cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Role of Multimodality Imaging in Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement

Multimodality imaging is integral for diagnosis, procedural guidance, and follow-up of patients undergoing transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR). In this review, we provide an overview of the role of each imaging modality and highlight technical considerations and pitfalls. We also address current controversies and new developments in the field. Echocardiography remains the primary imaging modality for diagnosis of aortic stenosis and intraprocedural guidance for TAVR, but computed tomography (CT) imaging has supplanted echocardiography for annular sizing and access site evaluation. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) shows promise in targeted patient populations. Refined parameters and guidelines for valve sizing and paravalvular regurgitation have sought to standardize these complex assessments. Multimodality imaging remains critical to the success of TAVR, but its role has evolved over time. Understanding the applications, strengths, and limitations of each imaging modality is a crucial skill for the modern structural imager.
Comparing evapotranspiration rates of tall fescue and bermudagrass in North Carolina

Abstract Increasing water conservation efforts across landscapes necessitate the establishment of turfgrasses that require less water to sustain functionality. Therefore, it is important to consider concurrent water use potential of popular grass species such as tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreb.) and hybrid bermudagrass [Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers. × Cynodon transvaalensis Burtt-Davy]. The primary objective of this field study was to compare water use characteristics of ‘TifTuf’ a recently released bermudagrass cultivar with reported drought tolerance with a commonly planted tall fescue/bluegrass mix in North Carolina. A secondary objective was to quantify minimum irrigation requirements during establishment from sod when planted during spring and summer. Direct measurements of actual evapotranspiration (ETa) were made through weighing of non-water stressed lysimeters planted with ‘Triple Threat’ tall fescue and TifTuf hybrid bermudagrass. Actual evapotranspiration rates during the first 14 days after planting (DAP) were 3.3 and 4.3 mm d−1 for bermudagrass and tall fescue, respectively, averaged across spring plantings. Tall fescue ETa 14 DAP was no different during summer establishment, while bermudagrass ETa increased to 4.3 mm d−1. After 14 DAP, cumulative bermudagrass ETa was 44% less than tall fescue when established in spring. Cumulative bermudagrass ETa was similar to tall fescue (3% less) following summer establishment. Both grasses provided acceptable turf quality (TQ ≥ 6), when planted during spring, unlike tall fescue which resulted in unacceptable TQ following summer establishment. Results indicate the use of TifTuf bermudagrass can provide acceptable quality in the landscape while significantly reducing turfgrass water use compared to Triple Threat tall fescue when adapted to localized conditions.
centroFlye: Assembling Centromeres with Long Error-Prone Reads

Abstract Although variations in centromeres have been linked to cancer and infertility, centromeres still represent the “dark matter of the human genome” and remain an enigma for both biomedical and evolutionary studies. Since centromeres have withstood all previous attempts to develop an automated tool for their assembly and since their assembly using short reads is viewed as intractable, recent efforts attempted to manually assemble centromeres using long error-prone reads. We describe the centroFlye algorithm for centromere assembly using long error-prone reads, apply it for assembling the human X centromere, and use the constructed assembly to gain insights into centromere evolution. Our analysis reveals putative breakpoints in the previous manual reconstruction of the human X centromere and opens a possibility to automatically close the remaining multi-megabase gaps in the reference human genome.
Direct bridging to cardiac transplantation with the surgically implanted Impella 5.0 device.

This study evaluated outcomes of direct bridging to orthotopic heart transplantation (OHT) with the Impella 5.0 device. Adult recipients in the United Network for Organ Sharing registry bridged to OHT with the Impella 5.0 device between 2010 to 2018 were included. Outcomes included waitlist and post-transplant survival. A total of 236 patients were wait-listed with Impella 5.0 support, and 24% (n = 57) underwent bridge to OHT. Early and late post-transplant survival was excellent at 96.5% at 30 day, 93.8% at 90-day, and 90.3% at 1-year follow-up. Post-transplant complications were infrequent, but the most common were renal failure requiring dialysis (8.8%, n = 5), cerebrovascular accidents (1.8%, n = 1), and pacemaker implant (1.8%, n = 1). The rate of waitlist removal for death or clinical deterioration was 20.0% (n = 47); however, the majority of patients were bridged to OHT (24%, n = 57) or durable continuous-flow left ventricular assist device (37.0%, n = 87). The median time supported on the device, while waitlisted was 13 days (Interquartile range [IQR] 7, 20 days). The Impella 5.0 device can be used as a direct bridge to OHT with excellent survival and minimal post-transplant morbidity. Overall, these data support the utilization of Impella 5.0 as a bridge to OHT in select patients with refractory cardiogenic shock.
TECPR2 mutation-associated respiratory dysregulation: more than central apnea.

Children with rare genetic diseases that cause respiratory dysregulation are at particularly high mortality risk due to development of respiratory failure. The tectonin β-propeller–containing prote...
Renormalization-group analysis of a noisy Kuramoto-Sivashinsky equation.

We have analyzed the Kuramoto-Sivashinsky equation with a stochastic noise term through a dynamic renormalization-group calculation. For a system in which the lattice spacing is smaller than the typical wavelength of the linear instability occurring in the system, the large distance and long-time behavior of this equation is the same as for the Kardar-Parisi-Zhang equation in one and two spatial dimensions. For the d=2 case the agreement is only qualitative. On the other hand, when coarse graining on larger scales the asymptotic flow depends on the initial values of the parameters.
Integrating the midwifery model of care into abortion services.

Midwives can provide a safe, respectful, and highly satisfying model of care that contributes to achieving Sustainable Development Goals 3 and 5.1 Midwives have been suggested as a solution to risi...
Challenging preservice secondary mathematics teachers’ conceptions of function

Preservice mathematics teachers, like all learners, have well documented difficulties with the concept of function. We designed an applet-based task to challenge these known difficulties with the aim of improving preservice secondary mathematics teachers’ (PSMTs) conceptions of function. This cross-institutional study of 47 PSMTs examined the ways in which this task elicited and improved PSMTs’ conceptions of function. The results of the study show a measurable increase in the participants’ level of abstraction in their definition of function, and an increase in their attention to the univalence condition. In particular, the interaction with the specially designed applet was effective in initiating a series of dilemmas in their conception of function that resulted in the majority of the participants changing their conception of function in a positive direction.
Escherichia coli Swimming back Toward Stiffer Polyetheylene Glycol Coatings, Increasing Contact in Flow

Bacterial swimming in flow near surfaces is critical to the spread of infection and device colonization. Understanding how material properties affect flagella- and motility-dependent bacteria-surface interactions is a first step in designing new medical devices that mitigate the risk of infection. We report that, on biomaterial coatings such as polyethylene glycol (PEG) hydrogels and end-tethered layers that prevent adhesive bacteria accumulation, the coating mechanics and hydration control the near-surface travel and dynamic surface contact of E. coli cells in gentle shear flow (order 10 s-1). Along relatively stiff (order 1 MPa) PEG hydrogels or end-tethered layers of PEG chains of similar polymer correlation length, run-and-tumble E. coli travel nanometrically close to the coating's surface in the flow direction in distinguishable runs or "engagements" that persist for several seconds, after which cells leave the interface. The duration of these engagements was greater along stiff hydrogels and end-tethered layers compared with softer, more-hydrated hydrogels. Swimming cells that left stiff hydrogels or end-tethered layers proceeded out to distances of a few microns and then returned to engage the surface again and again, while cells engaging the soft hydrogel tended not to return after leaving. As a result of differences in the duration of engagements and tendency to return to stiff hydrogel and end-tethered layers, swimming E. coli experienced 3 times the integrated dynamic surface contact with stiff coatings compared with softer hydrogels. The striking similarity of swimming behaviors near 16-nm-thick end-tethered layers and 100-μm-thick stiff hydrogels argues that only the outermost several nanometers of a highly hydrated coating influence cell travel. The range of material stiffnesses, cell-surface distance during travel, and time scales of travel compared with run-and-tumble time scales suggests the influence of the coating derives from its interactions with flagella and its potential to alter flagellar bundling. Given that restriction of flagellar rotation is known to trigger increased virulence, bacteria influenced by surfaces in one region may become predisposed to form a biofilm downstream.
The Lives of Objects: Material Culture, Experience, and the Real in the History of Early Christianity: Kotrosits, Maia. 2020. Chicago and London: The University of Chicago Press. 243 pp., ISBN 978-0-226-70758-7

This insightful and lucidly written book begins with an intentionally disruptive question. Whereas the recent material turn and attendant affect and thing theories in the humanities have suggested ...
A Brief Historical Overview of the Universe

We may use our theories and presently observed properties of the universe to run the cosmic clock backwards and view the history of the universe in reverse. This takes us from the present universe of stars and galaxies, to the radiation era of hot plasma when the presently observed matter formed, and back to the era commonly described by inflation. We may finally run the clock all the way back to a putative Planck era when spacetime itself was likely fundamentally different from what it is at present, and for which we have no accepted theory.
A concept for continuous virus manufacture using a moving bed bioreactor: Growth of MDCK cells to confluence on paper as a model support

Abstract A moving-bed bioreactor (MBB) could intensify growth of adherent mammalian cells for viral vaccines. A continuously fed sterile paper passing through a thin liquid layer as a flexible cell substrate is a new concept for bioprocess intensification (BPI). Paper could enable cell expansion with reduced footprint and reduced media consumption as the first stage of a 2-stage growth + infection continuous process. This study focused only on cell growth (stage 1). We report a simple 32 mm paper disc method to evaluate growth of adherent Madin Darby canine kidney cells (MDCK CCL-34) adapted to 5% FBS to confluence on unmodified papers to screen substrates. Bibulous paper was found to be the best substrate for proliferation of MDCK. An MBB process was simulated using paper discs to test growth to confluence (stage 1). Growth was characterized using staining, image analysis; confocal microscopy. Cells grew on the surface of bibulous paper to a confluence of >90% in 192 h. Extending this concept by stabilizing MDCK on paper (end of stage 1) by engineering cells to survive freezing or lyoprotection would enable live cells to be shipped as modules to multiple manufacturing sites for infection resulting in rapid, reproducible viral vaccine manufacture.
Cutting Edge: Induction of Enhanced CTL-Dependent Protective Immunity In Vivo by N-End Rule Targeting of a Model Tumor Antigen

There is much interest in vaccines that will enhance the induction of CTL. One mechanism to enhance Ag-specific CTL responses involves targeting Ag to undergo rapid cytoplasmic degradation by the N-end rule pathway. We have analyzed the ability of N-end rule targeting to confer protection in an immunization-challenge setting. Using the HIV-1 nef protein as a model tumor Ag, we found that in mice immunized with a vaccinia vector expressing a form of nef that is targeted for rapid cytoplasmic degradation, there was enhanced induction of nef-specific CTL and protection from a lethal challenge with the syngeneic CT26 tumor cells that had been transfected with nef. Protection from tumor challenge correlated with the magnitude of the CTL response. Thus, the targeting of tumor or viral Ags for rapid cytoplasmic degradation by the N-end rule pathway may represent a strategy for the induction of protective Ag-specific CTL responses in vivo.
Particles as Normal Modes of a Gauge Field Theory

In this report we would like to show how one can describe the physical properties of the hadrons, such as the mass spectrum and electromagnetic form factors by considering the hadrons to be normal modes of an underlying field theory possessing gauge invariance of the second kind.1, 2, 3 In this picture, there is at each point in space-time an infinite number of irreducible tensorial fields \(\phi^{\mu_{1}\mu_{2}... \mu_{\textup{k}}}\) and Rarita-Schwinger fields, \(\Psi_{\alpha} \ ^{\mu_{1}\mu_{2}... \mu_{\textup{k}}}\). These fields have bilinear interactions dictated by gauge invariance, and the system (at each point in space-time) is a one-dimensional lattice with interactions between nearest neighbors in the Lorentz index space k. The physical particles are the normal modes of this system and therefore have structure. We show in Section 3 how the masses and coupling constants of the underlying field theory determine the parameters of the physical particles. If we assume that the electromagnetic field couples to the underlying gauge fields via minimal coupling, then we find that the form factors F1 and F2 of the proton are given by a power series in the 3+1 dimensional Legendre polynomials \({{P}_{k}}\left( {\frac{{p \cdot p'}}{{{{m}^{2}}}}} \right) \) and tnat an infinite number of narrow resonances appear in the amplitude for Compton scattering off hadrons.
Comparison of In Vivo and In Vitro Drug Metabolism in Experimental Hepatic Injury in the Rat

The effect of acute hepatic necrosis on drug metabolism was studied in a series of in vivo and in vitro experiments in rats. In vivo aminopyrine elimination was measured by 14CO2 breath analysis. This measure was compared with in vitro aminopyrine demethylase activities.Carbone-tetrachloride- and acetaminophen-induced acute hepatic injury were the two experiment models investigated. In carbontetrachloride-treated animals, there was a significant (P
Survival outcomes of secondary cancers in patients with Waldenström macroglobulinemia: An analysis of the SEER database.

We hypothesized that survival outcomes of WM patients who develop SM is distinct from the general population of individuals who develop those same malignancies. Using the SEER-18 data (2000–2011), we identified patients with cancers of the breast, prostate, lung, colorectum, bladder, melanoma, non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL), and acute leukemia, and compared their outcomes according to having antecedent WM or not. The outcome of interest was overall survival (OS), which was analyzed in proportional-hazard models adjusted for age, sex, race, and stage. We found that patients with WM who developed SM were older than population controls with those same cancers. In the multivariate analysis, WM cases with colorectal cancer (HR 1.97; P < 0.001), melanoma (HR 2.63; P < 0.001) and NHL (HR = 1.35; P = 0.02) had worse OS than controls with those respective cancers. WM patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma also had worse OS (HR = 1.86; P = 0.008). The utilization of surgery and radiation was similar between WM cases and controls, except lower rates of prostatectomy and melanoma surgery among WM patients. The survival of WM patients with colorectal cancer, melanoma, and NHL is worse than among general population controls, arguing in favor of age-appropriate cancer screening. Am. J. Hematol. 90:696–701, 2015. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Influence of Amylose Content on Properties of Wheat Starch and Breadmaking Quality of Starch and Gluten Blends

ABSTRACT The effects of amylose content on thermal properties of starches, dough rheology, and bread staling were investigated using starch of waxy and regular wheat genotypes. As the amylose content of starch blends decreased from 24 to 0%, the gelatinization enthalpy increased from 10.5 to 15.3 J/g and retrogradation enthalpy after 96 hr of storage at 4°C decreased from 2.2 to 0 J/g. Mixograph water absorption of starch and gluten blends increased as the amylose content decreased. Generally, lower rheofermentometer dough height, higher gas production, and a lower gas retention coefficient were observed in starch and gluten blends with 12 or 18% amylose content compared with the regular starch and gluten blend. Bread baked from starch and gluten blends exhibited a more porous crumb structure with increased loaf volume as amylose content in the starch decreased. Bread from starch and gluten blends with amylose content of 19.2–21.6% exhibited similar crumb structure to that of bread with regular wheat star...
Developmental Learning Disorders: Clues to Their Diagnosis and Management

Introduction The observant physician can make a truly life-enhancing difference with the timely diagnosis of a learning disorder. Approximately 6% to 7% of all school-aged children are identified as "learning disabled" and receive special educational services. In the 1992 to 1993 school year, 4,633,674 students ages 6 to 21 years received services under Federal formula grant programs. In medical settings, roughly twice as many boys as girls are diagnosed formally, a ratio that most likely is biased by the different phenotypes of learning problems among boys and girls. High-profile disorders that cause disruption in classroom and family functioning are the earliest to be identified and often are referred for help as early as the preschool years. More subtle or nearly "invisible" disorders (such as isolated attention deficit without hyperactivity) are masked by unexceptional or even "good" (passive) behavior and can persist undetected into adulthood, becoming symptomatic in college or graduate school. Long-term follow-up studies and evaluations of the parents of children who have learning disorders have taught two lessons: 1) learning disorders are not "outgrown" and 2) they can be extremely subtle and well hidden, especially among adolescents, who are more likely able to compensate (albeit at a price) through most of their formal schooling.
Singularity Analysis: a Tool For Extracting Lithologic And Stratigraphic Content From Seismic Data

In this work, we test an amplitude-independent method of seisimic data analysis designed to extract lithologic information about stratigraphic horizons. We apply the method of singularity characterization in an attempt to determine the sharpness of lithologic boundaries. We infer the sharpness of the boundary based upon a fractional integration of the seismic trace. The order of fractional integration is taken to represent the abruptness of the lithologic transition responsible for a given reflector. We find that the method output behaves in a geologically reasonable manner which suggests that our method is responding to lithologic variations along boundaries responsible for prominent reflectors in the data.
Formulation and finite element implementation of a multiplicative model of coupled poro-plasticity at finite strains under fully saturated conditions

In this paper we present the formulation and numerical analysis of a finite deformation model of coupled poro-plasticity. Fully saturated conditions are assumed. The model is based on a multiplicative decomposition of the deformation gradient in elastic and plastic parts, together with an additive elastoplastic decomposition of the fluid content. The final relations describing the evolution of the different fields are then obtained in the thermodynamic framework furnished by the principle of maximum plastic dissipation. The particular case of an associated Drucker-Prager model in effective stresses is considered as a model example. A complete characterization of the dissipative structure of the problem of evolution is described through the derivation of an a priori stability estimate. We describe in detail the finite element implementation of the model in the context of staggered algorithms for the solution of the physically coupled problem. Finally, we present representative numerical simulations to illustrate the features of the proposed models. In particular, the case of strain localization in globally undrained conditions is studied in the proposed framework.
Laser Cleaning of Fifteenth and Early Sixteenth Century A.D. Wax Votive Images from St. Peter’s Cathedral, Exeter, England

A rare collection of cast votive images (ex-votos) made of beeswax were found in the 1940s behind the cresting of a screen above the tomb of Bishop Edmund Lacey in the Cathedral Church of St. Peter in Exeter, England. Some of these fragmentary, aged and brittle waxes, dating to the late fifteenth to early sixteenth centuries A.D., served as the basis to further test the cleaning of dirt and accretions using a Q-switched Nd:YAG laser. Because of the low melting point of the wax, observations made of the effects on the wax substrate due to heat emitted from the laser were critical to establish the efficacy of the cleaning method. Preliminary optical microscopy was used to establish a typology of the waxes based on their condition, color, and nature of the weathering phenomena. Several techniques were used to characterize the waxes and the surface deposits, including gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy (GC-MS), energy-dispersive x-ray fluorescence (EDXRF) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM-EDS), in addition to simple tests of melting point and hardness that served to help understand the nature, condition and treatment of the waxes [1].
Lot sizing in a no-wait flow shop

We consider a no-wait flow shop which manufactures large numbers of copies of a few basic job types. After observing that a no-wait flow shop can be modeled as a traveling salesman problem (TSP), we present some results which can be used to reduce the size of the problem. Further results frequently allow us to quickly generate an optimal sequence for a set of jobs, based on the known solution to a subset or superset of these jobs.
Screening for problem drinking in older primary care patients

Objective. —To describe potentially hazardous alcohol use among elderly patients in the primary care setting and to assess the widely used CAGE questionnaire (cut down, annoyed by criticism, guilty about drinking, eye-opener drinks) as a tool for detecting self-reported heavy and binge drinking among these patients. Design. —Cross-sectional study. Setting. —The offices of 88 primary care physicians at 21 sites in southeastern Wisconsin. Patients. —A total of 5065 consecutive consenting patients older than 60 years. Measures. —A previously validated self-administered questionnaire that included beverage-specific questions about the quantity and frequency of regular drinking in the last 3 months, the number of episodes of binge drinking (≥6 drinks per occasion), and the CAGE questionnaire. Results. —Fifteen percent of men and 12% of women regularly drank in excess of limits recommended by the National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (>7 drinks per week for women and >14 drinks per week for men). Nine percent of men and 2% of women reported regularly consuming more than 21 drinks per week. When we administered the CAGE questionnaire, 9% of men and 3% of women screened positive for alcohol abuse within 3 months. The CAGE performed poorly in detecting heavy or binge drinkers; fewer than half were CAGE positive when the standard cutoff of 2 positive answers was used. Conclusions. —Alcohol consumption in excess of recommended limits is common among elderly outpatients. The CAGE questionnaire alone is insufficient to detect such drinking. Asking questions on the quantity and frequency of drinking in addition to administering the CAGE increases the number of problem drinkers detected.
Political implications of the Islamic notion of 'supersession' as reflected in Islamic jurisprudence

Abstract The paper undertakes to investigate the ways in which the dominant Muslim community regulated legal‐ethical relations with its non‐Muslim minorities. The ideological underpinnings of the Islamic legal tradition in the area of jihad provided legitimacy for the Muslim political domination of the lands and peoples beyond the original boundaries of Islam. The central argument of the paper is that Muslim jurists were involved in the routinization of the qur'anic message about ‘Islam being the only true religion with God’ (Q. 3:19) in the context of the social and political position of the community. The interaction between the idea of Islam being the universal faith for all humankind and the existing predominance of Muslim political power created the specific legal language that provided the justification to extend the notion of jihad beyond its strictly defensive meaning in the Qur'an to its being an offensive instrument for Muslim creation of a dominant political order.
Extended labeling policies for enhanced application support

Abstract Trusted operating systems provide a wealth of security-related functionality. In the area of labeling and access control, however, they fall somewhat short because they provide only file-level labeling and access control. Many trusted applications rely on a finer granularity of policy enforcement. This paper describes a policy and mechanism for enforcing a finer granularity of labeling and access control on files. We present our results by describing the design and prototype implementation of this policy in a UNIX operating system. We also describe the implementation of a mail system and editor that successfully use the new features supported by the policy and, through analysis, demonstrate that the policy provides improved trusted database support.
Inferring finite automata with stochastic output functions and an application to map learning

It is often useful for a robot to construct a spatial representation of its environment from experiments and observations, in other words, to learn a map of its environment by exploration. In addition, robots, like people, make occasional errors in perceiving the spatial features of their environments. We formulate map learning as the problem of inferring from noisy observations the structure of a reduced deterministic finite automaton. We assume that the automaton to be learned has a distinguishing sequence. Observation noise is modeled by treating the observed output at each state as a random variable, where each visit to the state is an independent trial and the correct output is observed with probability exceeding 1/2. We assume no errors in the state transition function. Using this framework, we provide an exploration algorithm to learn the correct structure of such an automaton with probability 1 − δ, given as inputs δ, an upper bound m on the number of states, a distinguishing sequence s, and a lower bound α > 1/2 on the probability of observing the correct output at any state. The running time and the number of basic actions executed by the learning algorithm are bounded by a polynomial in δ−l, m, vsv, and (1/2-α)−1. We discuss the assumption that a distinguishing sequence is given, and present a method of using a weaker assumption. We also present and discuss simulation results for the algorithm learning several automata derived from office environments.
Aerosol distributions and cloud interactions at a mountaintop laboratory

[1] The first measurements of ultrafine (3–10 nm diameter) condensation nuclei concentrations and particle size distributions at Storm Peak Laboratory (3210 MSL) are presented. In-cloud average hourly average ultrafine concentrations peaked at 1608 cm−3 in the 1300 hour, MST. Under clear conditions in April and May 2001, average hourly average ultrafine concentrations reached 8947 cm−3 during the 1400 hour, MST. The highest observed 5-minute average ultrafine concentration was 32000 cm−3. A comparison of clear-air and interstitial aerosol size distributions indicates that particles larger than 0.5 μm were efficiently removed by snowing, mixed-phase clouds. Particles with diameters between 0.03–0.04 and 0.2 μm appeared to serve as cloud condensation nuclei. The observed loss of particles smaller than 16 nm in-cloud may be explained by diffusion to cloud drops.
EFFECTS OF FOOD DEPRIVATION ON SPONTANEOUS ACTIVITY AND BLOOD GLUCOSE

In Exp. 1, rats were food-deprived for either 0, 1, 2, 3, or 4 days in a wheel or stabilimeter. Activity increased with deprivation for the wheel groups only, whereas blood glucose decreased in both conditions but significantly more for the wheel groups. Glucose was more highly related to weight loss than activity. In Exp. 2, groups were deprived in the wheels but prevented from running just prior to blood analysis. No short-term effect was observed; rather glucose changes were the same as found in Exp. 1. A possible relationship between glucose and activity is discussed.
Biophysical Studies of Cecropin-Mellitin Antimicrobial Peptides with Improved Selectivity

Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) have received much attention as models for the development of antibiotics capable of meeting the challenge of drug-resistant infections. Our research has focused on a linear, 15-residue cecropin-mellitin (CM) hybrid peptide designated CM15. In these studies we compare the biological activities and membrane interactions of CM15 and lysine substituted derivates designed to have optimized amphipathicity upon membrane binding. Previous studies have shown that these lysine enriched peptides maintain the high antimicrobial activity of the parent peptide but have substantially decreased hemolytic effects (Sato and Feix, Antimicrob. Agents Chemother. 52, 4463, 2008). Using model membranes to understand the differences that govern peptide-membrane interaction, we have performed a series of biophysical experiments including circular dichroism (CD), fluorescence, and site-directed spin labeling (SDSL) electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy. These experiments establish the structures of the membrane-bound peptides, determine the extent of membrane lysis, and allow determination of partition coefficients and depth of penetration. Our results show that differences in red cell hemolysis can be reconstructed using model membranes, and provide insights into the mechanism of membrane disruption. This work was supported by award number R01GM068829 from the National Institute Of General Medical Sciences.
The Linear Response Approximation and Its Lowest Order Corrections: An Influence Functional Approach

A cumulant expansion of the influence functional entering the path integral representation of the reduced density matrix is presented. Truncation of the expansion at the quadratic terms allows mapping of a many-body environment onto an effective harmonic model with the same force autocorrelation function, recovering the conventional linear response limit. It is shown that the latter becomes exact in the thermodynamic limit if the bath consists of independent modes coupled to the system via coefficients that scale appropriately with the size of the bath. Low-order correction terms to the linear response approximation are found to be given by multitime correlation functions of the force exerted by the bath on the system. Within a classical approximation, such correction terms can be obtained from molecular dynamics calculations and incorporated in the path integral, which can be evaluated by means of iterative procedures. Numerical calculations on an intrinsically nonlinear bath of two-level systems confirm...
Aortic translocation for the management of double-outlet right ventricle and pulmonary stenosis with dextrocardia: technique to avoid coronary insufficiency

The management of D-loop transposition of the great arteries with left ventricular outflow tract obstruction and related forms of double-outlet right ventricle is challenging. Association with right ventricular and tricuspid valve hypoplasia and dextrocardia represents a major obstacle to achieve a biventricular repair. The most commonly used technique to deal with this condition, which is the Rastelli operation, further reduces the potentially compromised right ventricular volume due to the left ventricle-to-aorta baffle. Because the Rastelli operation risks later development of left ventricular outflow tract obstruction, aortic translocation can be considered for these patients. We report a case of double-outlet right ventricle with left ventricular outflow tract obstruction in the setting of dextrocardia, left juxtaposition of the atrial appendages, and a small tricuspid valve, which was successfully managed with a biventricular repair by means of an aortic translocation technique.
Immunoglobulin M Monoclonal Gammopathy of Undetermined Significance and Smoldering Waldenström Macroglobulinemia

Abstract Monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance of the immunoglobulin M class was diagnosed in 213 patients at the Mayo Clinic, 29 (14%) of whom developed lymphoma, Waldenstrom macroglobulinemia, or a related disorder over 1567 person-years of follow-up. The cumulative probability of progression was 10% at 5 years, 18% at 10 years, and 24% at 15 years, or approximately 1.5% per year. The concentration of serum monoclonal protein at diagnosis and the initial serum albumin value were the only independent predictors of progression with multivariate analysis. By contrast, during 285 person-years of follow-up, 34 (71%) of 48 patients with smoldering Waldenstrom macroglobulinemia (SWM) progressed to Waldenstrom macroglobulinemia (WM), which required therapy, along with amyloid light chain (AL) amyloidosis (1) and lymphoma (1). The cumulative probability of progression was 6% at 1 year, 39% at 3 years, 59% at 5 years, and 65% at 10 years. The percentage of lymphoplasmacytic cells in the bone marrow, size of the serum monoclonal (M) spike, and hemoglobin value were significant independent risk factors for progression.
EFFECT OF BILE DUCT LIGATION ON BILE ACID COMPOSITION IN MOUSE SERUM AND LIVER

Background Cholestatic liver diseases can be caused by genetic defects, drug toxicities, hepatobiliary malignancies or obstruction of the biliary tract. Cholestasis leads to accumulation of bile acids (BAs) in hepatocytes. Direct toxicity of BAs is currently the most accepted hypothesis for cholestatic liver injury. However, information on which bile acids are actually accumulating during cholestasis is limited.
Principles governing biomolecule interactions at foreign interfaces.

The adsorption, conformational changes, and desorption of biological molecules at foreign interfaces are effected by both kinetic and thermodynamic factors. The thermodynamic factors which drive the biomolecule/foreign interface system towards equilibrium include the enthalpy and entropy changes occurring during each step in the adsorption process. The principles governing interaction of proteins with nonwettable (nonpolar) and wettable (polar) foreign interfaces are discussed in terms of these thermodynamic parameters. Some examples to illustrate these arguments are presented are presented for plasma-protein interactions on Silastic and radiation-grafted hydrogel/Silastic interfaces.
Identifying differential transcription factor binding in ChIP-seq

ChIP seq is a widely used assay to measure genome-wide protein binding. The decrease in costs associated with sequencing has led to a rise in the number of studies that investigate protein binding across treatment conditions or cell lines. In addition to the identification of binding sites, new studies evaluate the variation in protein binding between conditions. A number of approaches to study differential transcription factor binding have recently been developed. Several of these methods build upon established methods from RNA-seq to quantify differences in read counts. We compare how these new approaches perform on different data sets from the ENCODE project to illustrate the impact of data processing pipelines under different study designs. The performance of normalization methods for differential ChIP-seq depends strongly on the variation in total amount of protein bound between conditions, with total read count outperforming effective library size, or variants thereof, when a large variation in binding was studied. Use of input subtraction to correct for non-specific binding showed a relatively modest impact on the number of differential peaks found and the fold change accuracy to biological validation, however a larger impact might be expected for samples with more extreme copy number variations between them. Still, it did identify a small subset of novel differential regions while excluding some differential peaks in regions with high background signal. These results highlight proper scaling for between-sample data normalization as critical for differential transcription factor binding analysis and suggest bioinformaticians need to know about the variation in level of total protein binding between conditions to select the best analysis method. At the same time, validation using fold-change estimates from qRT-PCR suggests there is still room for further method improvement.
Acoustic and visual cues in the dances of four honey bee species

The sounds produced during the dance of the European honey bee, Apis mellifera, are potentially important in the reception of the dance information by recruit bees. I have studied the dances of the three Asian honey bee species and have found that the single species which nests in dark cavities like A. mellifera produces similar sounds, while the two open-nesting species produce none. This and other evidence suggest that the different species may perceive their dances through different sensory channels.
Motivation: escape to freedom, the important ingredient in short-term psychotherapy.

The presentation points up the important role of motivation in surmounting a crippling behavioral response and encouraging affective growth. The progress of a highly motivated woman in psychotherapy is described briefly. Attention is directed to motivation in short-term psychotherapy.
Use of anti-D in immune thrombocytopenic purpura as a means to prevent splenectomy: case reports from two University Hospital Medical Centers.

Abstract Presented here are 16 case studies of adults with immune (idiopathic) thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP); 5 were treated at Hackensack University Medical Center (HUMC), Hackensack, NJ, and 11 were treated at the Allegheny University Hospital (AUH), Medical College of Pennsylvania. Four of the 5 patients at HUMC had initial transient responses to intravenous immunoglobulin G (IVIg) therapy and required large doses of corticosteroids to maintain platelet counts over 50,000/μL. One elderly patient with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) had been treated unsuccessfully with corticosteroids and immunosuppressants to maintain her platelet count over 50,000/μL. All 5 patients were given 1 or 2 doses of anti-D at 50 μg/kg, leading to complete resolution of ITP. Following anti-D therapy, patients were tapered off corticosteroids and currently remain in complete remission with platelet counts over 100,000/μL. The mechanism of action of anti-D in ITP remains unclear and requires further study. Treatment of the 11 patients at AUH began with corticosteroids, which resulted in no durable therapeutic response. Anti-D was then given at 50 μg/kg, and this provoked an excellent response with a prompt recovery of platelet levels to 100,000/μL, after which active treatment was halted. Patients were monitored by direct office visit every 3 months unless a clinical indication required an earlier return. If the patient's platelets dropped below 100,000/μL, they were first given prednisone. As of the last follow-up, all 11 patients remain stable and no patients have required splenectomy.
Finite element analysis of ply-by-ply and equivalent stress concentrations in composite plates with multiple holes under tensile and shear loading

Abstract The finite element method is employed to analyze the stress concentration effects of multiple holes in laminated composite plates. The analysis considers the composites both as homogeneous orthotropic plates producing an equivalent property solution, and as laminates consisting of laminae of various orientations, each having its own stress concentration. Theoretical verification of special cases of the analyses are described. Finite element results for [0±45/0]2s and [0 + 45/90]2s laminates loaded in tension or shear are presented. The results are condensed into ‘design curves’ to allow the designer to estimate stress concentrations. These curves allow comparison of stress concentrations on a lamina or laminate basis, for tension or shear, and for the number, size and relative position of holes. It is concluded that the presence of multiple holes tends to increase stress concentration over that which it would be if there were only one hole. Certain sizes and locations of holes also tend to increase stress concentration.
Antioxidant potency of highly purified polyepicatechin fractions

The purpose of this study was to characterise the purified fractions of the novel highly stable polymer polyepicatechin and test them for their antioxidant potency. This paper presents, for the first time, a methodology for separating the fractions for food applications. Polyepicatechin is synthesised, using Green chemistry, through the enzymatic polymerisation, in a water/ethanol mixture of epicatechin (a flavonol found in green tea). The polyepicatechin, which is entirely different from the natural proanthocyanidin, is soluble in a water/ethanol mixture. The ultimate objective is to increase the thermal stability and antioxidant potency of epicatechin so it can be applied to foods, such as poultry and fish, to reduce their rancidity. UV–Vis, FTIR, MS–MS and NMR were used to deduce certain aspects of the structure, and the experimental work was combined with computational modeling. The results show polyepicatechin gives a preferable site of reaction via-resorcinol and the lowest polar fraction shows higher antioxidant potency compared to tert-butylhydroquinone (TBHQ). The next step is to assess the enzyme inhibition and anticancer potency of these fractions.
Hydrolysis at One of the Two Nucleotide-binding Sites Drives the Dissociation of ATP-binding Cassette Nucleotide-binding Domain Dimers

The functional unit of ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporters consists of two transmembrane domains and two nucleotide-binding domains (NBDs). ATP binding elicits association of the two NBDs, forming a dimer in a head-to-tail arrangement, with two nucleotides “sandwiched” at the dimer interface. Each of the two nucleotide-binding sites is formed by residues from the two NBDs. We recently found that the prototypical NBD MJ0796 from Methanocaldococcus jannaschii dimerizes in response to ATP binding and dissociates completely following ATP hydrolysis. However, it is still unknown whether dissociation of NBD dimers follows ATP hydrolysis at one or both nucleotide-binding sites. Here, we used luminescence resonance energy transfer to study heterodimers formed by one active (donor-labeled) and one catalytically defective (acceptor-labeled) NBD. Rapid mixing experiments in a stop-flow chamber showed that NBD heterodimers with one functional and one inactive site dissociated at a rate indistinguishable from that of dimers with two hydrolysis-competent sites. Comparison of the rates of NBD dimer dissociation and ATP hydrolysis indicated that dissociation followed hydrolysis of one ATP. We conclude that ATP hydrolysis at one nucleotide-binding site drives NBD dimer dissociation.
Two simple approximations to the thermal diffusion factor and their applications to flame studies

Abstract It is shown that formulas developed previously for the thermal diffusion factor imply a close relation between it and the translational and internal heat conductivities, λ i trans and λ i int , of each species in a multicomponent mixture. This suggests a phenomenological relationship that is more difficult to calculate than the translational heat conductivity of a multicomponent mixture. The calculation in fact uses the same set of inputs and collision integrals that enter the calculation of λ i trans and seems to be as accurate as the first Chapman-Cowling approximation of α ij . Further approximations lead to a “back-of-the-envelope” approximation for the high-temperature limit. Coupled with the binary trace approximation, this allows extremely fast estimates of thermal diffusion fluxes. Several sample calculations demonstrate the accuracy of these formulas for systems containing rare gas atoms, molecules with internal degrees of freedom, and polar molecules. When an old set of flame structure data is reanalyzed with the inclusion of thermal diffusive fluxes calculated with these formulas, several anomalies previously attributed to experimental error disappear. A comparison with a standard flame structure calculation shows that here even the “back-of-the-envelope” approximation is semiquantitative.
Cervical headgear usage and thebioprogressive orthodontic philosophy

During the past 125 years, a variety of headgear appliances have been used as adjuncts during orthodontic therapy. At the outset, a headgear was usually used in combination with the extraction of the upper first bicuspid teeth which created the space required to retract protruding upper anterior teeth. It did not take long for clinicians to understand that some form of extraoral support was required to augment the somewhat-limited anchor-age provided by the maxillary bicuspid and molar teeth during incisor retraction. Thus, the headgear became the treatment auxiliary of choice during the retraction of the anterior segment of teeth. Used in this manner, the appliance became known as occipital, or headgear anchorage. After the introduction of cephalometric radiography, it became evident that headgear appliances could be used not only to move teeth, but also as orthopedic appliances to modify the development of the jaws of growing children. With time and development, headgears lost some of their early complexity and they evolved into appliances that closely resembled modern cervical headgears. The cervical pull headgear soon became involved in a controversy when some clinicians claimed that the use of a high pull, or occipital pull headgear resulted in more optimal treatment results than the cervical pull headgear. The Bioprogressive philosophy of orthodontic therapy recommends the use of cervical headgears in the unequivocal belief that, when correctly used, they produce the most advantageous and predictable orthopedic changes in growing faces.