cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Bacterial defenses against oxidants: mechanistic features of cysteine-based peroxidases and their flavoprotein reductases ☆

Antioxidant defenses include a group of ubiquitous, non-heme peroxidases, designated the peroxiredoxins, which rely on an activated cysteine residue at their active site to catalyze the reduction of hydrogen peroxide, organic hydroperoxides, and peroxynitrite. In the typical 2-Cys peroxiredoxins, a second cysteinyl residue, termed the resolving cysteine, is also involved in intersubunit disulfide bond formation during the course of catalysis by these enzymes. Many bacteria also express a flavoprotein, AhpF, which acts as a dedicated disulfide reductase to recycle the bacterial peroxiredoxin, AhpC, during catalysis. Mechanistic and structural studies of these bacterial proteins have shed light on the linkage between redox state, oligomeric state, and peroxidase activity for the peroxiredoxins, and on the conformational changes accompanying catalysis by both proteins. In addition, these studies have highlighted the dual roles that the oxidized cysteinyl species, cysteine sulfenic acid, can play in eukaryotic peroxiredoxins, acting as a catalytic intermediate in the peroxidase activity, and as a redox sensor in regulating hydrogen peroxide-mediated cell signaling.
Human cilia proteome contains homolog of zebrafish polycystic kidney disease gene qilin.

Abstract Cilia are found on most cells of the body and are thought to play important roles in physiology and development. Not surprisingly, it is now understood that a very wide range of human diseases and developmental defects results from defects in ciliary assembly or function [1]. The steadily increasing number of disease genes related to cilia suggests that identification of ciliary proteins is a productive way to identify new candidate disease genes. Recent bioinformatics studies have followed this strategy by using comparative genomics to identify likely ciliary genes found only in organisms that have cilia and flagella. This ingenious approach has turned out to be highly productive, most notably by revealing the identity of the Bardet-Biedl Syndrome BBS5 gene [2]. In a recent Current Biology Dispatch [3], Greg Pazour presented a carefully thought-out analysis of these approaches, and after discussing several potential limitations, concluded that there is an urgent need for proteomic analysis to determine directly which proteins are contained in cilia and flagella.
A simple nonlinear dissipative quantum evolution equation

The author has considered a nonlinear dissipative evolution equation that generalises the Schrodinger equation. In the corresponding evolution all the stationary states of the usual Schrodinger equation have a behaviour of semistable limit cycles, except the ground state which is stable. The model is applied to the spin-1/2 and to the damped harmonic oscillator. For the latter it is shown that the coherent states remain coherent and evolve as in the corresponding classical problem.
Mean arterial pressure, pregnancy induced hypertension, and preeclampsia

Abstract PURPOSE: Data from a nested case-control study were analyzed to examine high mean arterial pressure (MAP), hypertension of pregnancy and preeclampsia as independent predictors, and as surrogate markers for elevated Alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) levels in evaluating breast cancer risk. METHODS: Cases (n = 205) were identified by the California Cancer Registry from a cohort of pregnant women who were part of the Kaiser Health Plan and took part in the Child Health and Development Studies initiated by the University of California, Berkeley, from June 1959 to September 1966. Controls (n = 337) were selected by randomized recruitment from the same cohort probability matched to cases by distribution of birth dates of cases. RESULTS: High MAP was associated with breast cancer risk, and was different across quartiles of age at first full term pregnancy. Odds Ratios across quartiles were 0.24 (95% CI = 0.08–0.71), 0.84 (95% CI = 0.39–1.66), 1.00 (referent), and 2.50 (95% CI = 1.21–5.13). Neither diagnosed preeclampsia nor hypertension of pregnancy showed any association with breast cancer risk. When both high Alpha-fetoprotein and high mean arterial pressure were entered into the same analysis neither changed the odds ratio for the other more than eight percent. Additionally, AFP level was not a linear function of MAP. CONCLUSIONS: Although the pattern of odds ratios across quartiles of age at first full term pregnancy were similar for the two variables it can not be concluded that high MAP is an adequate surrogate for high levels of maternal serum AFP, but rather represents some related process which is in and of itself a risk factor for breast cancer.
Tire Energy Loss from Obstacle Impact3

Abstract Tires in actual service conditions operate on rough roads with a random distribution of obstacles. Rolling resistance, however, is typically measured on smooth surfaces. This paper considers the nature of tire energy loss when impacting obstacles. It is demonstrated by a simple example that translational energy can be “lost,” even in purely elastic impacts, by trapping energy in structural vibrations that cannot return the energy to translation during the restitution phase of the impact. Tire simulations and experiments demonstrate that this dynamic energy loss can be very large in tires if the impact times are short. Impact times indicating the potential for large energy loss are found to be in the range of normal highway speeds.
Which comes first—exporting or production efficiencies? A study of Mexican, Colombian, and Moroccan exporters

This article summarizes a study that examined data from production plants in Mexico, Colombia and Morocco to find out whether firms learn to become more efficient through their exporting activities and whether exporting firms transfer their learning to other nonexporting firms. Analysts have observed that firms participating in export markets are typically more efficient than firms focused solely on domestic markets. Production efficiencies may develop when export markets facilitate the transfer of knowledge between exporting plants and their customers. Several process improvements discovered in the course of the study that allow exporting plants to provide lower cost or higher quality products are discussed.
Cyclic fluctuations in sexual responsiveness in the male rat.

Seventy-five per cent of a population of active copulators among Sprague-Dawley male rats showed cyclic mating activity. This group of 84 animals had 6% 5-day cyclers, 27% 4-day cyclers, 45% 3-day cyclers and 22% 2-day cyclers. Observed copulatory sequences show that 82% of the time the copulation plug is dislodged from the female's vagina during the first three intromissions of a succeeding copulation. Most copulatory activity occurs between 3.5 and 5.5 hours after the start of the dark phase of the light cycle. Over 79% of the animals are sexually active for only one hour per day.
Mixed estimates for degenerate multi-linear operators associated to simplexes

We prove that the degenerate trilinear operator C3−1,1,1 given by the formula C3−1,1,1(f1,f2,f3)(x)=∫x1<x2<x3f1ˆ(x1)f2ˆ(x2)f3ˆ(x3)e2πix(−x1+x2+x3)dx1dx2dx3 satisfies for every (p1,p2,p3) such that 2<p1≤∞, 1<p2,p3<∞, 1p1+1p2<1, and 1p2+1p3<3/2, the mixed estimate ‖C3−1,1,1(f1,f2,f3)‖11p1+1p2+1p3≲p1,p2,p3‖fˆ1‖p1′‖f2‖p2‖f3‖p3 for all f1∈Lp1(R):fˆ1∈Lp1′(R),f2∈Lp2(R), and f3∈Lp3(R). Mixed estimates for some generalizations of C3−1,1,1 are also established.
Comparison of cardiac morbidity between aortic and infrainguinal operations

We prospectively compared the differences in perioperative cardiac ischemic events in 140 patients undergoing major abdominal (n = 53) versus infrainguinal (n = 87) vascular operations. Preoperative dipyridamole thallium cardiac scintigraphy was performed in a subset of 38 of these patients, with treating physicians blinded to the test results. Myocardial ischemia was measured during operation with use of continuous 12-lead electrocardiography (ECG) and transesophageal echocardiography. Continuous two-lead ambulatory ECG (Holter monitoring) was performed before, during, and after operation for 4 days. Outcome events were cardiac death, nonfatal myocardial infarction, unstable angina, ventricular tachycardia, and congestive heart failure. Results of the study indicated that most demographic variables, such as age, hypertension, cigarette smoking, serum cholesterol, were comparable between patients having aortic or infrainguinal arterial operations. However, in the infrainguinal group more patients had diabetes, second vascular operations, angina pectoris, heart failure, dysrhythmias, and used digitalis. Abnormalities in preoperative Holter monitoring, ECGs, and thallium scan abnormalities were equivalent between groups. During operation, whereas Holter and ECG abnormalities were comparable, more patients undergoing aortic procedures suffered ischemia as determined by transesophageal echocardiography (26% vs 10%, p = 0.019). After operation there were 21 (24%) outcome events in patients having infrainguinal bypasses compared with 15 (28%) patients having aortic procedures (p = NS). Ischemia by Holter monitoring (n = 133) occurred after operation in 46 (57%) patients having infrainguinal operations compared with 16 (31%) patients having aortic reconstructions (p = 0.005). Because preoperative cardiac disease and adverse cardiac outcomes occurred with similar or even greater frequency in both groups of patients, we conclude that the risk for postoperative cardiac ischemic events in lower extremity vascular operations is at least as great as for aortic operations.
Role of K+ in leaf growth: K+ uptake is required for light-stimulated H+ efflux but not solute accumulation

The stimulation of dicotyledonous leaf growth by light depends on increased H+ efflux, to acidify and loosen the cell walls, and is enhanced by K+ uptake. The role of K+ is generally considered to be osmotic for turgor maintenance. In coleoptiles, auxin-induced cell elongation and wall acidification depend on K+ uptake through tetraethylammonium (TEA)-sensitive channels (Claussen et al., Planta 201, 227–234, 1997), and auxin stimulates the expression of inward-rectifying K+ channels (Philippar et al. 1999). The role of K+ in growing, leaf mesophyll cells has been investigated in the present study by measuring the consequences of blocking K+ uptake on several growth-related processes, including solute accumulation, apoplast acidification, and membrane polarization. The results show that light-stimulated growth and wall acidification of young tobacco leaves is dependent on K+ uptake. Light-stimulated growth is enhanced three-fold over dark levels with increasing external K+, and this effect is blocked by the K+ channel blockers, TEA, Ba++ and Cs+. Incubation in 10 mm TEA reduced light-stimulated growth and K+ uptake by 85%, and completely inhibited light-stimulated wall acidification and membrane polarization. Although K+ uptake is significantly reduced in the presence of TEA, solute accumulation is increased. We suggest that the primary role of K+ in light-stimulated leaf growth is to provide electrical counterbalance to H+ efflux, rather than to contribute to solute accumulation and turgor maintenance.
Cannabis Cue-elicited Craving and the Reward Neurocircuitry

Cue-elicited craving or the intense desire to consume a substance following exposure to a conditioned drug cue is one of the primary behavioral symptoms of substance use disorders (SUDs). While the concept of cue-elicited craving is well characterized in alcohol and other substances of abuse, only recently has it been described in cannabis. A review of the extant literature has established that cue-elicited craving is a powerful reinforcer that contributes to drug-seeking for cannabis. Further, emergent research has begun to identify the neurobiological systems and neural mechanisms associated with this behavior. What research shows is that while theories of THC's effects on the dopaminergic-reward system remain divergent, cannabis cues elicit neural activation in the brain's reward network.
Local Food Economies: Driving Forces, Challenges, and Future Prospects

ABSTRACT Key driving forces for the development of local food economies include environmental concerns, farmland preservation, health and nutritional issues, community and economic development, and the creation of green and leisure spaces. A case study in southeast Michigan demonstrated local food economic development challenges that include limited access to farm land, an aging agricultural population, lack of production diversity and year-round supply, and tensions between the conventional and the alternative food supply chains. Development of a sustainable local food economy in such regions requires new generation of farmers, more production diversity and season extension, regional-level cooperation, and effective zoning laws for preserving agricultural land.
A simple secure quantum authorization scheme

Based on the law of quantum mechanics we present a simple authorization scheme: Quauth. The description of the scheme is given in details. The authorization is accomplished through a quantum channel by one way communication. We show that eavesdropper gets no information about key no matter how many times s/he is listening on the channel. The scheme is robust against both the passive and active attacks. By induction we prove that the scheme is information theoretically secure.
Implementing an FPGA system for real-time intent recognition for prosthetic legs

This paper presents the design and implementation of a cyber physical system (CPS) for neural-machine interface (NMI) that continuously senses signals from a human neuromuscular control system and recognizes the user's intended locomotion modes in real-time. The CPS contains two major parts: a microcontroller unit (MCU) for sensing and buffering input signals and an FPGA device as the computing engine for fast decoding and recognition of neural signals. The real-time experiments on a human subject demonstrated its real-time, self-contained, and high accuracy in identifying three major lower limb movement tasks (level-ground walking, stair ascent, and standing), paving the way for truly neural-controlled prosthetic legs.
Physiologic consequences of status epilepticus

Prolonged seizures produce central nervous system damage. Physiologic consequences of status epilepticus may exacerbate this damage or may mislead the physician into making inappropriate therapeutic decisions. Status results in an elevation of body temperature, an increase in the peripheral white cell count, and often a transient pleocytosis in the spinal fluid. A marked metabolic acidosis occurs routinely. Prominent elevations in plasma hormonal concentrations occur as well. Epinephrine levels are in the arrhythmogenic range and could play a role in sudden death. Transient but marked pressure responses occur in the systemic and pulmonary circulations. Pulmonary edema may result from these pressure transients.
Large solid angle mode for a broad range magnetic spectrograph

Abstract The design and testing of a specially designed magnetic quadrupole doublet to increase the solid angle of a broad-range magnetic spectrograph is described. Solid angle enhancements of over a factor of 13 are observed. This is accomplished without compromising the capabilities of the spectrograph for accurate energy measurements. Problems with alignment and sensitivity to beam spot position are described and resolutions of these problems are given.
Follow-up outcomes in a large cohort of patients with HPV-negative LSIL cervical screening test results.

Objectives: Cervical screening guidelines now recommend repeat cotesting of patients aged 30 years and older having a human papillomavirus (HPV)–negative low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (LSIL) in 1 year as preferred management. Only limited follow-up data on patients with HPV-negative LSILs are available from routine US clinical practice settings. Methods: In total, 680 patients with Hybrid Capture 2 (Qiagen, Hinden, Germany) high-risk HPV-negative LSIL ThinPrep (Hologic, Marlborough, MA) results were identified. Patients’ ages and histopathologic, cytologic, and HPV follow-up results were identified. Results: Among 680 patients with HPV-negative LSILs, 468 had follow-up within 1 year. During the study period, 14 (3.0%) of 468 had follow-up high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (HSIL) and 184 (39.3%) LSIL findings. No diagnoses of cervical carcinoma were documented. There were no significant follow-up differences between age groups. Of the 321 patients who had follow-up HPV testing, 271 (84.4%) had negative and 50 (15.6%) had positive HPV results. Conclusions: This is the largest study documenting follow-up results for patients with HPV-negative LSIL results based on prevalent US FDA–approved cotesting methods from one collection vial. These data document that risk for follow-up HSILs in these patients is low and also that no cervical cancers were diagnosed. These findings support recent recommendations for repeat cotesting after 1 year as an appropriate option for patients with HPV-negative LSIL results.
A very general problem-oriented CAI system

A very general problem-oriented CAI system is described that allows an individual with no programming knowledge to control the nature and content of student-machine interaction. A functioning stand-alone system is outlined for instruction in linear equations of variable complexity.
A Perspective on NASA Ames Air Traffic Management Research

This paper describes past and present air-traffic-management research at NASA Ames Research Center. The descriptions emerge from the perspective of a technical manager who supervised the majority of this research for the last four years. Past research contributions built a foundation for calculating accurate flight trajectories to enable efficient airspace management in time. That foundation led to two predominant research activities that continue to this day ‐ one in automatically separating aircraft and the other in optimizing traffic flows. Today’s national airspace uses many of the applications resulting from research at Ames. These applications include the nationwide deployment of the Traffic Management Advisor, new procedures enabling continuous descent arrivals, cooperation with industry to permit more direct flights to downstream waypoints, a surface management system in use by two cargo carriers, and software to evaluate how well flights conform to national traffic management initiatives. The paper concludes with suggestions for prioritized research in the upcoming years. These priorities include: enabling more firstlook operational evaluations, improving conflict detection and resolution for climbing or descending aircraft, and focusing additional attention on the underpinning safety critical items such as a reliable datalink.
Computed axial tomography tandem and ovoids (CATTO) dosimetry: Three‐dimensional assessment of bladder and rectal doses

The purpose of this work is to compare bladder and rectal dose rates in brachytherapy for carcinoma of the cervix using two different dosimetry systems: traditional orthogonal radiograph-based dosimetry vs. computed axial tomography tandem and ovoids (CATTO) dosimetry. Twenty-two patients with carcinoma of the uterine cervix received the brachytherapy component of their radiotherapy with a computed-tomography compatible Fletcher-Suit-Delclos device. A total of 27 implants were performed. The average maximum bladder dose (Bmax) for the implants was 85.8 cGy/hr using the CATTO system as compared to 42.6 cGy/hr using traditional dosimetry, (P< 0.005). The average maximum rectal dose (Rmax) using the CATTO system was 59.2 cGy/hr as compared with 46.3 cGy/hr using the traditional system (P < 0.05). The traditional methods for choosing points to determine bladder and rectal dose rates underestimated the true Bmax in all cases and the Rmax in most. Based on the complication rates published in the literature, it is likely that the maximum tolerance dose of both the rectum and bladder, but especially the bladder, is higher than previously thought. Radiat. Oncol. Invest. 6:268–275, 1998. © 1998 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Physical chemistry: Seaming is believing

Do excited molecules relaxing to their ground state pass through a 'seam' connecting the potential energy profiles of the states? Experimental data suggest the answer to this long-standing question is 'yes'. See Letter p. 440 The primary photochemical event in vision, isomerization of the 11-cis chromophore in rhodopsin to the all-trans form, is one of the fastest natural photochemical processes known, taking less than a millionth of a millionth of a second. The molecular details of reactions of such rapidity are a stiff challenge to experimenters, but Polli et al. now report the characterization of the reaction using ultrafast optical spectroscopy with sub-20-femtosecond time resolution and spectral coverage from the visible to the near infrared. The data confirm that rhodopsin's extreme reactivity results from a molecular funnel mechanism that involves a 'conical intersection' between the potential energy surfaces of the starting and product molecules.
The Primacy of Movement

This expanded second edition carries forward the initial insights into the biological and existential significances of animation by taking contemporary research findings in cognitive science and philosophy and in neuroscience into critical and constructive account. It first takes affectivity as its focal point, elucidating it within both an enactive and qualitative affective-kinetic dynamic. It follows through with a thoroughgoing interdisciplinary inquiry into movement from three perspectives: mind, brain, and the conceptually reciprocal realities of receptivity and responsivity as set forth in phenomenology and evolutionary biology, respectively. It ends with a substantive afterword on kinesthesia, pointing up the incontrovertible significance of the faculty to cognition and affectivity. Series A
Cyanide-induced alteration of the adenylate energy pool in a rat neurosecretory cell line.

Cultures of a rat PC12 pheochromocytoma neurosecretory cell line were used to determine the responsiveness of oxidative energy status of isolated neuronal cells to cyanide exposure. Intracellular levels of ATP and its immediate metabolites, ADP and AMP, were measured in monolayer cultures of PC12 cells incubated for 0–30 min with KCN (10 mM). Over the period 2.5–30 min, cyanide treatment decreased ATP levels by 32–51% but ADP and AMP levels were not altered significantly. Additionally, ATP/ADP and ATP/AMP ratios were significantly reduced in KCN-intoxicated cells. These alterations in energy status may explain the prompt ablation of ion homeostasis reported previously in this model upon exposure to KCN. The energy-depleting actions of cyanide were not modified by pretreatment of cells with diltiazem, a calcium channel antagonist demonstrated to possess cytoprotective activity against histotoxic hypoxia induced by cyanide. Since PC12 cells rapidly respond to cyanide, with predictable depletions of the cell adenylate energy pool, this cell line can serve as a suitable in vitro model for studies of neurotoxicity involving ischemic/hypoxic conditions.
Controllers which guarantee robustness with respect to unmodelled flexibilities for a class of uncertain mechanical systems

We consider a class of uncertain mechanical systems containing flexible elements and subject to memoryless output-feedback controllers. The damping and stiffness properties of some of the flexible elements are parametrized linearly in μ−1 and μ−2 respectively, where μ > 0 and these components become more rigid as μ approaches zero. We propose a class of ‘stabilizing’ controllers for a system model in which the above components are rigid. Subject to a ‘linear growth condition’, the controllers also stabilize the model in which the components are flexible provided μ > 0 is sufficiently small.
Inhibition of the Herpes Simplex Virus Type 1 DNA Polymerase Induces Hyperphosphorylation of Replication Protein A and Its Accumulation at S-Phase-Specific Sites of DNA Damage during Infection

The treatment of mammalian cells with genotoxic substances can trigger DNA damage responses that include the hyperphosphorylation of replication protein A (RPA), a protein that plays key roles in the recognition, signaling, and repair of damaged DNA. We have previously reported that in the presence of a viral polymerase inhibitor, herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) infection induces the hyperphosphorylation of RPA (D. E. Wilkinson and S. K. Weller, J. Virol. 78:4783-4796, 2004). We initiated the present study to further characterize this genotoxic response to HSV-1 infection. Here we report that infection in the presence of polymerase inhibitors triggers an S-phase-specific response to DNA damage, as demonstrated by induction of the hyperphosphorylation of RPA and its accumulation within viral foci specific to the S phase of the cell cycle. This DNA damage response occurred in the presence of viral polymerase inhibitors and required the HSV-1 polymerase holoenzyme as well as the viral single-stranded-DNA binding protein. Treatment with an inhibitor of the viral helicase-primase did not induce the hyperphosphorylation of RPA or its accumulation in infected cells. Taken together, these results suggest that the S-phase-specific DNA damage response to infection is dependent on the specific inhibition of the polymerase. Finally, RPA hyperphosphorylation was not induced during productive infection, indicating that active viral replication does not trigger this potentially detrimental stress response.
Prevalence and correlates of sexual dysfunction among women with bladder pain syndrome/interstitial cystitis.

Objectives To examine the prevalence and correlates of general and bladder pain syndrome/interstitial cystitis (BPS/IC)-specific sexual dysfunction among women in the RAND Interstitial Cystitis Epidemiology study using a probability sample survey of U.S. households. Sexual dysfunction can contribute to a reduced quality of life for women with bladder pain syndrome/interstitial cystitis (BPS/IC). Methods We telephoned 146 231 households to identify women who reported bladder symptoms or a BPS/IC diagnosis. Those who reported either underwent a second-stage screening using the RAND Interstitial Cystitis Epidemiology study high-specificity symptom criteria. The criteria were pain, pressure, or discomfort in pelvic area; daytime urinary frequency ≥10 times or urgency due to pain, pressure, or discomfort (not fear of wetting); pain that worsened as the bladder filled; bladder symptoms did not resolve after antibiotic treatment; and patients never treated with hormone injections for endometriosis. Women who met the RAND Interstitial Cystitis Epidemiology criteria (n = 1469) completed measures of BPS/IC-specific and general sexual dysfunction symptoms, bladder symptom severity, general physical health, depression, medical care-seeking, and sociodemographic characteristics. Results Of those with a current sexual partner (75%), 88% reported ≥1 general sexual dysfunction symptom and 90% reported ≥1 BPS/IC-specific sexual dysfunction symptom in the past 4 weeks. In the multivariate models, BPS/IC-specific sexual dysfunction was significantly associated with more severe BPS/IC symptoms, younger age, worse depression symptoms, and worse perceived general health. Multivariate correlates of general sexual dysfunction included non-Latino race/ethnicity, being married, and having depression symptoms. Conclusions The results of our study have shown that women with BPS/IC symptoms experience very high levels of sexual dysfunction. Also, sexual dysfunction covaries with symptoms.
Retrograde endoscopic balloon dilation of chemotherapy- and radiation-induced esophageal stenosis under direct visualization

Abstract Introduction Esophageal stricture is a common complication following combined chemotherapy and radiation for advanced oropharyngeal cancer and severely compromises patients' quality of life. The severity of the stenosis after concomitant therapy, combined with the proximal location of these strictures, renders standard bougienage techniques difficult, and the risk of perforation significant. Retrograde endoscopic dilation has recently been described as a safe alternative to rigid endoscopic dilation or unguided bougienage. However, the near complete, or complete, stenosis seen in some of these patients may also be unamenable to retrograde endoscopic dilation. Setting Academic, tertiary care referral center. Methods Seven patients with advanced head and neck cancer treated with combined chemotherapy and radiation developed severe dysphagia requiring intervention for near total, or total, upper esophageal stenosis. An alternative technique for dilation is described. In this technique, a flexible endoscope is advanced in a retrograde fashion through the patient's gastrostomy site to the distal edge of the stenotic segment. Under direct visualization, a balloon is advanced up to the stenotic segment and is sequentially inflated to dilate the lumen. This procedure is performed under conscious sedation in an ambulatory setting. Results The first patient in the series developed a pneumothorax during attempted passage of the guidewire in a retrograde fashion. Six subsequent patients were successfully dilated using the retrograde progressive balloon dilation technique without any complications. All 6 patients had significant improvement in their oral intake, and 1 patient subsequently had the gastrostomy tube removed. Conclusions A retrograde endoscopic progressive balloon dilation for esophageal dilation under direct visualization provides palliation of swallowing difficulties in patients whose stenoses are not amenable to traditional techniques. The risks of perforation and other complications resulting from blind dilation of strictures may be decreased if an appropriate technique is used on an individualized basis.
Pancreatitis, Pancreatic, and Thyroid Cancer With Glucagon-Like Peptide-1–Based Therapies

Background & Aims Glucagon-like peptide-1−based therapy is gaining widespread use for type 2 diabetes, although there are concerns about risks for pancreatitis and pancreatic and thyroid cancers. There are also concerns that dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitors could cause cancer, given their effects on immune function. Methods We examined the US Food and Drug Administration's database of reported adverse events for those associated with the dipeptidyl peptidase−4 inhibitor sitagliptin and the glucagon-like peptide-1 mimetic exenatide, from 2004−2009; data on adverse events associated with 4 other medications were compared as controls. The primary outcomes measures were rates of reported pancreatitis, pancreatic and thyroid cancer, and all cancers associated with sitagliptin or exenatide, compared with other therapies. Results Use of sitagliptin or exenatide increased the odds ratio for reported pancreatitis 6-fold as compared with other therapies ( P −16 ). Pancreatic cancer was more commonly reported among patients who took sitagliptin or exenatide as compared with other therapies ( P P −5 ). All other cancers occurred similarly among patients who took sitagliptin compared with other therapies ( P =.20). Conclusions These data are consistent with case reports and animal studies indicating an increased risk for pancreatitis with glucagon-like peptide-1−based therapy. The findings also raise caution about the potential long-term actions of these drugs to promote pancreatic cancer.
Trends in the evidence level for the American Diabetes Association's "Standards of Medical Care in Diabetes" from 2005 to 2014.

In the January Supplement of Diabetes Care , the American Diabetes Association (ADA) has published the newest version of the “Standards of Medical Care in Diabetes” (1). These Standards provide guidelines to help clinicians in the management of their patients with diabetes or at risk for diabetes. Published in one form or another since 1989, the Standards cover multiple aspects of clinical care, such as screening and diagnosis, glycemic management, and cardiovascular risk reduction. Over the past decade, the ADA has made a concerted effort to be transparent and evidence-based in its guideline development as recommended by the Institute of Medicine for guideline-setting organizations (2). We reviewed the ADA recommendations from the past decade to assess trends in the quality of evidence cited to support these recommendations. Each year, the recommendations in the Standards are reviewed and revised in light of emerging and changing evidence. We examined the total number and evidence level for all bulleted recommendations made by the Standards of Care each year from 2005 to 2014. Recommendations are assigned ratings of A, B, C, or E depending on the quality of evidence (Table 1). For our analyses of trends over the past decade, we combined A- and B-level recommendations into a “higher-level evidence” category and combined C- and E-level recommendations into a “lower-level evidence” category. We then calculated the proportion of overall recommendations that were based on higher-level evidence each year. We also examined trends in the recommendations within …
The peak sidelobe of the phased array having randomly located elements

A formula is derived for the peak sidelobe level of a phased array in which the elements are randomly located. The parameters of the formula are the number and size of the array elements, size of the array, wavelength, beamsteering angle, and signal bandwidth. The theory is tested by measurement of the peak sidelobe of several hundred computer-simulated random arrays. Unlike the case for the conventional array the effect of spatial taper (nonuniform density of element location) upon the peak sidelobe level is minor. The peak sidelobe of the two-dimensional planar array is approximately 3 dB higher than that of the linear array of the same length and same number of elements.
Noninvasive Targeted Imaging of Matrix Metalloproteinase Activation in a Murine Model of Postinfarction Remodeling

Background— Time-dependent activation of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) after myocardial infarction (MI) contributes to adverse left ventricular (LV) remodeling; however, noninvasive methods to monitor this process serially are needed. Methods and Results— MMP-targeted radiotracers were developed that displayed selective binding kinetics to the active MMP catalytic domain. Initial nonimaging studies were performed with a 111In-labeled MMP-targeted radiotracer (111In-RP782) and negative control compound (111In-RP788) in control mice (Ctrl) and in mice 1 week after surgically induced MI. Localization of 111In-RP782 was demonstrated within the MI by microautoradiography. A 334±44% increase (P<0.001 versus Ctrl) in relative retention of 111In-RP782 was confirmed by gamma well counting of myocardium. Subsequent high-resolution dual-isotope planar and hybrid micro–single-photon emission computed tomography/CT imaging studies with an analogous 99mTc-labeled MMP-targeted radiotracer (99mTc-RP805) and 201Tl demo...
Brouter: the transparent bridge with shortest path in interconnected LANs

Transparency is a popular feature in a distributed system where users can access any local or remote resources just as if they were local. The paper proposes a protocol which combines the features of transparency and shortest path. The result is a bridge which supports self learning and distributed routing computation. Since this bridge has all routing facilities as a router, it is called brouter (i.e. bridge+router). Brouters are compared with current bridge schemes. Also, performance aspects of the protocol are examined. >
Dose-volume comparison of proton therapy and intensity-modulated radiotherapy for prostate cancer.

Purpose The contrast in dose distribution between proton radiotherapy (RT) and intensity-modulated RT (IMRT) is unclear, particularly in regard to critical structures such as the rectum and bladder. Methods and Materials Between August and November 2006, the first 10 consecutive patients treated in our Phase II low-risk prostate proton protocol (University of Florida Proton Therapy Institute protocol 0001) were reviewed. The double-scatter proton beam plans used in treatment were analyzed for various dosimetric endpoints. For all plans, each beam dose distribution, angle, smearing, and aperture margin were optimized. IMRT plans were created for all patients and simultaneously analyzed. The IMRT plans were optimized through multiple volume objectives, beam weighting, and individual leaf movement. The patients were treated to 78 Gray-equivalents (GE) in 2-GE fractions with a biologically equivalent dose of 1.1. Results All rectal and rectal wall volumes treated to 10–80 GE (percentage of volume receiving 10–80 GE [V 10 –V 80 ]) were significantly lower with proton therapy ( p 50 was reduced from 31.3% ± 4.1% with IMRT to 14.6% ± 3.0% with proton therapy for a relative improvement of 53.4% and an absolute benefit of 16.7% ( p p p 30 was reduced with proton therapy for a relative improvement of 35.3% and an absolute benefit of 15.1% ( p = 0.02). The mean bladder dose decreased 35% with proton therapy ( p = 0.002). Conclusion Compared with IMRT, proton therapy reduced the dose to the dose-limiting normal structures while maintaining excellent planning target volume coverage.
John Hilton, 1805–1878

This biographical sketch of John Hilton corresponds to the historic text, The Classic: On Rest and Pain: Lecture XIV, available at DOI 10.1007/s11999-009-0928-1.
Controlling Unmanned Air Vehicles: New Challenges

Dennis M. Gormley is a Senior Consultant at the Monterey Institute Center for Nonproliferation Studies, based at its Washington, DC, office. His work over the last decade has focused heavily on the strategic implications of cruise missile proliferation. Richard Speier is an independent consultant on proliferation issues. While employed at the Office of Secretary of Defense, he helped design, negotiate, and implement the Missile Technology Control Regime.1
Epitope maps of the Escherichia coli heat-labile toxin B subunit for development of a synthetic oral vaccine

Linear B- and T-cell epitopes spanning all 103 amino acids of the Escherichia coli heat-labile toxin B subunit (LT-B) were assessed in mice orally immunized with native LT or with recombinant Salmonella enteritidis expressing LT-B. Oral administration of native LT induced mucosal immunoglobulin A (IgA) antibodies reactive with an epitope at residues 85 to 91, while IgA induced by recombinant Salmonella LT-B reacted with an epitope at residues 36 to 44. Serum IgG anti-LT-B antibodies from mice orally immunized with either LT or with recombinant Salmonella LT-B were directed to both epitopes. A single T-cell epitope spanning residues 34 to 42 was identified by T-cell proliferative and cytokine responses. When a 20-mer peptide (residues 26 to 45) with B- and T-cell epitopes was given orally to BALB/c (H-2(d)) and B10 congenic (I-A(d), I-A(b), and I-A(k)) mice, significant fecal IgA and serum IgG anti-LT-B antibodies were induced. The peptide also induced LT-B-specific T-cell proliferative responses in these mice. Orally administered LT-B peptide (residues 26 to 45) induced a cytokine profile indicative of both T helper 1- and 2-type cells. The remarkable immunogenicity of this 20-mer peptide makes it a candidate for a vaccine to protect against enterotoxigenic E. coli.
Power and spectrally efficient modulation for PCS and satellite TV broadcasting

A power and spectrally efficient modulation which increases the transmit output power and reduces the interference among adjacent channel users in PCS and satellite TV broadcasting applications is presented. This modulation named filtered quadrature phase shift keying or "FQPSK" can be nonlinearly amplified using class C amplifiers allowing a 7-10 dB increase in transmit output power compared to QPSK modulated systems. This gain in the output power leads to a wider transmission coverage in satellite applications, longer battery life and reduced radiation for PCS users.
Soil microbial biomass, functional microbial diversity, and nematode community structure as affected by cover crops and compost in an organic vegetable production system

Abstract Soil microorganisms play a crucial role in mineralization and breakdown of complex organic compounds in soil. Microbial populations and functional diversity are greatly influenced by quantity and quality of crop residue and other incorporate organic amendments. This study investigated the effect of cover crops (rye or a mixture of rye-vetch) and compost on soil microflora and microfauna under an organic tomato production system. Each cover crop treatment was used in conjunction with or without compost in a split-plot experimental design. Data on soil respiration, microbial biomass, metabolic quotient, and nematode populations were measured at the end of the growing season. Metabolic characteristics of the soil microbial community were determined using 31 C substrates on Biolog-EcoPlate™. Community level physiological profile (CLPP) was assessed by calculating average well color development (AWCD), richness (S), Shannon–Wiener diversity index (H), and evenness (E). Effect of compost was more pronounced on soil respiration than cover crop treatment. Highest microbial biomass was found in the soils amended with rye and compost (195–210 μg g dry soil −1 ). Regression analysis between microbial biomass and soil organic matter (SOM) showed strong correlation ( R 2 value of 0.68–0.56) in two out of the three growing seasons. Calcium, magnesium, and potassium concentrations in soil also positively correlated with microbial biomass. There were significant differences among soils in numbers of plant parasitic, bacterial, and fungal feeding nematodes during the initial years of the study but the differences were not evident later. Shannon–Wiener diversity index was significantly affected by cover crop treatment with rye treatments generally exhibiting higher degree of soil microbial functional diversity. Biolog-EcoPlate™ assay was sensitive to changes in the short-term. Principal component analysis of the Biolog data allowed differentiation of treatments but distribution patterns varied from year to year. We conclude that both rye and rye-vetch mixture can affect the functional diversity of soil microbial community but differences between them are marginal when compared to compost and no-compost treatments. Microbial communities were more responsive to compost applications than cover crop effects.
A Maximum Entropy-least Squares Estimator for Elastic Origin-Destination Trip Matrix Estimation

In transportation subnetwork-supernetwork analysis, it is well known that the origin-destination (O-D) flow table of a subnetwork is not only determined by trip generation and distribution, but also by traffic routing and diversion, due to the existence of internal-external, external-internal and external-external flows. This result indicates the variable nature of subnetwork O-D flows. This paper discusses an elastic O-D flow table estimation problem for subnetwork analysis. The underlying assumption is that each cell of the subnetwork O-D flow table contains an elastic demand function rather than a fixed demand rate and the demand function can capture all traffic diversion effect under various network changes. The authors propose a combined maximum entropy-least squares (ME-LS) estimator, by which O-D flows are distributed over the subnetwork so as to maximize the trip distribution entropy, while demand function parameters are estimated for achieving the least sum of squared estimation errors. While the estimator is powered by the classic convex combination algorithm, computational difficulties emerge within the algorithm implementation until the authors incorporate partial optimality conditions and a column generation procedure into the algorithmic framework. Numerical results from applying the combined estimator to a couple of subnetwork examples show that an elastic O-D flow table, when used as input for subnetwork flow evaluations, reflects network flow changes significantly better than its fixed counterpart.
Computing Fourier Transforms and Convolutions on the 2-Sphere

This paper considers the problem of efficient computation of the spherical harmonic expansion, or Fourier transform, of functions defined on the two dimensional sphere, S^2. The resulting algorithms are applied to the efficient computation of convolutions of functions on the sphere. We begin by proving convolution theorems generalizing well known and useful results from the abelian case. These convolution theorems are then used to develop a sampling theorem on the sphere. which reduces the calculation of Fourier transforms and convolutions of band-limited functions to discrete computations. We show how to perform these efficiently, starting with an O(n(log n)^2) time algorithm for computing the Legendre transform of a function defined on the interval [-1,1] sampled at n points there. Theoretical and experimental results on the effects of finite precision arithmetic are presented. The Legendre transform algorithm is then generalized to obtain an algorithm for the Fourier transform, requiring O(n(log n)^2) time, and an algorithm for its inverse in O(n^1^.^5) time, where n is the number of points on the sphere at which the function is sampled. This improves the naive O(n^2) bound, which is the best previously known. These transforms give an O(n^1^.^5) algorithm for convolving two functions on the sphere.
CyberKnife ® radiosurgery in the treatment of complex skull base tumors: analysis of treatment planning parameters

Tumors of the skull base pose unique challenges to radiosurgical treatment because of their irregular shapes, proximity to critical structures and variable tumor volumes. In this study, we investigate whether acceptable treatment plans with excellent conformity and homogeneity can be generated for complex skull base tumors using the Cyberknife® radiosurgical system. At Georgetown University Hospital from March 2002 through May 2005, the CyberKnife® was used to treat 80 patients with 82 base of skull lesions. Tumors were classified as simple or complex based on their proximity to adjacent critical structures. All planning and treatments were performed by the same radiosurgery team with the goal of minimizing dosage to adjacent critical structures and maximizing target coverage. Treatments were fractionated to allow for safer delivery of radiation to both large tumors and tumors in close proximity to critical structures. The CyberKnife® treatment planning system was capable of generating highly conformal and homogeneous plans for complex skull base tumors. The treatment planning parameters did not significantly vary between spherical and non-spherical target volumes. The treatment parameters obtained from the plans of the complex base of skull group, including new conformity index, homogeneity index and percentage tumor coverage, were not significantly different from those of the simple group. Our data indicate that CyberKnife® treatment plans with excellent homogeneity, conformity and percent target coverage can be obtained for complex skull base tumors. Longer follow-up will be required to determine the safety and efficacy of fractionated treatment of these lesions with this radiosurgical system.
Comparison of efficacy, safety, and cost of low- molecular-weight heparin with continuous-infusion unfractionated heparin for initiation of anticoagulation after mechanical prosthetic valve implantation

We compared the efficacy, safety, and impact on postoperative hospital length of stay and inpatient hospital costs of low-molecular-weight heparin with that of unfractionated heparin as a "bridge" to achieving therapeutic levels of anticoagulation with warfarin in patients with newly implanted prosthetic heart valves. The patients who received low-molecular-weight heparin had a shorter length of stay and decreased postoperative costs compared with the control subjects receiving unfractionated heparin.