cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
TH-A-116-06: Near-Global Beam Angle Optimization for Intensity Modulated Proton Therapy

Purpose: To solve the beam angle optimization (BAO) problem of IMPT to provable near‐global optimality. Global BAO, the selection of a given small number of beams from a large set of candidate beams, remains computationally hard due to the large scale and combinatorial nature of the problem. Exhaustive search is computationally prohibited. Stochastic optimization and local search have been used but confidence in global optimality cannot be established. Methods: We use a fast projection solver for the multi‐criteria robust IMPT optimization. Equally spaced 36 beams are optimized initially to generate a global optimal solution. The 36‐beam plan is then reduced to a 3‐beam plan by iteratively removing the beam with least average intensity and re‐optimizing subjected to 3% relaxation on the best objective value. The true optimal 3‐beam plan is also found by exhaustive search as a benchmark. Results: We apply the method to a chordoma case and an orbital rhabdomyosarcoma case. The optimal 3‐beam plan is only 3–5% worse than the optimal 36‐beam plan in terms of the objective value. The 3‐beam plan efficiently reduced from the 36‐beam optimal plan is almost as good as the optimal 3‐beam plan. There exist a large number of nearly optimal 3‐beam combinations. For these two cases our method finds near‐global optimal plan using 3 beams in a time scale of minutes. Exhaustive search would take on the order of days. Conclusion: We find that IMPT plans using 3 or 4 beams are only marginally improved by adding more beams. By exploiting the high degeneracy of the solution space, we present an efficient column reducing framework for global IMPT BAO. It first finds an optimal many‐beam plan and then uses the column reducing approach to produce a plan with a small number of beams at a user‐selected tolerance from the global optimal plan. This work was supported in part by NCI Grant P01 CA21239 Proton Radiation Therapy Research and NCI Grant R01 CA103904‐01A1 Multi‐criteria IMRT Optimization.
Fear assessment in a dental analogue setting

An analogue setting for assessing dental fear involving a videotaped simulated dental operation was evaluated in terms of its capability of eliciting differential physiological arousal (Palmer Sweat Index) between high- and low-fear subjects, identified by self-reports of dental fear. Results showed high-fear subjects to exhibit significantly greater palmar sweating than did low-fear subjects, females to respond more than males, and a differential response across groups at different points during the simulated operation. High-fear subjects also gave verbal reports of greater physiological arousal and general anxiety while viewing the operation than did low-fear subjects.
Amphetamine usage and genital self‐mutilation

Amphetamine usage has been associated with addiction, psychosis and self-injurious behavior. We report on two patients who severely and repeatedly mutilated their own genitalia while intoxicated on amphetamines and consider possible diagnostic etiologies.
A Simple Procedure for the Estimation of Total Lipids in Liquid Egg White

Abstract THE estimation of small amounts of lipids in egg white has become an important quality control test in the egg processing industry. Bergquist and Wells (1956) adapted, to egg white, a micromethod described by Heinemann and Rohr (1950) for the determination of fat in skimmilk and non-fat dry milk solids. This method entails an ethyl alcohol, ethyl ether, petroleum ether extraction in an ammoniacal system. The amount of lipid in this extract is determined by observing the area of a monomolecular surface film. Colburn (1960) evaluated several factors affecting the accuracy of this test and devised an alternate method to measure the surface area of the lipid. His method gave comparable accuracy in less time and partially corrects for film pressure variations. Smith (1960) reported that while increasing amounts of natural whole egg yolk results in increasing linear increments of film area, the individual lipid components do not result in…
Stimulation of central and systemic oxytocin release by histamine in the paraventricular hypothalamic nucleus: evidence for an interaction with norepinephrine.

Central histaminergic neurons have been implicated in the control of oxytocin (OT) secretion in various physiological conditions, including parturition and lactation. The present studies investigated whether histamine also influences the central intranuclear release of OT, which is known to be important in the activation of OT neurons, and the possible interaction of histamine with norepinephrine in systemic and central OT release. Microdialysis probes were placed immediately adjacent to the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus (PVN) and used for administration of artificial cerebrospinal fluid (ACSF) vehicle, ACSF containing histamine, ACSF containing histamine in combination with a specific H1 or H2 histamine receptor antagonist, or ACSF containing histamine and the α-adrenergic antagonist phentolamine. Dialysates and plasma were collected, and OT concentrations were determined using RIA. Dialysis of the PVN with ACSF containing histamine significantly increased the release of OT systemically and centra...
Circulation about the Mediterranean Tongue: An analysis of an EOF-based model ocean

Abstract Absolute circulation about the Mediterranean salt tongue is examined using a combined box/β-spiral inverse model, applied to a model ocean constructed from a limited number of degrees of freedom. The region of analysis is inside a square box, 12° on each side centered about 30°N 25°W. The resulting flow field is consistent with other recent analyses of the region, but demonstrates that no mixing is required to obtain a consistent picture. The circulation consists of an anticyclonic flow (order 1 cm s −1 above the thermocline and a cyclonic flow (order 1 mm s −1 ) near the core of the Mediterranean Water. These findings imply that an efficient description of the hydrographic structure of the ocean retains essential features of the ocean from which circulation can be determined.
Spatial sublocales and essential primes

Abstract In this paper, we characterize those locales L such that every sublocale is spatial. The notion of essential prime is introduced and it is shown that every sublocale of L is spatial iff every element of L is the meet of its essential primes. This is related to work of Simmons characterizing when the assembly NL of nuclei on L is spatial. If L is the open subsets of a space X , these conditions correspond to X being weakly scattered. Finally, the main theorem is applied to the case X = spec R , where R is a commutative ring with identity.
Comparative Investigation of O2 Delivery Pathwys in A-Type and B-Type Cytochrome C Oxidases

Cytochrome c oxidase (CcO), a redox proton pump, terminates the aerobic respiratory chain by catalyzing the reduction of O2 to water. Various isoforms of CcO enzymes with distinct biochemical properties and different organism distributions have been identified. A-type CcOs are distributed in all three kingdoms of life. B-type CcOs are found only in archaea and bacteria. CcOs rely on efficient pathways for protons, electrons, and O2, connecting their buried heme-copper catalytic site to the surface of the protein. Here, we employed molecular dynamics simulation to probe and characterize pathways for the O2 delivery to CcO's catalytic site using both explicit and implicit ligand sampling methods. A-type (CcO caa3) and B-type (CcO ba3) CcO enzymes from Thermus thermophilus were investigated. While CcO caa3 is constitutively expressed, CcO ba3 is expressed under low oxygen condition, implying possible differences between the two enzymes in their ability and efficiency to recruit O2. Although the characterized O2 pathways exhibit a close similarity between the two enzymes from a structural perspective, O2 dynamics through these pathways is quite different. In CcO ba3, O2 reached the catalytic site rather rapidly, i.e., within a few nanoseconds, while the process was much slower and required several tens of nanoseconds in CcO caa3. In each enzyme, O2 entered the protein and reached the catalytic site via a membrane-accessible hydrophobic channel observed in X-ray structures. While O2 was found to diffuse freely into CcO ba3 through the hydrophobic channel, the O2 pathway in CcO caa3 was constricted by the presence of large aliphatic and aromatic residues. The findings relate the functional and structural adaption of CcO to oxygen-stress conditions.
TEMPERATURE, SALINITY, AND SOUTHERN LIMITS OF THREE SPECIES OF PACIFIC COTTID FISHES

Three species of cottid fishes, Oligocottus maculosus, Clin.ocottus globiceps, and Leptocottus armatus, were subjected to tests to determine their relative dcgrce of tolerance of elevated tempcraturc and salinity. They were found tolerant of approximately double strength sea water for up to 14 hours, at 12°C. Elevation of tcmpcrature resulted in partial failure of osmoregulation at about 16°C in the first two named spccics and at about 25°C in L. armatus. The tempcraturc related reaction to osmotic stress can bc related to maximum shore temperatures at the southern extremity of the ranges of 0. maculosus and C. globiceps. In intraspecific comparison, tolerance of elevated salinity dots not imply tolerance of high temperature and vice versa.
Neural network approach to the determination of the geophysical model function of the ERS-1 C-band spaceborne radar scatterometer

Geophysical Model Functions (GMF) describing the relationship between the scatterometer normalized radar cross section (sigma-0) and useful geophysical parameters such as sea-surface wind vectors, wave heights, and sea- surface temperatures have been undergoing extensive research and development during the last decade. In this study, we investigate the use of two feed-forward neural networks, Multilayer Perceptron and Radial Basis Functions, for developing a useful and accurate representation of the C- band GMF. Collocated radar sigma-0 cells with global wind vector models were used as the database of the study. The resulting well-known biharmonic relationship between the sigma-0 and the relative azimuth angle between the scatterometer antenna beam azimuth and wind direction shows the excellent agreement between the neural network and previous results. The applicability of the neural techniques in this application are clearly presented and the potential for possible enhancement over previous approaches are discussed.© (1997) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Intrusion Detector using Hidden Markov Model against Denial of Service Attack in Wireless Networks

The third-generation (3G) wireless network is a convergence of several types of telecommunication networks to support various wireless data services. Wireless LAN also supports mobility via mobile IP. As a result, the convergence and mobility have potential vulnerability in security. In this paper, a Denial-of-Service (DoS) attack which can waste wireless resource by sending a large number of nuisance packets to the spoofed destination address of IP packets is introduced. To effectively prevent the attack, fast detection, reliability, and efficiency with small overhead are suggested as requirements in a detection system. We propose a detector using Hidden Markov Model (HMM) to achieve these requirements and reduce the influences of the attack as fast as possible. The generation of the HMM for the detector are discussed and the operation of the detector are described. Weighting factors and second order Markov models are employed to improve the reliability of the detector. The proposed system is compared with the existing sequential detection approach in terms of the false alarm rate and optimum detection time interval to evaluate the performance of the detectors. Our simulation results using ns-2 simulator shows that the proposed HMM detector is reliable and fast to detect the attack due to its dynamic property.
Motor neuron disease: progressive muscular atrophy in the ALS spectrum.

A large, retrospective analysis of patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and progressive muscular atrophy (PMA) indicates that a substantial proportion of PMA patients develop upper motor neuron signs indicative of an ALS diagnosis. The findings suggest that PMA should be considered as part of the ALS spectrum rather than as a distinct entity.
Cyclosporine-induced transient renal hypoperfusion in adolescent transplant recipients

We investigated the acute hemodynamic effect of a single oral dose of cyclosporine A (CsA) given as part of the immunosuppressive schedule in six adolescents with renal transplants. Renal plasma flow (RPF) and glomerular filtration rate (GFR) were determined by continuous infusion of inulin and amino-hippuric acid for 12 h. A fall in both GFR and RPF was observed 4-6 h after peak plasma CsA levels. No significant correlation was found with CsA dosage or any pharmacokinetic parameters. This study demonstrates that CsA also has a vasoconstrictory effect in adolescent recipients; this could be one of the causes of its nephrotoxicity.
Growth hormone granulation pattern and somatostatin receptor subtype 2A correlate with postoperative somatostatin receptor ligand response in acromegaly: a large single center experience

Acromegaly is associated with serious morbidity and mortality, if not well controlled. Approved somatostatin receptor ligands (SRLs) are a mainstay of medical therapy and exhibit preferential affinity for somatostatin receptor (SSTR) subtype 2. Our objective was to assess whether characteristic features of individual growth hormone (GH)-secreting adenomas at diagnosis, correlated with SRL sensitivity, using defined tumor markers. A retrospective review of 86 consecutive acromegaly surgeries (70 patients) performed between January 2006 and December 2011 was undertaken. Patients with any preoperative medical treatment were excluded. Response to SRL therapy was defined as normalization of insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF1) and random GH < 1.0 ng/dl. Immunohistochemical staining pattern: sparsely granulated, densely granulated, mixed growth hormone-prolactin (GH/PRL) and SSRT2 positivity (+) were correlated with clinicopathologic features, adenoma recurrence, and SRL treatment response. Two-tailed t test, univariate ANOVA, Kruskal–Wallis and bivariate correlation were performed using PAWS 18. The cohort eligible for analysis comprised 59 patients (41 female and 18 male). Based on pre-surgery adenoma imaging dimensions, 81.3 % (48) were macroadenomas and average maximum tumor diameter was 18.1 ± 9.9 mm. Patients on SRLs were followed for 13.4 ± 15.8 (mean ± SD) months. Sparsely granulated adenomas were significantly larger at diagnosis, exhibited lower SSTR2 positivity and had a lower rate of biochemical normalization to SRLs. Densely granulated adenomas were highly responsive to SRLs. Overall, patients with SSTR2A+ adenomas responded more favorably to SRL treatment than those with SSTR2A− adenomas. Eighty-one percent of patients with SSTR2A+ adenomas were biochemically controlled (both GH and IGF1) on SRL treatment, e.g. a much higher normalization rate than that reported in the unselected acromegaly population (20–30 %). Detailed knowledge of adenoma GH granularity and the immunohistochemical SSTR2A+ status is a predictor of SRL response. These immunoreactive markers should be assessed routinely on surgical specimens to assess subsequent SRL responsiveness and potential need for adjunctive therapy after surgery.
Stability of the Adiabatic Motion of Charged Particles in the Earth's Field

The motion of charged particles in a magnetic field such that of the earth or that of a magnetic mirror machine is discussed. It is shown that during the motion and drift of a relativistic particle, not only the magnetic moment, but also a longitudinal invariant and an additional flux invariant are adiabatically conserved. These conservation laws lead to retention of the particles in the field. The derivation of the adiabatic invariants leads to a set of equations of motion which describe the average drift of the particles from one force line to the other, and which also describe the changes that occur in the energies and periods associated with the motion. In the absence of scattering, loss of particles from the magnetic field will be due to the violation of the adiabatic laws.
Gender differences in response to the Multitest CMI skin test in the general population

Background Previous studies of gender differences in response to the Multitest CMI skin test have produced conflicting results. Objective To determine whether gender is associated with response to the Multitest CMI skin test. Methods Two-hundred ninety-seven adults, aged 18 to 64 years, recruited originally for a study of the immune effects associated with living near a hazardous waste site containing primarily organochlorine pesticides, underwent a skin test using the Multitest CMI skin test. Six of seven antigens were tested: tetanus toxoid, diphtheria toxoid, Candida, Tricophyton, Streptococcus, and Proteus. The tuberculin antigen was excluded. Lymphocyte function was also evaluated in vitro using standardized methods of mitogen stimulation with phytohemaglutinin (PHA), concanavalin A (CON-A), and pokeweed mitogen. Results The frequency of positive responses to the skin tests was significantly ( P P P Trycophyton. Controlling for age, race, smoking, income, and plasma DDE levels did not change these results. Skin test positivity was not associated with mitogen stimulation assay results overall or within gender groups. Conclusion Significant gender differences in response to the Multitest CMI skin test could limit its use as a marker of anergy in general population studies.
Dexamethasone reduces tachykinin but not ACh airway hyperreactivity after O3.

We investigated whether dexamethasone pretreatment affected the acute increase in airway reactivity produced by high-level ozone exposure. Reactivity to intravenous IV substance P (SP), IV acetylcholine (ACh), or aerosolized capsaicin (CAP) before and 1 hr after ozone exposure (3 ppm for 2 hr) was determined by measuring specific airway resistance in anesthetized, spontaneously breathing guinea pigs, half of whom had been pretreated for 2 days pre-ozone with dexamethasone (2 mg/kg intramuscularly [IM] daily). The amount of IV SP, IV ACh, or inhaled capsaicin necessary to increase baseline specific airway resistance by 100% (ED200ACh or ED2OOSP) or 35% (ED135CAP) was determined by interpolation from dose-response curves. Compared to their pre-ozone status on the day of exposure, we found that dexamethasone-pretreated animals manifested significantly less of an increase in airway reactivity postozone to IV SP or inhaled CAP than did untreated animals. Changes in logEDs of the pretreated group were 0.18 ±0.03 (mean ± SE) for SP and 2.20 ± 0.11 for CAP compared to 0.27 ± 0.04 and 3.38 ± 0.34, respectively, for the untreated groups post-ozone (p < 0.05 and n = 4 for each). In contrast, dexamethasone pretreatment had no effect on IV ACh reactivity postozone: changes in logED2OOACh were 0.27 ± 0.08 and 0.28 ± 0.04 for the pretreated and untreated groups, respectively (n = 4). In animals pretreated with captopril to block possible dexamethasone stimulation of angiotensin-converting enzyme synthesis that could influence tachykinin reactivity, we found that the corticosteroid effect on post-ozone SP reactivity was as marked as that seen in animals without captopril (n = 4). Because these reactivity studies were consistent with the possibility that dexamethasone may ameliorate ozone-induced, tachykinin hyperreactivity by stimulating airway neutral endopeptidase (NEP), we measured NEP activity by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) of each tracheal homogenate made from other groups of animals. Homogenates from ozone-exposed, dexamethasone-pretreated animals demonstrated significantly greater NEP activity (81 ± 24%) than that from ozone-exposed, untreated animals (p < 0.05, n = 5). We conclude that corticosteroid pretreatment reduces the acute increase in airway reactivity to exogenous and endogenous tachykinins caused by ozone. This reduction may be at least partly due to stimulation of airway NEP activity, perhaps most of which is nonmucosal in that ozone acutely inactivates mucosal NEP.
The chemistry of the 2-thiobarbituric acid test for the determination of oxidative rancidity in foods. I. Some important side reactions

Evidence is presented by UV, visible, and IR spectra as well as by paper and column chromatography of variously treated TBA-acid reagents that the structure of TBA is altered upon acid-heat treatment. A more pronounced but similar effect results from the treatment of the TBA with hydrogen peroxide. Some of the degradation products of TBA absorb at the same wavelength as the TBA-malonaldehyde complex, as do many compounds which are reported in the literature to react with TBA. The significance of these findings in respect to the quantitative aspects of the test for the determination of rancidity in food products is discussed.
Examining Identity Theft: Empirical Explorations of the Offense and the Offender

Abstract Identity theft is an emerging crime area that has, in recent years, garnered increasing attention from the media. Much of that attention has tended to center on extreme cases of economic loss to victims and other long-term hardships suffered by victims in their attempts to recover their financial “good name” after their stolen identities are used to commit fraud. This article calls attention to the need to develop and conduct empirical research to provide a clearer and more comprehensive picture of common characteristics of the crime of identity theft and, also, of those who commit it. The article focuses on two particular studies (one using archival data, the other using interviews) that afford evidence-based insights into this crime area. It then discusses the policy implication value of how this type of offense-offender research can be integrated with victim research to enhance identity theft control.
East Coast Cool-Weather Storms in the New York Metropolitan Region

Abstract New York coastal regions are frequently exposed to winter extratropical storm systems that exhibit a wide range of local impacts. Studies of these systems either have used localized water-level or beach erosion data to identify and characterize the storms or have used meteorological conditions from reanalysis data to provide a general regional “climatology” of storms. The use of meteorological conditions to identify these storms allows an independent assessment of impacts on the coastal environment and therefore can be used to predict the impacts. However, the intensity of these storms can exhibit substantial spatial variability that may not be captured by the relatively large scales of the studies using reanalysis data, and this fact may affect the localized assessment of storm impact on the coastal communities. A method that uses data from National Data Buoy Center stations in the New York metropolitan area to identify East Coast cool-weather storms (ECCSs) and to describe their climatological ...
Phosphorylation of tubulin by casein kinase II regulates its binding to a neuronal protein (NP185) associated with brain coated vesicles

: We recently described a new protein associated exclusively with neuronal clathrin-coated vesicles (CCVs), and characterized two monoclonal antibodies that react with it (S-8G8 and S-6G7). In this report, the association of neuronal protein of 185 kilodaltons (NP185) with CCV kinases and its interaction with tubulin are described. The affinity of NP185 for tubulin is significantly enhanced when tubulin is phosphorylated by CCV-associated casein kinase II. In contrast, phosphorylation of tubulin by a kinase activity associated with purified brain tubulin decreases its affinity for NP185. Together, these data suggest that the interaction of NP185 with tubulin is modulated by protein phosphorylation. Recent evidence has suggested that tubulin is phosphorylated by casein kinase II during neurite development. The enhanced affinity of NP185 for tubulin phosphorylated by casein kinase II could be important for proper intracellular sorting of this protein in the developing neuron.
High Hope and Low Regard: The Resiliency of Adolescents' Educational Expectations While Developing in Challenging Political Contexts

This study examines how adolescents perceive and evaluate fairness of opportunity within the United States and the concomitant impact of those influences on their educational expectations. The multiethnic, predominately (56%) African-American sample of 502 public school students were enrolled in grades 10, 11 and 12. Participants were randomly selected from secondary schools in the northeastern region of the US. Students completed self-report questionnaires which served as part of a larger multiyear study. Results demonstrated that, when compared against older students, perceptions of fairness for younger children had a stronger and negative relationship with educational expectations. For older students, positive teacher perceptions had a positive relationship with educational expectations. For younger students, educational expectations were best explained by overall school climate.
Prioritized aggregation operators

We consider criteria aggregation problems where there exists a prioritization relationship over the criteria. We suggest that prioritization between criteria can be modeled by making the weights associated with a criteria dependent upon the satisfaction of the higher priority criteria. We consider a number of aggregation operators in which there exists a prioritization relationship between the arguments. We first introduce a prioritized scoring operator and a closely related prioritized averaging operator. We next introduce a prioritized “anding” and then a prioritized “oring” operator.
The Range of Strategic Choice in Tanzanian Industry

Abstract This paper reports the results of a strategic planning exercise carried out in Tanzania and shows that under actual planning conditions there can be a wide range of potential outcomes for decision-makers to consider. With a given output mix and the same level of investment over twenty years, employment creation could be 35 percent higher than the most capital-intensive alternatives would allow and incremental value added could be 5 percent higher. If different output mixes are introduced and a basic, heavy-industry strategy compared with one based strictly on economic efficiency, the most labor-intensive outcome would create 70 percent more jobs than the most capital intensive and produce 12 percent more incremental value added. A basic industry strategy can substantially reduce reliance on international trade, lowering the share of industrial value added due to trade-dependent industries from 47 percent to 11 percent, but may be more difficult to implement.
POSSIBLE VERTICAL TRANSMISSION OF ACQUIRED IMMUNODEFICIENCY DEFICIENCY IN INTRAVENOUS DRUG USERS

9 pregnant intravenous drug using mothers and their respective infants were studied. 3 mothers (1,4,5) had decreased T cell %. 3 mothers (1,2,3) displayed an abnormally low T4/T8 ratio during pregnancy and post partally (1,2). Transient depression of lymphocyte stimulation by PHA occurred in 1 mother (2). Depression of the PWM response occurred in another (1). Both of these subjects demonstrated polyclonal hypergammaglobulinemia and elevated circulating immune complexes. Mother 5 was diagnosed with Burkitt's lymphoma during pregnancy. Mother 6 developed depressed PHA and PWM responses and a T4/T8 ratio of .71 immediately post partum. Baby 2 exhibited an elevated IgM level and a low PWM response at birth. The T4/T8 ratio declined from 3.2 at birth to 1.16 at 5 months of age in association with a low PHA response and a further depression of the PWM response. Baby 4 displayed low total T cell % and depressed Con A and PWM responses. Baby 6 demonstrated an IgG level of 2700 and a T4/T8 ratio of .69. No other clinical or immunologic abnormalities were noted among the 9 babies. Specimens for viral isolation were obtained from various sites including the placenta. Adeno-virus was isolated from the urine of mother 7. EBV titers were consistent with reactivation during pregnancy in mother 5. No serologic evidence for EBV, CMV, HSV or toxoplasmosis infection in infants was demonstrated. Longer follow-up will determine the relevance of these findings with regard to AIDS.
Multiple forms of hydroxycinnamate : CoA ligase in etiolated pea seedlings

Abstract A survey of a range of plant tissues showed that the hydroxycinnamate CoA ligase in crude extracts of pea shoots had a high relative activity towards sinapic and other methoxycinnamic acids, together with high activity with p-coumaric acid. The pea enzyme has been resolved by chromatography on DEAE-cellulose into two peaks which differ in their substrate specificity. The form which elutes at relatively low salt concentrations has a ratio activity towards p-coumaric and sinapic acids of about 1.8:1 while the form eluting at higher salt concentrations, although showing very high activity with p-coumaric acid, is inactive towards sinapic acid. The pattern of elution of these forms following gel filtration on Ultragel AcA 34 and Sephadex G100 suggests that these two isoenzymes which differ in ionic properties and substrate specificity can exist in two or three molecular weight forms and there is evidence that these forms are under certain circumstances interconvertible.
Is the binding of β‐amyloid protein to antichymotrypsin in Alzheimer plaques mediated by a β‐strand insertion?

A growing body of experimental evidence demonstrates that the serpin antichymotrypsin plays a regulatory role in Alzheimer plaque physiology by interacting with the 42 residue beta-amyloid protein, and we have used molecular modeling and energy minimization techniques to study this interaction. Based on the unique plasticity of beta-sheet elements in antichymotrypsin (as well as other serpins), we conclude that the interaction of the two proteins is mediated by insertion of the N-terminus of beta-amyloid into beta-sheet C of antichymotrypsin as a pseudo-strand s1C. This beta-strand insertion requires the displacement of native antichymotrypsin strand s1C, which is known to occur partially or completely at different stages of serpin function. Thus, the association of the two proteins in vivo may be facilitated by a particular functional state of the serpin, e.g., the native or protease-complexed state.
Freedom for Relationship: An Initial Exploration of the Theology of Zizioulas and the Psychoanalytic Insights of Winnicott in Dialogue

In exploring the theology of John D. Zizioulas in conversation with the psychoanalytic theory of Donald Winnicott, this paper highlights how the theological concerns of personhood, sin, faith, and redemption may correlate, without conflation, to healing in the psychoanalytic context. Using a particular chapter of Zizioulas’s book, Communion and Otherness; Further Studies in Personhood and the Church, this paper looks at Zizioulas’s notion of what constitutes personhood and discusses this in light of Winnicott’s understanding of development of the True Self and False Self. I underscore the emphasis placed by both theology and psychoanalysis on the need to experience both dependence and otherness in order to become a self, that we might heal from being a False Self (Winnicott) or ‘thing’ (Zizioulas) capable only of living in opposition and fragmentation and grow towards living in communion and authentic relationship. I conclude by contending that both disciplines, in this case, flow towards an elucidation of pathological narcissism and the need for the healing of this condition as addressed both from a theological as well as psychological perspective.
Equivalence of two definitions of a Poisson process; and some modifications of Kolmogorov‐Smirnov test for the exponential distribution

In this paper, Cauchy's functional equation is used to show that two definitions of a Poisson process are equivalent; an application or illustration exercise is used to foster intuition about (1) ‘Lilliefors ‐‐ and Durbin ‐‐ modifications of Kolmogorov‐Smirnov goodness‐of‐fit tests’ for the exponential distribution and (2) a relationship between the Poisson and the exponential distributions.
Renal rupture in a preeclamptic patient with subsequent abscess.

A 27-year-old black female, gravida II, para I, presented with symptoms of preeclampsia, blood pressure 174/96, and complaints of dysuria, hematuria, chills and fever, and left back and suprapubic pain. Cesarean section was opted because of cephalopelvic disproportion. During the next 9 days she noticed bright red blood after voiding not consistent with lochia. Prenatal urine cultures showed a Staphylococcus haemolyticus resistant to penicillin but susceptible to vancomycin. Cultures were negative for gonorrhea, chlamydia and HIV. Admission laboratory data revealed hemoglobin 13 gm, hematocrit 38%, platelets 271,000, WBC 14,000 and temperature 39.6°C. Urine and blood cultures grew gram negative rods. Pre-enhancement phase helical computerized tomography (CT) demonstrated dehiscence of the left kidney. The arterial corticomedullary phase, after administration of 120 ml of nonionic contrast medium, showed nonenhancing, nonviable tissue elements or blood clots in a low density fluid collection extending from the mid pole of the kidney into the perirenal space (part A of figure). Enhancement of parenchymal margins on CT suggested viability and good progno
Effect of detergents and sodium fluoride on the enzyme activities of the rat liver plasma membrane.

The effects of ionic and non-ionic detergents on the absorbance and enzyme activities of the rat liver plasma membrane have been studied. The absorbance (turbidity) versus detergent concentration titration curve was characteristic and non-linear for each detergent. At low detergent concentration (up to 0.025 %) the non-ionic detergents were either more effective or equally effective as the anionic detergents in solubilizing the membrane but at higher detergent concentration (4–10 %), the anionic detergents were more effective. Sodium dodecyl sulfate at o.i % strongly inhibited ATPase (EC 3.6.1.3) and 5′-nucleotidase activities (EC 3.1.3.5) whereas deoxycholate gave a slight stimulation of ATPase and a moderate stimulation of 5′-nucleotidase. Triton X-100 had no effect on ATPase but stimulated 5′-nucleotidase. Lubrol-PX gave a moderate stimulation of both these enzymes. 0.1% sodium dodecyl sulfate stimulated adenylate cyclase (formerly known as adenyl cyclase) activity in crude membranes and in purified membranes prepared either by the method of Neville or the method of Ray. However, NaF-stimulated adenylate cyclase in crude membranes or in membranes prepared by the method of Neville22 but inhibited adenylate cyclase in membranes made by the method of Ray21. The effect of sodium dodecyl sulfate and NaF on ATP metabolism by the membrane showed these agents inhibit the conversion of ATP to ADP, AMP and adenosine but the effects are dependent on the concentration of membrane. At low membrane concentration, ATPase is the dominant enzyme but at high membrane concentration 5′-nucleotidase plays an important role in the overall metabolism of ATP. These studies demonstrate a complex interaction of detergents with membrane-bound enzymes and a complex system for nucleotide degradation in the plasma membrane.
Histiocytic sarcoma transdifferentiated from follicular lymphoma presenting as a cutaneous tumor

Histiocytic sarcoma represents a rare and poorly understood tumor of histiocytic/dendritic cell lineage that can rarely present in the skin. Previously reported cases of histiocytic sarcoma after follicular lymphoma suggested that follicular lymphoma can transdifferentiate into histiocytic sarcoma. We describe another case involving a 40-year old male who developed histiocytic sarcoma in his right thigh 4 years after the diagnosis of grade 1 follicular lymphoma in the left neck. The two neoplasms were morphologically and immunophenotypically different but had identical immunoglobulin heavy chain gene and bcl-2 gene rearrangements, as demonstrated by polymerase chain gene reaction analysis, and the presence of t(14;18)(q32;q21) translocation was confirmed via fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) analysis. Because of spindle cell morphology and focal S-100 positivity, malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor and melanoma diagnoses were made initially and extensive workup was required to discover the correct diagnosis. Lineage transdifferentiation can occur in mature lymphoid neoplasms and awareness of this phenomenon and appropriate workup is crucial for correct diagnosis, as different treatment protocols and prognosis may vary.
Bounded Palais-Smale sequences for functionals with a mountain pass geometry

We prove the existence of bounded Palais-Smale sequences for abstract functionals with a mountain pass geometry under hypotheses weaker than those commonly used in the literature. This is obtained via a generalization of a generic result of Jeanjean, combined with a rescaling argument. Applications to the existence of nontrivial solutions to semilinear elliptic problems are given.
A companion to World War I

A companion to World War I (Blackwell Companions to World History), edited by John Horne, Chichester, Wiley–Blackwell, 2010, xxviii + 696 pp., $199.95 (hardcover), ISBN 978-1-4051-2386-0 This massi...
Prolonged and decremental antograde conduction properties in right anterior accessory connections: Wide QRS antidromic tachycardia of left bundle branch block pattern without Wolff-Parkinson-White configuration in sinus rhythm

Abstract Four patients are described who had long conduction times and decremental conduction through right anterior accessory connections. None had Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome on their ECG. Each had recurrent sustained wide QRS tachycardia due to antegrade conduction through the accessory connection. Three patients underwent epicardial mapping and successful surgical division of their accessory connection. Two of the three had a second accessory connection that was also divided surgically. Each of the three are free of tachycardial without medication. It is postulated that these accessory connections represent the remnants of anterior atrioventricular ring tissue described by Anderson.
The Effects of Arsanilic Acid on Laying Hens at Three Dietary Protein Levels Part 2. Fertility, Hatchability, Chick Growth and Blood Spot Incidence

Abstract EARLIER investigation by Libby et al. (1953) determined the presence of residual arsenic in the egg to be of little consequence and well below the limits allowed by the Food and Drug Administration. Neither they nor Wharton and Fritz (1953) found any significant effects of the arsonic acids on hatchability or early progeny growth. Lillie et al. (1957) concluded after 3 years of experiments with dual purpose breeds that arsanilic acid alone or in combination with fat and antibiotics in 15% protein diets did not influence fertility or hatchability but some positive maternal diet influence was noted in the chicks. Carlson (1957) adding 90 gms. of arsanilic acid per ton to 12, 15 and 16% protein rations reported improved production and hatachability but found no consistent effects on progeny growth. Later, Carlson (1959) continued the life cycle experiments with small numbers of chicks with beneficial but still inconclusive results. Kurnick …
The effects of the parathyroid and hypophysis on calcium and sodium balance in Desmognathus quadramaculatus, the black bellied dusky salamander

Abstract 1. 1. Serum calcium and sodium were determined in Desmognathus quadramaculatus 13 and 19 days after hypophysectomy (HYPX), parathyroidectomy (PTX), HYPX-PTX or SHAM operations. 2. 2. Plasma sodium dropped from 94 to 69 mEq/1 in HYPX and to 78 mEq/1 in prolactin (PROL) injected HYPX at 13 days after the operation. At 19 days, SHAM-HYPX, HYPX, and HYPX-PROL levels were 92, 69 and 91 mEq/1, respectively. 3. 3. Plasma sodium was not altered by PTX but HYPX-PTX sodium levels dropped to 76 mEq/1 at 19 days. 4. 4. Plasma calcium dropped from 3.6 to 2.7 mEq/1 at 13 days in HYPX while HYPX + PROL animals had 3.1 mEq/1 plasma calcium. At 19 days HYPX calcium level was 2.8 mEq/1 while HYPX + PROL was 3.6 mEq/1. 5. 5. PTX lowered calcium at 13 days to 2.8 mEq/1 but no difference was seen at 19 days. HYPX-PTX lowered calcium to 3.1 mEq/1 at 19 days but no difference was seen at 13 days. 6. 6. The data demonstrate that in this plethodontid salamander calcium level is controlled by factors from both the hypophysis and the parathyroids while only the hypophysis has significant effects on plasma sodium. This follows the same pattern seen in the Salamandridae. Prolactin is both sodium and calcium retaining in adults of this semi-aquatic species.
An Investigation of Obesity-Related Differences in Lifting Strategy

The high prevalence of obesity in the workplace has been associated with increased rates of work-related musculoskeletal disorders. In the general population, joint loading and kinematics are commonly cited risk factors of overexertion injuries. Recent studies on the influence of obesity have found initial evidence of elevated low back joint loading and lifting acceleration, however the link between obesity and lifting kinematics remains unclear. The objective of this study was to evaluate the influence of obesity on lifting strategies during a standardized lifting task of extended duration. Seven obese and seven non-obese participants performed repetitive lifts from floor to knuckle height four times per minute for one hour. Lifting strategy was quantified in terms of acceptable weights of lift, trunk posture, and trunk acceleration. Results of this pilot investigation show that both obese and non-obese individuals adopted similar strategies, and that these strategies remained consistent over the extended task. Further work is needed to investigate the mechanisms of obesity-related increases in the incidence of overexertion injuries.
Adopting Precautions Against HIV Infection Among Male Prisoners: A Behavioral And Policy Analysis

This analysis examines the potential impact of prison-based AIDS education programs by integrating data collected at a minimum-medium security institution in the Pennsylvania State Department of Co...
Development of Green Biorefinery for Biomass Utilization: A Review

Green biorefineries are multiproduct systems, which utilize green biomass as an abundant and versatile raw material for the manufacture of industrial products. It represents an innovative approach to alternative applications of surplus grassland biomass. An overview of the main aspects, activities, and processing technologies was presented in this paper. Recent developments on the green biorefinery in both Europe and North America were discussed. A focus for future R&D work in this field was recommended. Citation: Xiu, S., and Shahbazi, A. (2015). "Development of Green Biorefinery for Biomass Utilization: A Review." Tr. Ren. Energy, 1(1), 4-15. DOI: 10.17737/tre.2015.1.1.008
A new synthesis of substituted spiro butyrolactones via dyotropic rearrangement

Abstract Spiro butyrolactones bearing various α-substituents have been synthesized in three steps from acetic acid derivatives; the sequence employs a dyotropic rearrangement as its pivotal step.
Androgen receptor outwits prostate cancer drugs.

Almost all prostate cancer patients become resistant to therapy that blocks androgen-mediated cell proliferation. The key to this resistance may lie in expression of the androgen receptor itself ( pages 33–39 ).
Light-emitting diodes based on a liquid-crystalline oxadiazole derivative

Materials that can simultaneously act as liquid crystals, charge transport agents and emitters are of interest for potential applications in organic light emitting diodes. We report on the fabrication and characterization of single and multilayer diodes from a liquid crystalline oxadiazole derivative in a standard device configuration. Epitaxial deposition was used to produce oriented layers that led to devices with improved electrical properties.
History of Mercury Loading in the Upper Mississippi River Reconstructed from the Sediments of Lake Pepin

An array of sediment cores was analyzed to determine historical trends in mercury (Hg) accumulation in Lake Pepin, a natural lake on the Upper Mississippi River. Whole-basin Hg accumulation rates increased from 3 kg/yr before European settlement (ca. 1830) to a maximum of 357 kg/yr in the 1960s. The recent Hg accumulation rate (110 kg/yr, 1990−1996) is experimentally indistinguishable from measured Hg loadings in the river entering the lake, indicating that accumulation rates in Lake Pepin correspond quantitatively to river loadings. The modern accumulation rate represents a decline of almost 70% from the peak value, reflecting large decreases in Hg inputs to the Mississippi River from industrial and municipal point sources in the metropolitan Minneapolis/St.Paul area upstream. A total of 18.1 t of Hg has been deposited in Lake Pepin since 1800; half of that (9.0 t) was deposited between 1940 and 1970, when regional growth accelerated rapidly but pollution control mechanisms were inadequate. Point sources...
Operational amplifier based test structure for transistor threshold voltage variation

A new test structure has been developed, which is comprised of MOSFET arrays and an on-chip operational amplifier feedback loop for measuring threshold voltage variation. The test structure also includes an on-chip clock generator and address decoders to scan through the arrays. It can be used in an inline test environment to provide rapid assessment of Vt variation for technology development and chip manufacturing. Hardware results in a 65 nm technology are presented.
141 DNA origami as a platform for assembly of nanophotonic elements

Achieving DNA-functionalized semiconductor quantum dots (QDs) that are robust enough to be compatible with the DNA nanotechnology that withstand precipitation at high temperature and ionic strength is a challenge. Here we report a method that facilitates the synthesis of stable core/shell (1–20 monolayers) QD-DNA conjugates in which the end part (5–10 nucleotides) of the phosphorothiolated oligonucleotides is embedded within the shell of the QD. These reliable QD-DNA conjugates exhibit excellent chemical, colloidal and photonic stability over a wide pH range (4–12) and at high salt concentrations (>100 mM Na+ or Mg2+), bright fluorescence emission with quantum yields of upto 70%, and broad spectral tunability with emission ranging from UV to NIR (360–800 nm). The assembly of these different QDs into DNA origami in a well-controlled pattern was demonstrated (Deng, Samanta, Nangreave, Yan, & Liu, 2012). We also used DNA origami as a platform to co-assemble a gold nanoparticle with 20 nm diameter (AuNP) and ...
Harré, Vygotsky, Bakhtin, Vico, Wittgenstein: Academic Discourses and Conversational Realities

A partir du concept de realites conversationnelles de R. Harre, l'A. compare deux paradigmes epistemologiques concernant les differences entre realites conversationnelles et discours academiques. Le premier paradigme est monologique et classique ; le second est dialogique.