cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A simulation Study of Simultaneous Acid Gas EOR and CO2 Storage at Apache's Zama F Pool

Abstract This simulation study evaluates ways for maximizing incremental oil recovery (IOR) and CO2 storage capacity for a current simultaneous enhanced oil recovery (EOR) and CO2 storage project at the Zama oil field F Pool situated in northwestern Alberta, Canada. The results clearly indicate the viability of formation water extraction for increasing storage capacity in a closed geological structure. An approximately fivefold increase in CO2 storage capacity was observed, if current EOR is coupled with bottom water extraction. IOR of 22.1% in the next 20 years can be achieved, which is 5% more than continuing current EOR without bottom water extraction.
Stochastic Reservoir Simulation Using Neural Networks Trained on Outcrop Data

Extensive outcrop data or photographs of present day depositions or even simple drawings from expert geologists contain precious structural information about spatial continuity that is beyond the present tools of geostatistics essentially limited to two-point statistics (histograms and covariances). A neural net can be learned to collect multiple point statistics from various training images, these statistics are then used to generate stochastic models conditioned to actual data. In petroleum applications, the methodology developed can be a substitute for objects based-algorithms when facies geometry and reservoir continuity are too complex to be modelled by simple object such as channels. The performance of the neural net approach is illustrated using training images of increasing complexity, and attempts at explaining that performance is provided in each case. The neural net builds local probability distributions for the facies types (categorical case) or for petrophysical properties (continuous case). These local probabilities include multiple point statistics learned from training images and are sampled with a Metropolis-Hastings sampler which also ensures reproduction of statistics coming from the actual subsurface data such as locally varying facies proportions.
The Involvement of DNA-Damage and -Repair Defects in Neurological Dysfunction

A genetic link between defects in DNA repair and neurological abnormalities has been well established through studies of inherited disorders such as ataxia telangiectasia and xeroderma pigmentosum. In this review, we present a comprehensive summary of the major types of DNA damage, the molecular pathways that function in their repair, and the connection between defective DNA-repair responses and specific neurological disease. Particular attention is given to describing the nature of the repair defect and its relationship to the manifestation of the associated neurological dysfunction. Finally, the review touches upon the role of oxidative stress, a leading precursor to DNA damage, in the development of certain neurodegenerative pathologies, such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's.
Self-organizing and self-reconfigurable event routing in ad hoc networks with causal dependency awareness

Publish/Subscribe (P/S) is a communication paradigm of growing popularity for information dissemination in large-scale distributed systems. The weak coupling between information producers and consumers in P/S systems is attractive for loosely coupled and dynamic network infrastructures such as ad hoc networks. However, achieving end-to-end timeliness and reliability properties when P/S events are causally dependent is an open problem in ad hoc networks.In this article, we present, evaluate benefits of, and compare with past work an architecture design that can effectively support timely and reliable delivery of events and causally related events in ad hoc environments, and especially in mobile ad hoc networks (MANETs).With observations from both realistic application model and simulation experiments, we reveal causal dependencies among events and their significance in a typical use notional system. We also examine and propose engineering methodologies to further tailor an event-based system to facilitate its self-reorganizing capability and self-reconfiguration. Our design features a two-layer structure, including novel distributed algorithms and mechanisms for P/S tree construction and maintenance. The trace-based experimental simulation studies illustrate our design's effectiveness in both cases with and without causal dependencies.
Polyclonal antibodies to rabbit skeletal muscle protein phosphatases C-I and C-II.

Polyclonal antibodies against rabbit skeletal muscle phosphatases C-I and C-II were raised in goats and in mice. The goat polyclonal antibodies to phosphatases C-I and C-II were examined for their ability to immunoblot the purified enzymes and crude rabbit muscle extracts. In preparations of phosphatases C-I and C-II that were apparently homogeneous, the expected ca. 35- to 38-kDa polypeptides were immunoblotted, but, in addition, immunoblotting of a 67-kDa polypeptide was observed. Both the antisera blotted only the 67-kDa polypeptide in crude rabbit muscle extracts and not the expected 35- to 38-kDa polypeptides. These findings are qualitatively similar to those reported previously (D.L. Brautigan et al. (1985) J. Biol. Chem. 260, 4295-4305) where immunoblotting experiments with a sheep antisera to phosphatase C-I indicated that the ca. 35-kDa polypeptide originates from a 70-kDa precursor. On further investigation, it was found that our antisera were strongly immunoreactive to rabbit serum albumin. The antisera blotted purified rabbit albumin, but not bovine serum albumin. After passage through a rabbit albumin-Sepharose column, the antisera lost immunoreactivity to rabbit albumin, and no longer blotted the ca. 70-kDa band in muscle extracts or in purified enzyme preparations. These findings show that the phosphatase preparations contained traces of albumin which produced a strong antigenic reaction. Production of antisera in BALB/c mice produced similar results; i.e., an antibody to the low-molecular-weight phosphatases was produced that was also a strong antibody to rabbit albumin. This antibody could be removed by affinity adsoption on rabbit albumin-Sepharose columns. In addition, the antibodies to phosphatase C-I displayed no cross-reactivity to phosphatase C-II, while antibodies to C-II showed no cross-reactivity to phosphatase C-I by immunoblotting methods.
Update on curtain granulation of phosphates

The TVA process for curtain granulation of ammonium polyphosphate, which was described at the 194th National Meeting of the American Chemical Society, has been modified to allow production of a variety of ammonium phosphate fertilizers. Ammonium polyphosphate, monoammonium phosphate, diammonium phosphate, and urea-ammonium polyphosphate fertilizers have been produced. In the process, wet-process orthophosphoric acid, ammonia, and, for some products, urea melt are fed to a pipe reactor to produce an ammonium phospahte or a urea-ammonium polyphosphate melt. The melt is sprayed directly from the pipe reactor onto a falling curtain of recycled fines in a granulator with specially designed internals. The melt solidifies in thin, successive layers and forms round, closely sized granules. The products have excellent physical properties and are suitable for direct application, bulk blending, or production of suspensions.
Involving the male partner for interpreting the basal body temperature graph

Abstract Objective: To determine if the male cohabiting partner of a woman may serve as a control for exogenous influences on basal body temperature (BBT). Methods: Twelve couples from the Atlanta area were enrolled for a total of 41 couple-cycles. Couples recorded their oral temperatures daily and used urinary test kits for luteinizing hormone to estimate the day of ovulation. The covariability between the pre-ovulatory temperature of the women and their partners was assessed. The gaps in the couples’ temperatures (female temperature minus male temperature) were compared in the pre- and postovulatory phases. Results: Considerable covariability was found between temperatures of partners in the pre-ovulatory phase (covariance parameter = 0.49; P Conclusion: Recording the BBT of women’s partners may improve interpretation and accuracy of the BBT method. An increase in the size of a couple’s temperature gap accompanies the transition from the pre- to the postovulatory phase. By this method, a given couple could determine their unique temperature gap indicating this transition.
“Alpha-pattern coma” in high voltage electrical injury

Abstract Two cases are reported in which reversible deep coma subsequent to high voltage electrical injury occurred in association with alpha frequencies in the EEG. The EEG pattern differs from the alpha rhythm of the normal awake patient by its diffuse distribution and unresponsiveness to a variety of stimulation. The term “alpha-pattern coma” is introduced to designate the occurrence of this pattern in comatose patients. The EEG in the cases described initially demonstrated activity in the alpha frequency which occurred in a generalized distribution and was unresponsive to stimulation. During the early stages of recovery an increased incidence of theta and delta activity was observed. The recovery records contained a low voltage alpha rhythm and responded to photic stimulation. The literature on this subject is reviewed and the possible modes of pathogenesis are discussed. The authors conclude that such examples of alpha-pattern coma are the result of diffuse cerebral damage and might be detected more frequently in comatose patients who survive if these patients are studied earlier in their clinical course with EEGs.
Mission support role played by MODIS during Operation Iraqi Freedom

This paper chronicles the end-to-end data procurement, customized algorithm development and automated processing systems, product distribution, and ultimate user application of selected time-critical satellite meteorology applications developed by the Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) in support of Department of Defense (DoD) assets during Operation Iraqi Freedom. In particular, a mechanism for obtaining high spatial/spectral resolution near real-time data from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) instruments found aboard the Earth Observing System (EOS) Terra and Aqua research platforms for operational support was developed through an inter-agency collaboration between the DoD, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Value-added (e.g., dust detection, convective cloud heights, snow/cloud and fire detection) products derived from these low-latency data were then hosted on secure Internet bandwidth via the Fleet Numerical Meteorology and Oceanography Center (FNMOC) operational portal. The MODIS products factored significantly into a wide range of operational requirements that included strike briefs, aircraft routing, ship navigation, sensor targeting and weapons selection. Included herein are dramatic excerpts from direct correspondence between NRL scientists and Naval Meteorology/Oceanography (METOC) officers aboard aircraft carriers deployed in the Arabian Gulf who were actively using these products to support their various mission requirements.
Multi‐scale probability distributions of solar wind speed fluctuations at 1 AU described by a generalized Tsallis distribution

[1] The probability distributions of changes in the solar speed observed at 1 AU by ACE during 1999 on scales from 1 hour to 171 days and at a scale of 64 sec can be described by a single distribution function. The function is a simple generalization of the Tsallis q-distribution, a probability distribution that was derived from nonextensive statistical mechanics. The fluctuations in speed are related to (1) intermittent turbulence and shocks on the smallest scales; (2) ejecta, corotating streams, slow flows, interaction regions, etc. on intermediate scales; and (3) systems of interacting flows involving all of these features, on scales greater than the solar rotation period.
Combined Off-pump Coronary Artery Bypass and Abdominal Aortic Surgery Is Associated with Low Morbidity and Mortality

Patients with abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs) often have concomitant coronary artery disease. In patients with large or symptomatic AAAs and symptomatic coronary artery disease, it may be necessary to address both problems simultaneously. We report a case series of five patients undergoing simultaneous off-pump coronary artery bypass and abdominal aortic reconstruction. Our series and a literature review indicate that simultaneous coronary artery bypass grafting on the beating heart and abdominal aortic surgery is safe and effective and has a low perioperative morbidity rate.
Home health care agency staffing patterns before and after the Balanced Budget Act of 1997, by rural and urban location.

ABSTRACT: Context:The Balanced Budget Act (BBA) of 1997 and other recent policies have led to reduced Medicare funding for home health agencies (HHAs) and visits per beneficiary. Purpose: We examine the staffing characteristics of stable Medicare-certified HHAs across rural and urban counties from 1996 to 2002, a period encompassing the changes associated with the BBA and related policies. Methods: Data were drawn from Medicare Provider of Service files and the Area Resource File. The unit of analysis was the 3,126 counties in the United States, grouped into 5 categories: metropolitan, nonmetropolitan adjacent, and 3 nonmetropolitan nonadjacent groups identified by largest town size. Only relatively stable HHAs were included. We generated summary HHA staff statistics for each county group and year. Findings: All staff categories, other than therapists, declined from 1997 to 2002 across the metropolitan and nonmetropolitan county groupings. There were substantial population-adjusted decreases in stable HHA-based home health aides in all counties, including remote counties. Conclusions: The limited presence of stable HHA staff in certain nonmetropolitan county types has been exacerbated since implementation of the BBA, especially in the most rural counties. The loss of aides in more rural counties may limit the availability of home-based long-term care in these locations, where the need for long-term care is considerable. Future research should examine the degree to which the presence of HHA staff influences actual access and whether other paid and unpaid sources of care substitute for Medicare home health care in counties with limited supplies of HHA staff.
Analysis of Decision Making at a Multidisciplinary Head and Neck Tumor Board Incorporating Evidence-Based NCCN Guidelines

prescribed ChemoP in the past year. 51% correctly identified Tamoxifen and 16% raloxifene as proven ChemoP drugs. Barriers to BrCa ChemoP counseling included time constraints (50%), and insufficient training (46%) and knowledge (42%). Most were interested in education regarding BrCa risk assessment (74%) and ChemoP (82%). Conclusions: Results from this survey suggest that most PCPs are insufficiently familiar with the most common high risk factor for the development of BrCa (age >65) for which ChemoP drugs have proven efficacy. There is a strong interest by PCPs in education regarding BrCa risk assessment and ChemoP. Strategies to disseminate this information within the PCP literature/community and thereby remove barriers to effective ChemoP are needed. Increased communication between specialties and primary care and educational programming regarding BrCa risk assessment and ChemoP may be warranted. Author Disclosure: C.F. Lauro: None. J.S. Kutner: None. C.E. Klein: None. R. Rabinovitch: None. C. Fisher: None.
Exact nonlinear pulse compression and variable rate conversion of TDM, WDM, and polarization multiplexed packets

Summary form only given. We describe nonlinear methods for rate conversion of data packets and pulse compression. Time dilations have many applications and are essential for future optical telecommunications systems and processors. Here, nonlinear compression is achieved by launching linearly chirped pulses or packets into a medium with spatially varying properties (dispersion, nonlinearity, gain/loss, or phase modulation) such as dispersion-decreasing fiber, but with different dispersion profiles than previously reported. Exact analytic treatment is achievable, unlike prior reports.
Dust in the nuclei of the Seyfert galaxies Markarian 231 and NGC 4151

Observations carried out with a 8-13 micron grating-spectrometer of Mrk 231 and NGC 4151 are reported. The Mrk 231 data can be fitted to various thermal dust emission models or a single power law, with dust extinction. In all the model fits, except for that of graphite and silicon carbide grain emission, a component of silicate absorption of optical depth of not more than 0.7 is required. Confirming published work, the absorption being at the redshift of the low-redshift absorption-line system is ruled out. The high values of silicate optical depth absorption do not give ratios to the galaxy's visual extinction which are comparable to those of galactic H II regions. Weak evidence for a 10-micron absorption feature in NGC 4151 is also reported. This is somewhat contrary to expectation, since the visual extinction of NGC 4151 is lower than that of Mrk 231, and since there is evidence to support a nonthermal rather than thermal dust origin for the infrared continuum emission.
Performance but not acquisition of skill learning is severely impaired in the elderly

A battery of cognitive tests, specifically designed to assess verbal and skill learning, was administered to healthy volunteer subjects of different ages. Although there were age-related declines in initial and terminal performance in both a pursuit rotor and a mirror reading task, the increase in performance with practice on these tasks was little affected by age. Recall, but not recognition, of verbal material was also impaired in the elderly, as were some measures of frequency estimation. These findings are compatible with the contention that, although acquisition of declarative tasks, which requires conscious processing, is impaired in the elderly, acquisition of nondeclarative tasks, which can be learned without conscious awareness, is not affected by age. However, classical conditioning may be an exception to this generalization for reasons that are at the present time unknown.
The effect of secretin on electrical potential differences in the pancreatic duct.

Abstract 1. 1. Electrical potential differences (PD's) have been measured between the major pancreatic duct and blood of anesthetized cats during free flow of pancreatic juice and during perfusion of the duct with simple salt solutions. The measured PD's were corrected for junction potentials. 2. 2. During free flow the hormone secretin shifts the duct potential in the negative direction by 7 mV, approximately in phase with the secretin-stimulated juice flow. 3. 3. During perfusion secretin shifts the duct PD in the negative direction by about 3 mV, independent of the composition of the perfusion solution used. 4. 4. Relative ionic permeability coefficients for Na + , K + , Cl − , and HCO 3 − in pancreatic duct have been calculated from diffusion potentials and are unaffected by secretin. 5. 5. The ion fluxes stimulated by secretin are up the electrochemical gradient for HCO 3 − , down the gradient for Na + , K + , and Cl − . 6. 6. It is concluded that the effect of secretin on the pancreas is to stimulate active HCO 3 − secretion, as in the liver; and that the secretin-induced PD during free flow is due partly to a change in diffusion potential, partly to the direct effect of active ion transport.
The Crystal Structure of the First Enzyme in the Pantothenate Biosynthetic Pathway, Ketopantoate Hydroxymethyltransferase, from M. tuberculosis

Ketopantoate hydroxymethyltransferase (KPHMT) catalyzes the first committed step in the biosynthesis of pantothenate, which is a precursor to coenzyme A and is required for penicillin biosynthesis. The crystal structure of KPHMT from Mycobacterium tuberculosis was determined by the single anomalous substitution (SAS) method at 2.8 A resolution. KPHMT adopts a structure that is a variation on the (beta/alpha) barrel fold, with a metal binding site proximal to the presumed catalytic site. The protein forms a decameric complex, with subunits in opposing pentameric rings held together by a swapping of their C-terminal alpha helices. The structure reveals KPHMT's membership in a small, recently discovered group of (beta/alpha) barrel enzymes that employ domain swapping to form a variety of oligomeric assemblies. The apparent conservation of certain detailed structural characteristics suggests that KPHMT is distantly related by divergent evolution to enzymes in unrelated pathways, including isocitrate lyase and phosphoenolpyruvate mutase.
Resonance Raman studies of the [4Fe-4S] to [2Fe-2S] cluster conversion in the iron protein of nitrogenase

Resonance Raman spectroscopy has been used to investigate the Fe-S stretching modes of the [4Fe-4S]2+ cluster in the oxidized iron protein of Clostridium pasteurianum nitrogenase. The results are consistent with a cubane [4Fe-4S] cluster having effective Td symmetry with cysteinyl coordination for each iron. In accord with previous optical and EPR studies [(1984) Biochemistry 23, 2118–2122], treatment with the iron chelator α,α′-dipyridyl in the presence of MgATP is shown to effect cluster conversion to a [2Fe-2S]2+ cluster. Resonance Raman data also indicate that partial conversion to a [2Fe-2S]2+ cluster is induced by thionine-oxidation in the presence of MgATP in the absence of an iron chelator. This result suggests new explanations for the dramatic change in the CD spectrum that accompanies MgATP-binding to the oxidized Fe protein and the anomalous resonance Raman spectra of thionine-oxidized Clostridium pasteurianum bidirectional hydrogenase.
Preconditioning by phosphodiesterase-5 inhibition improves therapeutic efficacy of adipose-derived stem cells following myocardial infarction in mice

The rationale of this article is enhancing the therapeutic potential of stem cells in ischemic microenvironments by novel preconditioning strategies is critical for improving cellular therapy. We tested the hypothesis that inhibition of phosphodiesterase-5 (PDE-5) with sildenafil (Viagra) or knockdown with a silencing vector in adipose-derived stem cells (ASCs) would improve their survival and enhance cardiac function following myocardial implantation in vivo. ASCs were treated with sildenafil or PDE-5 silencing vector short hairpin RNA (shRNA(PDE-5)) and subjected to simulated ischemia/reoxygenation in vitro. Both sildenafil and shRNA(PDE-5) significantly improved viability, decreased necrosis, apoptosis, and enhanced the release of growth factors, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), basic fibroblast growth factor (b-FGF), and insulin-like growth factor. Inhibition of protein kinase G reversed these effects. To show the beneficial effect of preconditioned ASCs in vivo, adult male CD-1 mice underwent myocardial infarction. Preconditioned ASCs (4 × 10(5)) were directly injected intramyocardially. Preconditioned ASC-treated hearts showed consistently superior cardiac function when compared with nonpreconditioned ASCs after 4 weeks of treatment. This was associated with significantly reduced fibrosis, increased vascular density, and decreased resident myocyte apoptosis when compared with mice receiving nonpreconditioned ASCs. VEGF, b-FGF, and Angiopoietin-1 were also significantly elevated 4 weeks after cell therapy with preconditioned ASCs. We conclude that preconditioning by inhibition of PDE-5 can be a powerful novel approach to improve stem cell therapy following myocardial infarction.
Parenting Attitudes of Drug-Involved Women Inmates

Of the 93,000 women incarcerated in 2001, nearly 80% were mothers of approximately 130,000 minor children. Many correctional institutions have implemented programs to teach the growing number of incarcerated women effective parenting skills. However, there are few evaluations of such programs. This study examined changes in parenting attitudes as a function of program participation for drug-involved women at a correctional institution in Delaware. The attitudes of 59 women were assessed along five dimensions predictive of abusive parenting practices. Mean scores revealed no statistically significant differences between those who had completed the program, those enrolled, and those not participating. Significantly, however, standardized scores were well within average range of normed scores developed on nonabusive adult parents. Findings indicate these women did not express overly controlling or punitive attitudes with regard to children. The study lends support to other investigations documenting similarl...
Intraarterial doxorubicin infusion treatment with and without occlusion of the renal artery in rabbit renal VX-2 carcinoma. Establishing an animal model.

The aim of this investigation was to establish an animal model for studying fractionated intraarterial treatment of a rabbit kidney VX-2 carcinoma. As repeated catheterizations and drug infusions may cause vascular lesions, we wanted to find whether the rabbit renal artery could be catheterized several times within a short period of time with acceptable iatrogenic vascular trauma. Each of 3 groups of rabbits with implanted renal VX-2 carcinoma were treated 3 times with either 1) temporary renal artery occlusion combined with infusion (occlusion infusion) of a) physiologic saline (OIS) or b) doxorubicin (OID), or 2) with renal artery infusion of doxorubicin. OID was administered in 20 of 21 attempts, OIS in 21 of 24, and infusion of doxorubicin in 20 of 21 attempts. Renal arterial spasm was seen in 5 of 22 rabbits, rarely at the first catheterization, more frequently during the second and third. Permanent iatrogenic vascular trauma occurred in 4 of 15 rabbits after the second and third occlusion infusion. ...
Dichotomous Effects of IFN-γ on Dendritic Cell Function Determine the Extent of IL-12–Driven Antitumor T Cell Immunity

Sustained intratumoral delivery of IL-12 and GM-CSF can overcome tumor immune suppression and promote T cell-dependent eradication of established disease in murine tumor models. However, the antitumor effector response is transient and rapidly followed by a T suppressor cell rebound. The mechanisms that control the switch from an effector to a regulatory response in this model have not been defined. Because dendritic cells (DC) can mediate both effector and suppressor T cell priming, DC activity was monitored in the tumors and the tumor-draining lymph nodes (TDLN) of IL-12/GM-CSF-treated mice. The studies demonstrated that therapy promoted the recruitment of immunogenic DC (iDC) to tumors with subsequent migration to the TDLN within 24-48 h of treatment. Longer-term monitoring revealed that iDC converted to an IDO-positive tolerogenic phenotype in the TDLN between days 2 and 7. Specifically, day 7 DC lost the ability to prime CD8(+) T cells but preferentially induced CD4(+)Foxp3(+) T cells. The functional switch was reversible, as inhibition of IDO with 1-methyl tryptophan restored immunogenic function to tolerogenic DC. All posttherapy immunological activity was strictly associated with conventional myeloid DC, and no functional changes were observed in the plasmacytoid DC subset throughout treatment. Importantly, the initial recruitment and activation of iDC as well as the subsequent switch to tolerogenic activity were both driven by IFN-γ, revealing the dichotomous role of this cytokine in regulating IL-12-mediated antitumor T cell immunity.
Detection of activated feline platelets in platelet-rich plasma by use of fluorescein-labeled antibodies and flow cytometry.

Platelets contribute to prethrombotic or thrombotic states; however, accepted evaluation methods (i.e., in vitro testing by use of an aggregometer) of platelet function in cats can be difficult because of the large volume of blood required from which platelets are isolated and the potential for platelet activation due to difficult venipunctures in sometimes uncooperative or excited animals. The activation problem also contributes to errors in platelet counts. Platelets from four domestic short haired cats (two males, two females, 2-3 years old) minimally restrained without sedation or anesthesia were evaluated. Blood (5 ml) was collected by jugular venipuncture directly into syringes containing 3.8% trisodium citrate (nine parts blood to one part anticoagulant) plus prostaglandin E1 (3 microM; 0.25, 0.5, 1, or 2 microliters/500 microliters citrate) or 3.8% trisodium citrate alone. Prostaglandin E1, which is a stable metabolite of arachidonic acid with platelet inhibitory properties similar to those of prostaglandin I2, was added to the anticoagulant to prevent activation of platelets during the collection process. Feline platelets exposed to prostaglandin E1 became immediately and persistently nonreactive to agonists, which negated their use in functional studies (aggregation, 14C-serotonin release, binding of fluorescein-conjugated antifibrinogen) but improved platelet counting accuracy. Detection of in vivo activation of platelets in prethrombotic and thrombotic states in humans has been done by identification of activation-dependent molecules on platelet surfaces by use of specific antibody recognition and detection by flow cytometric analysis. Many activation-dependent platelet surface receptor changes are species specific; however, fibrinogen appears to be conserved across species.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Vincent (Ċensu) Tabone, an Ophthalmologist and a President of the Republic of Malta

Vincent Tabone may be unique in the history of ophthalmology. He practiced ophthalmology for 40 years in his homeland, the Republic of Malta. During that time, he became well known as a pioneer in the international effort to eradicate trachoma worldwide. At age 53, he began a long and successful political career as a member of parliament, then as a cabinet minister, and, finally, as the democratically elected president of the Republic. He was active in European diplomacy and made important contributions at the United Nations. He may be the only ophthalmologist who has made great contributions in the field of medicine and in the democratic development of his country.
Diversity of microbial communities

As used by microbiologists, the term diversity has various meanings, often describing qualitative morphological or physiological variances among microorganisms (Starr and Skerman, 1965; Belser, 1979; Hamada and Farrand, 1980; Hanson, 1980; Stanley and Schmidt, 1981; Walker, 1978; Yeh and Ornston, 1980). Microbial populations indeed exhibit great heterogeneity or diversity in their morphological, physiological, and ultimately genetic characteristics. An extensive list of diversifying factors that act to establish differentiating characteristics between microbial species has been discussed by Starr and Schmidt (1981). Some examples of these diversifying features are listed in Table I. These diversifying features have traditionally been employed by bacteriologists as the criteria for differentiating species. Often, the ability to recognize and distinguish species of microorganisms is difficult, but it is essential for assessing diversity.
False-Positive Reaction of l-Canavanine Glycine Bromothymol Blue Medium with Candida famata

The selective medium l-canavanine glycine bromothymol blue (CGB) agar is used with biochemical reactions to differentiate Cryptococcus gattii from C. neoformans ([1][1], [2][2]). The blue color of glycine assimilation on CGB agar indicates the positive reaction caused by C. gattii, whereas C.
Menopausal hormone therapy: currently no evidence for cardiac protection.

Coronary heart disease is the leading cause of death among women of older age. Interest emerged as to whether premenopausal endogenous estrogen conferred cardiac protection and whether menopausal hormone therapy might prove beneficial. The results of pivotal clinical trials including the randomized, placebo-controlled hormone trial of the Women's Health Initiative (WHI) and the Heart and Estrogen/ progestin Replacement Study (HERS) have led to new Guidelines from the American Heart Association (AHA) that state that hormone therapy should not be initiated or continued for the primary or secondary prevention of cardiovascular disease in menopausal women.
Etch Selectivity of Novel Epitaxial Layers for Bulk Micromachining

The present work demonstrates very high etch selectivity for a novel epitaxial layer in several standard bulk micromachining etchants. High selectivities have previously been achieved using high-concentration boron diffusions, resulting in a wide array of high performance micromechanical sensors. However, doping gradients, precipitates and dislocation arrays generated from the high boron concentrations can have deleterious effects on device performance. In this work, we report on the performance of a novel epitaxial structure composed of a silicon-germanium alloy device layer over a graded buffer layer. Chemical and microstructural analysis of the epitaxial layers reveal high purity and minimal defect densities. The selectivities of this layer and of boron-diffused layers are determined for a variety of etching conditions. High selectivity against low-doped silicon substrates is demonstrated in both ethylenediamine pyrocatechol and potassium hydroxide. Micromachined structures built using the SiGe epitaxial layer show smooth surfaces and precise build dimensions.
A meta-analysis of the effectiveness of bibliotherapy for alcohol problems

There has been increased interest in the use of brief interventions and the delivery of alcohol treatment services through nonspecialist health care settings. One possible resource for reaching untreated individuals is "bibliotherapy," the provision of self-help materials to motivate and guide the process of changing drinking behavior. Research on the effectiveness of self-help materials for problem drinkers has been done for three decades. This report summarizes a meta-analytic review of 22 studies evaluating the effectiveness of such self-help materials. Each study was rated on 12 methodological criteria, and effect sizes of bibliotherapy were computed. The methodological quality of studies was generally high relative to other treatment-outcome studies. Modest support was found for the efficacy of self-help materials in decreasing at-risk and harmful drinking. The weighted mean pre/post-effect size for bibliotherapy was .80 with self-referred individuals seeking help for drinking problems, and .65 for individuals identified through health screening. Between-group comparisons of bibliotherapy with no-intervention controls appear to have a small to medium effect, with a weighted mean effect size of .31 with self-referred drinkers; effect size was more variable in opportunistic interventions based on health screening. Finally, between-group comparisons of effects on drinking of bibliotherapy versus more extensive interventions yielded effect size values near zero. These findings provide support for the cost-effective use of bibliotherapy with problem drinkers seeking such help to reduce their consumption, and to a lesser extent with drinkers who are identified through screening as at risk.
Life as a Mentor.

The concept of mentorship is personalized in this discussion of Dr. Fawcett’s life as she experienced and thrived as a mentor. The authors describe different types of mentorship and how they were experienced by this leader.
Midtrimester vaginal Mycoplasma genitalium in women with subsequent spontaneous preterm birth.

Abstract Objective: We sought to determine the midtrimester prevalence of Mycoplasma genitalium in women who had subsequent spontaneous preterm birth. Study Design: In a prospective study of lower genital tract infections, we identified 127 women who subsequently had spontaneous preterm birth. Vaginal samples were obtained between 21 and 25 weeks' gestation for pH, for bacterial vaginosis Gram stain, and cultures that yielded Chlamydia trachomatis , Neisseria gonorrhoeae , and Trichomonas vaginalis . M genitalium was identified by using validated polymerase chain reaction (PCR) primers, and the results were compared to pregnancy outcomes. Results: Of 124 women with spontaneous preterm births, only five (3.9%) had PCR assays positive for M genitalium . The mean ± SD delivery gestational age was similar for women with a positive PCR (34.6 ± 2.2 weeks) and a negative PCR (34.0 ± 2.7 weeks) ( P =.62). None of the women with positive PCR results tested positive for any other sexually transmitted disease, whereas 36 (30%) women with negative PCR results tested positive. Conclusions: The occurrence of M genitalium in the vagina at midtrimester is infrequent in women with subsequent spontaneous preterm birth. (Am J Obstet Gynecol 2001;185:163-5.)
Tuning HP1α chromodomain selectivity for di- and trimethyllysine.

Histone lysine methylation is a critical marker for controlling gene expression. The position and extent of methylation (mono-, di-, or tri-) controls the binding of effector proteins that determine whether the associated DNA is expressed or not. Dysregulation of histone protein methylation has been associated with a number of types of cancer, and development of inhibitors for the effector proteins is becoming an active area of research. For this reason, understanding the mechanism by which effector proteins obtain selectivity for the different methylation states of lysine is of great interest. To this end, we have performed mutation studies on the Drosophila HP1α chromodomain, which binds H3K9Me(2) and H3K9Me(3) with approximately equal affinities. The selectivity of HP1α chromodomain for H3K9Me(3) over H3K9Me(2) was investigated by mutating E52 to remove or weaken the hydrogen bond to K9Me(2) while maintaining affinity for K9Me(3,) including E52F, E52I, E52V, E52D, an E52Q. The E52Q mutant exhibited the greatest degree of selectivity for KMe3, with 3.5-fold weaker binding to the dimethylated peptide (K(D) =52 μM) compared to the trimethylated peptide (K(D) =15 μM). These studies provide insight into the role of electrostatic interactions and hydrogen bonding in the differentiation of methylation states and have implications regarding the evolutionary pressure for selectivity in this protein-protein interaction. Moreover, the information from this study may help guide inhibitor development for this class of proteins.
CHLOROPLAST DNA RESTRICTION SITE VARIATION AND THE PHYLOGENY OF COREOPSIS SECTION COREOPSIS (ASTERACEAE).

Restriction site variation in chloroplast DNAs (cpDNAs) of Coreopsis section Coreopsis was employed to assess divergence and phylogenetic relationships among the nine species of the section. A total of fourteen restriction site mutations and one length mutation was detected. Cladistic analysis of the cpDNA data produced a phylogeny that is different in several respects from previous hypotheses. CpDNA mutations divide the section into two groups, with the two perennial species C. auriculata and C. pubescens lacking any derived restriction site changes. The other seven species are united by five synapomorphic restriction site mutations and the one length mutation. These seven species fall into three unresolved clades consisting of 1) the remaining three perennial species, C. grandiflora, C. intermedia, and C. lanceolata; 2) three annual species, C. basalis, C. nuecensoides, and C. nuecensis; and 3) the remaining annual, C. wrightii. The cpDNA data suggest that, although the perennial habit is primitive within the section, the annual species of section Coreopsis have likely not originated from an extant perennial species. The estimated proportion of nucleotide differences per site (given as 100p) for the cpDNAs of species in the section ranges from 0.00 to 0.20, which is comparable to or lower than values reported for other congeneric species. The low level of cpDNA divergence is concordant with other data, including cross compatibility, interfertility and allozymes, in suggesting that species of the section are not highly divergent genetically.
Nominalizations vs. Denominalizations: Do They Influence What Readers Recall?

Technical writers and editors assume that readers are generally helped when nominalizations and the weak verbs that accompany them are replaced with the verb form of the nominalization. The study discussed here tests that assumption. Specifically, the study assessed the effect of nominalizations, nominalization imageability, and idea importance on readers' recall of technical prose. The results indicate that denominalized text is most effective in helping native speakers focus on more important information. Yet for non-native speakers, nominalized text may work quite well. Conclusions and recommendations for further study are offered.
Epilepsy genetics — past, present, and future

Human epilepsy is a common and heterogeneous condition in which genetics play an important etiological role. We begin by reviewing the past history of epilepsy genetics, a field that has traditionally included studies of pedigrees with epilepsy caused by defects in ion channels and neurotransmitters. We highlight important recent discoveries that have expanded the field beyond the realm of channels and neurotransmitters and that have challenged the notion that single genes produce single disorders. Finally, we project toward an exciting future for epilepsy genetics as large-scale collaborative phenotyping studies come face to face with new technologies in genomic medicine.
A Comparative Analysis of Political Communication Systems and Voter Turnout

Thisarticleexploreshowpoliticalcommunicationinstitutionsaffectcross-nationaldifferencesinvoterturnoutindemocratic elections. It demonstrates how the structure and means of conveying political messages—gauged by media systems, access to paid political television advertising, and campaign finance laws—explain variations in turnout across 74 countries. Relying on a “mobilization” perspective, I argue that institutional settings that reduce information costs for voters will increase turnout. The major empirical findings are twofold. First, campaign finance systems that allow more money (and electioneering communication) to enter election campaigns are associated with higher levels of voter turnout. Second, broadcastingsystemsandaccesstopaidpoliticaltelevisionadvertisingexplaincross-nationalvariationinturnout,buttheir effects are more complex than initially expected. While public broadcasting clearly promotes higher levels of turnout, it also modifies the effect of paid advertising access on turnout.
Spatial multiplexing over a line-of-sight millimeter-wave MIMO link: A two-channel hardware demonstration at 1.2Gbps over 41m range

This paper presents recent experimental results from a novel hardware prototype of an outdoor millimeter-wave line-of-sight (LOS) MIMO link. The system architecture establishes multiple parallel data channels using antenna element spacing derived from the principles of diffraction-limited optics. A millimeter-wave carrier frequency reduces the antenna array size to reasonably compact dimensions. In principle, this system architecture is scalable to larger one-dimensional and two-dimensional arrays supporting data rates >320 Gbps. A two-channel LOS hardware prototype has been constructed and tested in an outdoor environment. The hardware prototype achieved bit error rates (BER) <2times10-6 for two channels operating at 600 Mbps each over a link range of 41 m.
Vehicle Surveillance with a Generic, Adaptive, 3D Vehicle Model

In automated surveillance, one is often interested in tracking road vehicles, measuring their shape in 3D world space, and determining vehicle classification. To address these tasks simultaneously, an effective approach is the constrained alignment of a prior model of 3D vehicle shape to images. Previous 3D vehicle models are either generic but overly simple or rigid and overly complex. Rigid models represent exactly one vehicle design, so a large collection is needed. A single generic model can deform to a wide variety of shapes, but those shapes have been far too primitive. This paper uses a generic 3D vehicle model that deforms to match a wide variety of passenger vehicles. It is adjustable in complexity between the two extremes. The model is aligned to images by predicting and matching image intensity edges. Novel algorithms are presented for fitting models to multiple still images and simultaneous tracking while estimating shape in video. Experiments compare the proposed model to simple generic models in accuracy and reliability of 3D shape recovery from images and tracking in video. Standard techniques for classification are also used to compare the models. The proposed model outperforms the existing simple models at each task.
Probing composite gravity in colliders

We explore scenarios in which the graviton is not a fundamental degree of freedom at short distances but merely emerges as an effective degree of freedom at long distances. In general, the scale of such graviton 'compositeness', {lambda}{sub g}, can only be probed by measuring gravitational forces at short distances, which becomes increasingly difficult and eventually impossible as the distance is reduced. Here, however, we point out that if supersymmetry is an underlying symmetry, the gravitino can be used as an alternative probe to place a limit on {lambda}{sub g} in a collider environment, by demonstrating that there is a model-independent relation, {lambda}{sub g} > or approx. m{sub 3/2}. In other words, the gravitino knows that gravity is standard at least down to its Compton wavelength, so this can also be viewed as a test of general relativity possible at very short distances. If composite gravity is found first at some {lambda}{sub g}, this would imply a model-independent upper bound on m{sub 3/2}.
Temperature–Moisture Dependence of the Deep Convective Transition as a Constraint on Entrainment in Climate Models

AbstractProperties of the transition to strong deep convection, as previously observed in satellite precipitation statistics, are analyzed using parcel stability computations and a convective plume velocity equation. A set of alternative entrainment assumptions yields very different characteristics of the deep convection onset boundary (here measured by conditional instability and plume vertical velocity) in a bulk temperature–water vapor thermodynamic plane. In observations the threshold value of column water vapor above which there is a rapid increase in precipitation, referred to as the critical value, increases with temperature, but not as quickly as column saturation, and this can be matched only for cases with sufficiently strong entrainment. This corroborates the earlier hypothesis that entraining plumes can explain this feature seen in observations, and it places bounds on the lower-tropospheric entrainment. Examination of a simple interactive entrainment scheme in which a minimum turbulent entrai...