the plant canopy to find and climb onto two architecturally different Physalis species. Physalis pubescens L., a low, shrub-like, spreading plant, abscises its fruit at a higher rate than Physalis angulata L., a tall arborescent plant. As a result, small larvae are more often dropped from P. pubescens . Third and fifth instars located P. pubescens faster and with a higher probability than P. angulata . Although fifth instars outperformed third-instar caterpillars at finding P. angulata , P. pubescens was located equally fast by the two instars. Heliothis subflexa located Physalis plants more successfully and more quickly than a close relative, the generalist Heliothis virescens Fabricius. The higher fruit abscission rates in P. pubescens may be an evolved response to its greater susceptibility to searching caterpillars.
Pulse Adjustment, a Novel Digital Control Technique, for Control of a DC-DC Buck-Boost Converter Operating in Discontinuous Conduction Mode and Driving Constant Power Loads

Multi-converter power electronic distribution systems are being considered for advanced vehicles. The stability of the DC power electronics based power distribution systems is a significant design consideration because of the potential for negative impedance induced instabilities. In order to mitigate the problem of negative impedance instability, this paper presents a novel digital control technique for converters operating with constant power loads (CPLs). This novel digital control treats the converter as a digital system and regulates output voltage with the help of two predefined state variables. A comparator compares actual output voltage with reference voltage and then switches between appropriate states. Thus, task of the digital control is to deliver right amount of energy to the converter by right numbers of state operations so that the average power delivery matches the required power. It needs few logic gates and comparators to implement, thus, making it extremely simple and easy to develop a low cost application specific integrated circuit (ASIC) for converters driving CPLs. Simulation and analytical results are presented to describe and verify the proposed technique.
Specific heat of solid nitrogen-argon mixtures: 50 to 100 mol% N 2

We have measured the specific heat, ${C}_{p}$, of solid ${\mathrm{N}}_{2}$-argon alloys of 49.75, 62.83, 70.43, 79.85, and 100 mol% ${\mathrm{N}}_{2}$ concentration between 4.5 and 40 K. The measurements were made to investigate the possible formation of a rotational glass phase similar to that of solid ${\mathrm{H}}_{2}$. The three lower-concentration samples showed no evidence of a sharp transition to a glass phase nor any thermal remanence indicative of a glass, although the rotational contribution to the specific heat was qualitatively similar to that of the solid ${\mathrm{H}}_{2}$ glass. The 49.75-mol% sample did not exhibit the martensitic hcp-to-fcc crystalline transition expected at 23 K, indicating that cold working is important to forcing this transition. The $\ensuremath{\alpha}\ensuremath{-}\ensuremath{\beta}$ phase transition in pure ${\mathrm{N}}_{2}$ was very sharp upon cooling to the transition point, without any pretransitional effects, whereas the $\ensuremath{\alpha}\ensuremath{-}\ensuremath{\beta}$ transition in the 79.85-mol% sample had a $\ensuremath{\lambda}$-like appearance.
A Lexicon for User Driven Healthcare

What do the terms Learning Healthcare Systems, Participatory Medicine,Â Evidence-based Medicine, Narrative Medicine, Patient-centered Medicine, and Health 2.0Â mean? What is their connection to each other, to User-Driven Healthcare, and, most importantly, to real peopleâ€”healthcare providers and healthcare consumers?Â In this paper, the author presents current definitions of these abstractions to begin to compile a glossary of terms, a lexicon of sorts, for all stakeholders in the emerging field of User-Driven Healthcare.
Lead contamination: Chronic and acute behavioral effects in the albino rat

Rats trained on an operant discrimination were subjected daily to a low level of lead contamination. Chronic contamination increased the variability of the discrimination behavior. Increased contamination produced an acute shift in the distribution of interresponse times.
Bounds on linear PDEs via semidefinite optimization

Using recent progress on moment problems, and their connections with semidefinite optimization, we present in this paper a new methodology based on semidefinite optimization, to obtain a hierarchy of upper and lower bounds on linear functionals defined on solutions of linear partial differential equations. We apply the proposed method to examples of PDEs in one and two dimensions, with very encouraging results. We pay particular attention to a PDE with oblique derivative conditions, commonly arising in queueing theory. We also provide computational evidence that the semidefinite constraints are critically important in improving the quality of the bounds, that is, without them the bounds are weak.
Coil Embolization of Persistent False Lumen After Type A Dissection Repair

A 44-year-old man with a type A dissection repair 5 years earlier presented with progressive enlargement of the residual arch and thoracic aorta. Flow into the false lumen from the distal aortic suture line was evident on contrast-enhanced computed tomography. Through a redo hemisternotomy, the false lumen was accessed directly. An Amplatzer plug was deployed within the narrowed neck of the false lumen proximal to the enlarged false lumen within descending aorta. Interlocking coils were deployed proximal to the Amplatzer plug, resulting in thrombosis of the false lumen.
Education, society and development: Some main themes and suggested strategies for international assistance☆

Abstract The evidence of recent years demonstrates clearly that the education of large numbers of people will not alone create jobs for them. This failure of education to generate employment is in our view but an example of a wider phenomenon, namely that educational systems are to a large extent determined by the societies they must serve and cannot be expected to reshape those societies in fundamental ways. The relationships between education and employment in developing nations should be viewed in this wider context.
Hunger and Social Motivation: Hungry People are Less Interested in Social Activities than Satiated People

College students (N0207) were asked their level of interest in sex, dating, and friendship affiliation before or after eating dinner at a dining hall. The threat of hunger before dinner was predicted to make participants focus on satisfying this need and therefore be less interested in social activities, compared to participants after dinner who were not hungry. Consistent with predictions, hungry males and females were less interested in sex, dating, and hanging out with friends comparedto individuals who had justeaten. Resultsare consideredinthe context ofmotivationtheoryand recent research findings in the areas of physical attraction and social inclusion.
Echocardiographic Manifestations of Left Bundle Branch Block

Seventeen patients with left bundle branch block were studied using standard echocardiographic techniques employing a strip chart recorder. All 17 patients were found to have specific echocardiographic findings of abnormal septal motion uniquely different from previously described forms found in volume overload states of the right ventricle as well as coronary artery disease. The specific echocardiographic abnormality demonstrated in left bundle branch block is a very dynamic posterior motion of the interventricular septum occurring within 0.04 seconds of the onset of the QRS and preceding the anterior motion of the posterior left ventricular wall during ventricular ejection. This type of septal motion is not seen in the other forms of abnormal septal motion and appears to be specific for left bundle branch block.
A rat anti-mouse kappa chain specific monoclonal antibody, 187.1.10: Purification, immunochemical properties and its utility as a general second-antibody reagent

Abstract A rat IgG1 monoclonal antibody, produced by hybridoma 187.1.10, exhibits specificity for mouse immunoglobulins containing kappa light chains (Yelton et al., 1981). The 187.1.10 hybridoma cell line secreted upwards of 200 μg/ml of monoclonal antibody in tissue culture and the secreted product was purified in a single step by antigen-immunoadsorbent affinity chromatography. The homogeneity of the purified 187.1.10 protein was determined by isoelectrofocusing and SDS gel electrophoresis. Equilibrium binding analyses of the radioiodinated 187.1.10 antibody indicated a strong interaction with its antigen of KA=2×109 1/mole.The 187.1.10 antibody did not readily bind to Staph. aureus protein A unless it was complexed with antigen. The binding of immune complexes of 187.1.10 to protein A was shown to be dependent on the Fc region of the antigen. The utility of the 187.1.10 monoclonal antibody as a general second antibody reagent for studying mouse immunoglobulins was demonstrated in a rapid solid phase immunoprecipitation assay to detect and analyze radioiodinated membrane proteins of a human cytotoxic T cell line.
An Intersectional Analysis of Gender and Ethnic Stereotypes: Testing Three Hypotheses.

We compared perceived cultural stereotypes of diverse groups varying by gender and ethnicity. Using a free-response procedure, we asked 627 U.S. undergraduates to generate 10 attributes for 1 of 17...
Reduction of artifacts by digital filtering in Fourier image reconstruction

The use of digital filtering is explored as a means of minimizing artifacts in a general class of image reconstruction approaches commonly referred to as direct Fourier reconstruction methods. In the polar-to-Cartesian conversion, applications of windowing operations for the two-dimensional interpolation-type methods are seen to reduce artifacts according to a number of error measures. For the one-dimensional case, the use of a high-resolution spline interpolation gives the lowest error measures. The use of the chip-Z transform is proposed as a way to generate transformed projection data in a concentric square grid to eliminate part of the one-dimensional interpolation currently needed for the processing. >
Radioprotection and cell cycle arrest of intestinal epithelial cells by darinaparsin, a tumor radiosensitizer.

Purpose It was recently reported that the organic arsenic compound darinaparsin (DPS) is a cytotoxin and radiosensitizer of tumor cells in vitro and in subcutaneous xenograft tumors. Surprisingly, it was also found that DPS protects normal intestinal crypt epithelial cells (CECs) from clonogenic death after ionizing radiation (IR). Here we tested the DPS radiosensitizing effect in a clinically relevant model of prostate cancer and explored the radioprotective effect and mechanism of DPS on CECs. Methods and Materials The radiation modification effect of DPS was tested in a mouse model of orthotopic xenograft prostate cancer and of IR-induced acute gastrointestinal syndrome. The effect of DPS on CEC DNA damage and DNA damage responses was determined by immunohistochemistry. Results In the mouse model of IR-induced gastrointestinal syndrome, DPS treatment before IR accelerated recovery from body weight loss and increased animal survival. DPS decreased post-IR DNA damage and cell death, suggesting that the radioprotective effect was mediated by enhanced DNA damage repair. Shortly after DPS injection, significant cell cycle arrest was observed in CECs at both G1/S and G2/M checkpoints, which was accompanied by the activation of cell cycle inhibitors p21 and growth arrest and DNA-damage-inducible protein 45 alpha (GADD45A). Further investigation revealed that DPS activated ataxia telangiectasia mutated (ATM), an important inducer of DNA damage repair and cell cycle arrest. Conclusions DPS selectively radioprotected normal intestinal CECs and sensitized prostate cancer cells in a clinically relevant model. This effect may be, at least in part, mediated by DNA damage response activation and has the potential to significantly increase the therapeutic index of radiation therapy.
Towards a cross-platform microbenchmark suite for evaluating hardware performance counter data

As useful as performance counters are, the meaning of reported aggregate event counts is sometimes questionable. Questions arise due to unanticipated processor behavior, overhead associated with the interface, the granularity of the monitored code, hardware errors, and lack of standards w.r.t. event definitions. To explore these issues, we are conducting a sequence of studies using carefully-crafted microbenchmarks that permit the accurate prediction of event counts and investigation of the differences between hardware-reported and predicted event counts. This paper presents the methodology employed, some of the microbenchmarks developed, and some of the information uncovered to date. The information provided by this work allows application developers to better understand the data provided by hardware performance counters and better utilize it to tune application performance. A goal of this research is to develop a cross-platform microbenchmark suite that can be used by application developers for these purposes. Some of the microbenchmarks in this suite are discussed in the paper.
Revision MTP arthrodesis for failed MTP arthroplasty.

Introduction. Although the gold standard to address hallux rigidus that fails conservative treatment is an arthrodesis, some surgeons have attempted to use arthroplasty to improve range of motion and to simulate a normal joint. When these implants do fail, a salvage MTP arthrodesis is the only surgical option for these patients. This research aims to outline various methods to arthrodese the MTP joint in salvage situations. Methods. We retrospectively looked at patients who underwent a first- MTP fusion after failure of an implant arthroplasty. All fusions involved either bone allograft or autograft and internal fixation. The patients were assessed clinically, radiographically, and with the Ankle Society Hallux Metatarsophalangeal- Interphalangeal (AOFAS MTP-IP) clinical questionnaire preoperatively and postoperatively. Results. In all, 11 patients met the inclusion criteria. The average age of patients at the time of the salvage MTP arthrodesis was 57 years. The interval time between primary surgery and revision arthrodesis was on average 84.2 months. There was a high reoperation rate, with 7 operative procedures occurring per 12 arthrodeses (58%). The average time to radiographic fusion was 6.9 ± 4.8 months; 41.7% of patients had a delayed union (>6 months to fusion). Two patients had symptomatic nonunions (16.7%). All the patients had an improvement in their AOFAS MTP-IP score. Conclusion. Although salvage arthrodeses for failed arthroplasties generally have favorable satisfaction rates and are a powerful tool in treating this painful condition, they are fraught with complications. They unite slower, have a significantly higher reoperation rate, and have lower AOFAS scores than primary fusions. Levels of Evidence: Therapeutic, Level IV—Case series
Applications of the Melnikov method to twist maps in higher dimensions using the variational approach

We work with symplectic diffeomorphisms of the -annulus . Using the variational approach of Aubry and Mather, we are able to give a local description of the stable (and unstable) manifold for a hyperbolic fixed point. We use this in order to get a Melnikov-like formula for exact symplectic twist maps. This formula involves an infinite series that could be computed in some specific cases. We apply our formula to prove the existence of heteroclinic orbits for a family of twist maps in .
A molecular basis for variation in clinical severity of isolated growth hormone deficiency type II.

Context: Dominant-negative GH1 mutations cause familial isolated growth hormone deficiency type II (IGHD II), which is characterized by GH deficiency, occasional multiple anterior pituitary hormone deficiencies, and anterior pituitary hypoplasia. The basis of the variable expression and progression of IGHD II among relatives who share the same GH1 mutation is poorly understood. Objective: We hypothesized that the cellular ratios of mutant/normal GH1 transcripts would correlate with the severity of the IGHD II phenotype. We determined the relative amounts of mutant and normal GH1 transcripts in cell lines and correlated transcript ratios with severity. Design and Patients: Members of the same IGHD II kindred were genotyped for the GH1 E3+1 G/A mutation by DNA sequencing. Ratios of their 17.5-kDa (mutant)/22-kDa (normal) GH1 transcripts were determined in cultured lymphocytes (CLs), and these ratios were correlated with height sd scores obtained before GH replacement therapy. Results: Ratios of 17.5-/22-kDa...
On closed-loop adaptive noise cancellation

Given the mean limit ordinary differential equation for the stochastic approximation defining the adaptive algorithm for a closed-loop adaptive noise cancellation, we characterize the limit points. Under appropriate conditions, it is shown that as the dimension of the weight vector increases, the sequence of corresponding limit points converges in the sense of l/sub 2/ to the infinite-dimensional optimal weight vector. Also, the limit point of the algorithm is nearly optimal if the dimension of the weight vector is large enough. The gradient of the mean-square error with respect to the weight vector, evaluated at the limit, goes to zero in l/sub 1/ and l/sub 2/ as the dimension increases, as does the gradient with respect to the coefficients in the transfer function connecting the reference noise signal with the error output. Thus the algorithm is "nearly" a gradient descent algorithm and is error-reducing for large enough dimension. Under broad conditions, iterative averaging can be used to get a nearly optimal rate of convergence.
Effects of Food Intake on the Relative Bioavailability of Amifampridine Phosphate Salt in Healthy Adults.

Abstract Purpose Amifampridine (3,4-diaminopyridine) has been approved in the European Union for the treatment of Lambert-Eaton myasthenic syndrome. Amifampridine has a narrow therapeutic index, and supratherapeutic exposure has been associated with dose-dependent adverse events, including an increased risk for seizure. This study assessed the effect of food on the relative bioavailability of amifampridine in healthy subjects and informed on conditions that can alter exposure. Methods This randomized, open-labeled, 2-treatment, 2-period crossover study enrolled 47 healthy male and female subjects. Subjects were randomly assigned to receive 2 single oral doses of amifampridine phosphate salt (20 mg base equivalents per dose) under fed or fasted conditions separated by a washout period. Blood and urine samples for pharmacokinetic analyses were taken before and after dosing. Plasma concentrations of amifampridine and an inactive 3- N -acetyl metabolite were determined. The relative bioavailability values of amifampridine and metabolite were assessed based on the plasma PK parameters AUC 0–∞ , AUC 0–t , and C max in the fed and fasted states using noncompartmental pharmacokinetic analysis. Parent drug and metabolite excretion were calculated from urinary concentrations. A food effect on bioavailability would be established if the 90% CI of the ratio of population geometric mean value of AUC 0–∞ , AUC 0–t , or C max between fed and fasted administration was not within the bioequivalence range of 80% to 125%. Tolerability was assessed based on adverse-event reporting, clinical laboratory assessments, physical examination including vital sign measurements, 12-lead ECG, and concurrent medication use. Findings Food slowed and somewhat decreased the absorption of amifampridine. There was a decrease in exposure (C max , 44%; AUC, 20%) after oral administration of amifampridine phosphate salt in the presence of food, and mean T max was 2-fold longer in the fed state. The extent of exposure and plasma elimination half-life of the major metabolite was greater than those of amifampridine in the fed and fasted conditions. Mean AUCs in the fed and fasted states were slightly greater in women than men, with no difference in mean C max . Orally administered amifampridine was renally eliminated (>93%) as the parent compound and metabolite within 24 hours. Single oral doses of 20 mg of amifampridine phosphate salt were considered well tolerated in both the fed and fasted conditions. High intersubject variability (%CVs, >30%) in amifampridine pharmacokinetic parameter values was observed. Implications At the intended dose under fasting conditions, amifampridine exposure may be increased. European Union Drug Regulating Authorities Clinical Trials identifier: 2011-000596-13.
Evaluation of a new mixed-phase cloud microphysics parameterization with CAM3 single-column model and M-PACE observations

Most global climate models generally prescribe the partitioning of condensed water into liquid droplets and ice crystals in mixed-phase clouds according to a temperature-dependent function, which affects modeled cloud phase, cloud lifetime and radiative properties. This study evaluates a new mixed-phase cloud microphysics parameterization (for ice nucleation and water vapor deposition) against the Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) Mixed-phase Arctic Cloud Experiment (M-PACE) observations using the NCAR Community Atmospheric Model Version 3 (CAM3) single column model (SCAM). It is shown that SCAM with the new scheme produces a more realistic simulation of the cloud phase structure and the partitioning of condensed waterinto liquid droplets against observations during the M-PACE than the standard CAM. Sensitivity test indicates that ice number concentration could play an important role in the simulated mixed-phase cloud microphysics, and thereby needs to be realistically represented in global climate models.
Primary midline peritoneal access with optical trocar is safe and effective in morbidly obese patients

Abstract Background The bladed optical access trocar is widely used and provides convenient, safe peritoneal entry. However, it has only been approved for use after insufflation. We used this device as our primary method of entry before insufflation in bariatric surgery and provide an overview of our cumulative experience. In addition, we provide a comprehensive analysis of the published data with respect to optical access as both primary and secondary methods of peritoneal access. Methods From July 30, 2001 to April 4, 2008, laparoscopic access for all bariatric surgery at a single center was achieved using the 5–12-mm optical bladed trocar without previous insufflation for 2207 cases, including 1692 laparoscopic gastric bypass procedures and 515 laparoscopic adjustable gastric band placements. Results Four vascular injuries occurred (.18%) in our series. Three required conversion to laparotomy and vascular repair, and one was managed laparoscopically. All injuries occurred with off-midline placement. No mortalities occurred secondary to the use of the optical trocar. Conclusion The present report is as the greatest volume series detailing the safe and effective use of the bladed optical trocar without previous insufflation as the primary method of peritoneal access in the morbidly obese. The insertion of this device in the midline appears to be a safe method of entry.
General Cardiovascular Risk Profile Identifies Advanced Coronary Artery Calcium and Is Improved by Family History The Multiethnic Study of Atherosclerosis

Background— The General Cardiovascular Risk Profile is a multivariable model that predicts global cardiovascular disease risk. Our goal was to assess the ability of the General Cardiovascular Risk Profile to identify individuals with advanced coronary artery calcification (CAC) and determine whether identification is improved with family history. Methods and Results— Using data from the Multiethnic Study of Atherosclerosis, 3 sex-specific models were developed with ordinal logistic regressions to relate risk factors to CAC scores. Model 1 included covariates in the General Cardiovascular Risk Profile. Then family history was added, defined as having at least 1 first-degree relative with premature coronary heart disease (model 2) or as a weak, moderate, or strong family history based on number of relatives with coronary heart disease, age at onset, and the presence of stroke or diabetes in the family (model 3). For each model, we estimated mathematical CAC risk functions, derived CAC score sheets, evaluated the ability to discriminate persons having positive CAC scores, and assessed reclassification of individuals with low, intermediate, or high probability of CAC >300. Model 1 worked well to identify women and men with positive CAC scores; c-statistics were 0.752 and 0.718 and χ 2 values were 821.2 ( P P Conclusions— The General Cardiovascular Risk Profile identifies advanced CAC, an emerging indication for aggressive risk factor modification. Incorporation of family history, especially comprehensive familial risk stratification, provides incremental prognostic value.
From Epistemology to the Avant-garde: Marcel Duchamp and the Sociology of Knowledge in Resonance

This article argues that the sociology of knowledge as a critical subfield of sociology and the artist Marcel Duchamp are engaged in epistemologically analogous projects. Two sets of claims demonst...
Intra-disk Parallelism: An Idea Whose Time Has Come

Server storage systems use a large number of disks to achieve high performance, thereby consuming a significant amount of power. In this paper, we propose to significantly reduce the power consumed by such storage systems via intra-disk parallelism, wherein disk drives can exploit parallelism in the I/O request stream. Intra-disk parallelism can facilitate replacing a large disk array with a smaller one, using the minimum number of disk drives needed to satisfy the capacity requirements. We show that the design space of intra-disk parallelism is large and present a taxonomy to formulate specific implementations within this space. Using a set of commercial workloads, we perform a limit study to identify the key performance bottlenecks that arise when we replace a storage array that is tuned to provide high performance with a single high-capacity disk drive. We show that it is possible to match, and even surpass, the performance of a storage array for these workloads by using a single disk drive of sufficient capacity that exploits intra-disk parallelism, while significantly reducing the power consumed by the storage system. We evaluate the performance and power consumption of disk arrays composed of intra-disk parallel drives, and discuss engineering and cost issues related to the implementation and deployment of such disk drives.
Dynamic Elastic Electron Scattering II: Multislice Theory

For simulations of electron images, the Bloch wave approach is more convenient for dealing with these cases in which either the crystal contains no defects or the image resolution is so low that the column approximation holds. When the image resolution approaches the atomic level, the dominant contrast mechanism is phase contrast, and the effect of diffraction contrast is minimized. In this case, it is more convenient to apply the multislice theory, particularly when defects are present in the crystal. The most important advantage of the multislice theory is that it does not require three-dimensional periodicity of the crystal; thus images of interfaces, surfaces, and dislocations can be simulated. Chapter 3 outlines the theoretical scheme of the multislice theory and its applications. Methods to improve the theory are illustrated to include HOLZ reflections accurately.
Bean leaf beetle : flight and dispersal behavior.

Trapping studies showed that 50% of the bean leaf beetles, Cerotoma trifurcata (Forster), caught below 3.0 m were less than 1 m from the ground. This pattern, independent of plant stage, was constant throughout the season in fields of flat topography which characterize the Tideland area. Bean leaf beetles are daytime fliers whose peak period of flight activity starts before 1200 h and ends by 1430—1500 h. Data collected by trap and sweepnet sampling showed 3 seasonal periods of flight: a field colonization flight by overwintered beetles and a combination of trivial and overwintering flights by both the F1 and F2 beetles.
Congenital Herpes Simplex Virus in the Newborn: A Diagnostic Dilemma

Although congenital herpes simplex virus (HSV) infection is rare, it is associated with severe morbidity. We report a 36-week gestational age infant who presented with atypical skin lesions, presumably mitigated by exposure to maternal antiviral suppressive therapy. The initial absence of typical herpetic vesicles and lack of viral detection in skin lesions delayed the correct diagnosis, highlighting the importance of differentiating HSV from other neonatal rashes.
Effect of Carbon Nanofiber on Thermal and Tensile Properties of Polypropylene

In the present study, effect of vapor grown carbon nanofiber on the mechanical and thermal properties of polypropylene was investigated. Firstly, nanofibers were dry-mixed with polypropylene powder and extruded into filaments by using a single screw extruder. Then the tensile tests were performed on the single filament at the strain rate range from 0.02/min to 2/min. Experiments results show that both neat and nano-phased polypropylene were strain rate strengthening material. The tensile modulus and yield strength both increased with increasing strain rate. Experimental results also show that infusing nanofiber into polypropylene can increase tensile modulus and yield strength, but decrease the failure strain. At the same time, thermal properties of neat and nano-phased polypropylene were characterized by TGA. TGA results have showed that the nanophased system is more thermally stable. At last, a nonlinear constitutive equation has been developed to describe strain rate sensitive behavior of neat and nano-phased polypropylene.© 2006 ASME
On Convergence Rate of Weighted-Averaging Dynamics for Consensus Problems

This paper investigates the weighted-averaging dynamic for unconstrained and constrained consensus problems. Through the use of a suitably defined adjoint dynamic, quadratic Lyapunov comparison functions are constructed to analyze the behavior of weighted-averaging dynamic. As a result, new convergence rate results are obtained that capture the graph structure in a novel way. In particular, the exponential convergence rate is established for unconstrained consensus with the exponent of the order of $1-O(1/(m\log_{2}m))$ for special tree-like regular graphs. Also, the exponential convergence rate is established for constrained consensus over time-varying graphs, which nontrivially extends the existing result limited to the static graph case and the use of uniform weight matrices. Our main results are developed for directed graphs that are weakly connected, and we also provide statements regarding the rates in case of joint connectivity.
Nanofabrication Techniques Used for Lotus-Like Structures

Nanofabrication of superhydrophobic surfaces has been an area of active research since the mid-1990s.
Evaluation of accidental coincidences in active interrogation of special nuclear material

The detection and identification of concealed nuclear material is of increasing concern to the United States and the world. Specifically, passive detection of enriched uranium is extremely difficult because of its low spontaneous fission rate. As a result, systems relying on active interrogation are gaining more attention from the research community. The focus of the work here is active photon interrogation in conjunction with coincidence counting. Scintillation detectors will be used due to their sensitivity to both high-energy neutrons and gamma-rays; they are also durable and reliable. Multiple detectors will be used to enable coincidence counting of the particle emissions following irradiation; here particles are recorded from the detectors with reference to the timedelay between their arrivals. Such a system has the potential to provide a reliable indication of the presence of fissionable material. However, one caveat of systems based on pulsed gammaray sources is the presence of accidental coincidences in the detectors. The occurrence of many photonuclear events simultaneously generates photons and neutrons at essentially the same time. The arrival of these particles simultaneously at the detectors causes a coincident detection event. These accidental coincidences contain no useful information about the interrogated material and should therefore be minimized. It is the goal of this work to evaluate this effect in order to obtain realistic estimates of measurement results.
CALMODULIN STIMULATED ADENYLATE CYCLASE FROM BOVINE BRAIN

Publisher Summary This chapter describes the purification calmodulin (CaM) stimulated adenylate cyclase from bovine brain. Membranes were prepared and solubilized with Lubrol PX. The resin was washed with 4 l of Buffer A containing 50 mM KCI and transferred to a column. A single protein peak containing adenylate cyclase activity was eluted with Buffer A containing 150 mM KCI. The enzyme was pooled on the basis of adenylate cyclase activity, diluted with an equal volume of Buffer A and brought to 1.1 mM CaCl 2 . The column was washed with this same buffer until the effluent absorbance at 2 8 0 nm reached a steady value, at which time the column was eluted with Buffer A. Adenylate cyclase eluted from CaM-Sepharose was pooled on the basis of activity and prepared for loading onto the forskolin-Sepharose column. It was found that Forskolin-pool was concentrated to 5–7 mis on a PM-10 Amnicon ultrafiltration membrane, diluted with three volumes of buffer A without PMSF and sucrose, and loaded on to the wheat germ agglutinin-agarose column equilibrated in Buffer A without PMSF.
Passport to Designing, Developing and Issuing Digital Instructional Badges

This chapter introduces instructional design considerations for digital badges. Designing instructional badges presents unique opportunities and challenges, and proper preparation and planning are necessary for the success of the badge. Passport by Purdue is introduced as a system which integrates digital badges with elements of learning management and content management. Passport combines mastery-based progression through designed instructional tasks, with supplementary embedded multimedia resources and a semi-gamified interface built on a badge metaphor—all culminating in certification by a highly portable, information-rich digital badge. In this chapter, we will offer a tour of Passport as an instructional tool, along with theory-informed guidelines for designing effective learning experiences within such an integrated, digital-badge-based learning system.
Indication of active Faults in the New Madrid Seismic Zone from Precise Location of Hypocenters

The hypocenter locations of the larger and better recorded earthquakes of the New Madrid seismic zone are examined in order to determine how closely the hypocenters lie along planar surfaces, thus relating the foci to active fault surfaces. For this purpose more than 500 earthquakes of the region have been selected for study, based on the number (7 or more) of observing stations used in the initial hypocenter location and on the quality of the P-wave onset. These events are relocated using a joint hypocenter-velocity-depth (JHVD) algorithm. The relocated earthquakes are separated geographically into three trends: ARK, the southwest trending zone from Caruthersville, Missouri, to Marked Tree, Arkansas; DWM, the northeast trending zone from New Madrid to Charleston, Missouri; and CEN, the central, left-stepping offset zone from Ridgely, Tennessee, to New Madrid, Missouri. Vertical profiles taken along and across the ARK and DWM trends verify the strike and dip of dominantly strike slip motion on near vertical active faults along these trends. These results agree with previously determined composite focal mechanism solutions for these trends. No coherent picture has been obtained for the CEN trend. As a by-product of the study, velocity models from the JHVD inversion are found to be reasonably uniform throughout the New Madrid seismic zone, and to offer supporting evidence for the presence of a shallow low velocity zone in the central portion of the Mississippi embayment.
The Influence of Unilateral Horizontal Semicircular Canal Plugs on the Horizontal Vestibulo-Ocular Reflex of the Rabbit

Vestibulo-ocular reflexes provide a sensitive and convenient means of assaying the normal functions of the peripheral vestibular apparatus and for assaying damage to the central nervous system. The horizontal vestibulo-ocular reflex (HVOR) is ordinarily evoked by reciprocally modulated signals originating from the ampullae of the horizontal semicircular canals. The activity originating from each ampulla is increased by ipsilateral angular acceleration of the head and decreased by contralateral angular acceleration. This stimulus-modulated activity directly excites the ipsilateral medial and superior vestibular nuclei and indirectly inhibits contralateral medial and superior vestibular nuclei via a GABA-ergic commissural pathway (Kasahara and Uchino 1971; Precht et al. 1973) (Fig. 1). The vestibular nuclei send both excitatory and inhibitory projections to the oculomotor (III) and abducens (VI) nuclei (for review see Barmack and Hess 1980). This reciprocal organization is maintained from the peripheral vestibular apparatus to the peripheral oculomotor apparatus and, as a consequence, conjugate compensatory eye movements are evoked by head movements over a wide range of frequencies. This reciprocal organization can be drastically altered by unilateral labyrinthectomy or unilateral vestibular neurectomy. Such operations cause a nystagmus in which the slow phase is directed towards the damaged side (Dow 1938; Precht et al. 1966; McCabe et al. 1973; Schaefer and Meyer 1973; Baarsma and Collewijn 1975; Azzena et al. 1976). The spontaneous nystagmus which is caused by unilateral damage to the vestibular system can be attributed to a tonic imbalance of primary afferent activity.
SiglecH Positive Myeloid Cells Mobilized by Pegylated Murine GM-CSF Have Potent Allo-Suppressive Properties In Vitro .

Abstract 1459 Granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF) is a growth factor regulating proliferation and differentiation of hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells. Pegylation of murine GM-CSF (peg-mGM) has been shown to prolong its half-life. We have observed that patients transplanted with stem cell products mobilized by GM-CSF have a lower incidence of acute GvHD (Devine et al. BMT 2005), we hypothesized that peg-mGM mobilized stem cell products may be protective from acute GvHD in MHC mismatched murine models. C57/Bl6 (B6) mice treated with peg-mGM (5mcg IP qd × 4) resulted in increased CFU-C by 26.5 fold compared to PBS treated mice (n=6, 95%CI 10.25–42.73). In addition, peg-mGM increased CD4+FoxP3+ Tregs in both blood and spleen by 2 fold compared to PBS (p in vivo in response to peg-mGM treatment consistent with peripheral expansion of Tregs. We hypothesized that a peg-mGM mobilized product would cause less graft versus host disease (GvHD). We have assessed the in vivo impact of peg-mGM on GvHD, by using the B6 to B6D2F1 acute GvHD model. B6 donors were treated with peg-mGM or PBS for 4 days; on the 5 th day splenocytes were isolated. An equivalent dose of CD3+ T-cells along with congenic T cell depleted bone marrow was administered to recipients (n=5/group) that had undergone myeloablative conditioning (11 Gy TBI). We observed less weight loss and improved survival in the peg-mGM treated group (Log-rank chi-square 53.22, df=9, p th day whole splenocytes were isolated and single cell sorted for SiglecH+B220- population or B220+SiglecH- (control cells). These cells were incubated with irradiated Balb/C splenocytes (stimulators) and CFSE labeled congenic B6 CD4+CD25- T-conventional (Tcon) cells (responders) at varying ratios of stimulators:responders:suppresors. Freshly isolated naive Tregs were used as the positive control. At the end of 6 days of incubation wells containing the SiglecH+B220- cells at 1:1:1 or 1:1:2 ratios suppressed allo-reactive Tcon cells as potently as Tregs at a 1:1:1 ratio (t-test, n=3, p=0.49 and p=0.98 respectively) compared to no suppressor controls (t-test, n=3, p=0.02 and p=0.005 respectively)(Figure). Finally, we performed an ELISA for IFN-alpha on these sorted cells, which was not significantly increased (12 pg/mL) after stimulation with the TLR9 agonist, CpG. These data suggest that reduced GvHD observed in mouse and man after infusion of GM-CSF mobilized stem cell products may be due to both in vivo expansion of Tregs and robust ( Disclosures: Schroeder: Genzyme: Research Funding; Celgene: Research Funding.