cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Characterization of FGF-1 Mutant, K126D

Fibroblast Growth Factor-1 is a 16 kiloDalton heparin-binding protein whose function involves signaling cells for responses such as cell growth, differentiation, endurance, and response to trauma. FGF-1 also has restorative effects like wound healing, angiogenesis, and nerve repair. Wild type FGF-1 has a short half-life in vivo, and denatures at physiological temperature. Due to its instability and potential for therapeutics, a more stable form of FGF-1 is desirable.The purpose of the research study is to characterize the FGF-1 mutant, K126D using a series of techniques like CD, Fluorescence Spectroscopy, Differential Scanning Calorimetry, thermal denaturation, NMR spectroscopy, trypsin digestion, and ANS titration. These techniques will be used to assess the degree of stability of K126D as compared to wild type FGF-1. In addition, cell proliferation assays will be performed to determine how the mutation affects the activity of FGF-1.
Eigendecomposition of Images Correlated on $S^{1}$ , $S^{2}$ , and $SO(3)$ Using Spectral Theory

Eigendecomposition represents one computationally efficient approach for dealing with object detection and pose estimation, as well as other vision-based problems, and has been applied to sets of correlated images for this purpose. The major drawback in using eigendecomposition is the off line computational expense incurred by computing the desired subspace. This off line expense increases drastically as the number of correlated images becomes large (which is the case when doing fully general 3-D pose estimation). Previous work has shown that for data correlated on S 1 , Fourier analysis can help reduce the computational burden of this off line expense. This paper presents a method for extending this technique to data correlated on S 2 as well as SO(3) by sampling the sphere appropriately. An algorithm is then developed for reducing the off line computational burden associated with computing the eigenspace by exploiting the spectral information of this spherical data set using spherical harmonics and Wigner-D functions. Experimental results are presented to compare the proposed algorithm to the true eigendecomposition, as well as assess the computational savings.
Plasmodium Food Vacuole Plasmepsins Are Activated by Falcipains

Intraerythrocytic malaria parasites use host hemoglobin as a major nutrient source. Aspartic proteases (plasmepsins) and cysteine proteases (falcipains) function in the early steps of the hemoglobin degradation pathway. There is extensive functional redundancy within and between these protease families. Plasmepsins are synthesized as integral membrane proenzymes that are activated by cleavage from the membrane. This cleavage is mediated by a maturase activity whose identity has been elusive. We have used a combination of cell biology, chemical biology, and enzymology approaches to analyze this processing event. These studies reveal that plasmepsin processing occurs primarily via the falcipains; however, if falcipain activity is blocked, autoprocessing can take place, serving as an alternate activation system. These results establish a further level of redundancy between the protease families involved in Plasmodium hemoglobin degradation.
THE MANY FACES OF THE HETEROTIC VORTEX

We address the problem of non-Abelian super-QCD, with a Fayet-Iliopoulos term, as seen from the vortex worldsheet perspective. Together with the FI term ξ, also a mass µ for the adjoint superfield Φ enters into the game. This mass allows the interpolation between ${\cal N}\, = \,2$ and ${\cal N}\, = \,1$ super-QCD. We distinguish, inside the parameter space spanned by ξ and µ, four different corners where some quantitative statements can be made. We focus on two questions: 1) Is the quantum vortex BPS or non-BPS? 2) What is the phase of the internal non-Abelian moduli? We find that the answer to these questions depends upon the choice of the linear term in the superpotential. We then address the problem of multiple non-Abelian vortices, in the presence of the ${\cal N}\, = \,1$ deformation. We show that the tension of the "Abelian" vortex is not affected by the heterotic deformation, and in particular it remains BPS-saturated when µ is also switched on.
Scapholunate and Lunotriquetral Instability in the Athlete: Diagnosis and Management

Hand and wrist injuries are common and, if inadequately diagnosed or treated, significant morbidity can occur. Scapholunate ligament tears and lunotriquetral ligament tears are serious disruptions of the proximal carpal row and may lead to carpal instability, degenerative changes, and often pain. An accurate, timely diagnosis will minimize the loss of playing time for the athlete and result in better outcomes. Recognition of the physical findings and use of appropriate imaging examinations will minimize time away from play for the athlete. Advanced imaging studies are expensive, may be misleading, and may not change the initial treatment plan but often are ordered in high-level athletes. After diagnosis, the injury must be assessed regarding age, degree of dynamic or static radiographic instability, the presence of arthritis, and any associated injuries. These multiple variables can provide the rationale for effective treatment. Options include immobilization, arthroscopic debridement with or without intercarpal Kirschner wire pinning, thermal collagen shrinkage with electrothermal probes, ligament repair, ligament substitution or reconstruction, and limited intercarpal arthrodesis. Acute tears that are dynamic are often amenable to arthroscopic debridement with or without percutaneous stabilization, whereas chronic injuries with static diastasis may require extensive reconstruction to restore carpal stability and prevent or limit degenerative changes such as scapholunate advanced collapse syndrome. The rehabilitation time frame for major reconstruction is 4 to 6 months to allow for healing and sufficient tissue remodeling permitting unrestricted activity.
BODY COMPOSITION IN UREMIC RATS

Body composition has been studied in uremia to assess state of nutrition and hydration. However, compositional data, chiefly gathered by measurement of fluid compartments, has not been collated with actual organ weights. This was studied in young, growing male Sprague-Dawley rats made uremic (average BUN 100mg%) by partial nephrectomy. Extracellular fluid volume (ECV), determined by Br82 and total body water (TBW), determined by H3O, were measured and animals sacrificed for removal of adrenals, brains, hearts, kidneys, livers, and right paravertebral muscles. Uremic rats weighed less than control rats (279gm vs 311gm*). ECF and heart size were relatively greater in uremic animals (25.2% vs 22.6%**; 0.0816gm 0.0687gm**+), probably indicating an effect on the cardiovascular system of uremia even when moderate. Absolute intracellular fluid volume (TBW-ECV) (133cc vs 144cc), liver (2.98gm vs 3.60gm*), muscle mass as reflected by 24 hr urine creatinine (8.26mgm vs 9.70mgm *), and total body solids (82.5gm vs 104.1gm**) were reduced in uremic rats either more than, or in proportion to, reduction in body weight. Absolute brain size was equal. *P<.05 **P<.01 +dry organ weights reported
Confirmation of the regional localization of the genes for human acid alpha‐glucosidase (GAA) and adenosine deaminase (ADA) by somatic cell hybridization

We have confirmed the localization of human acid alpha-glucosidase (GAA) to 17q21----q25 and of adenosine deaminase (ADA) to 20q13----20qter by examination of hybrid clones derived from a fusion between a human cell line carrying a 17/20 balanced translocation (17pter----17q25::20q13----20qter;20pter-- --20q13::17q25----17qter) and a mouse line deficient in thymidine kinase. These hybrids were constantly maintained in HAT selective media in order to select for the presence of the human thymidine kinase gene on the intact chromosome 17 (17q21----22) or the 17/20 (17pter----17q25::20q13----20qter) translocation chromosome. We detected human GAA by rocket immunoelectrophoresis, using a heterologous antibody raised against human acid alpha-glucosidase. A clone which contained the 17/20 translocation and no intact chromosome 17 was still positive for GAA. This finding confirms the exclusion of GAA from 17q25----17qter reported by Nickel et al. (1982). Combined with earlier results (Weil et al. 1979), GAA can be assigned to 17q21----17q25. A clone which contained only the 17/20 translocation chromosome and no intact chromosome 20 contained ADA. This confirms the previous localization of ADA to 20q13.2----qter by gene dosage studies (Philip et al. 1980).
Nuclear genetic variation across the range of ponderosa pine ( Pinus ponderosa ): Phylogeographic, taxonomic and conservation implications

Ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa) is among the most broadly distributed conifer species of western North America, where it possesses considerable ecological, esthetic, and commercial value. It exhibits complicated patterns of morphological and genetic variation, suggesting that it may be in the process of differentiating into distinct regional lineages. A robust analysis of genetic variation across the ponderosa pine complex is necessary to ensure the effectiveness of management and conservation efforts given the species’ large distribution, the existence of many isolated disjunct populations, and the potential susceptibility of some populations to climate change and other threats. We used highly polymorphic nuclear microsatellite markers and isozyme markers from 3113 trees in 104 populations to assess genetic variation and structure across the geographic range of ponderosa pine. The results reveal pervasive inbreeding and patterns of genetic diversity consistent with the hypothesis that ponderosa existed in small, as-yet-undetected Pleistocene glacial refugia north of southern Arizona and New Mexico. The substructuring of genetic variation within the species complex was consistent with its division into two varieties, with genetic clusters within varieties generally associated with latitudinal zones. The analyses indicate widespread gene flow and/or recent common ancestry among genetic clusters within varieties, but not between varieties. Isolated disjunct populations had lower genetic variation by some measures and greater genetic differentiation than main-range populations. These results should be useful for decision-making and conservation planning related to this widespread and important species.
Development of Argentine Archaeology

North American scholars have had available for some time a very rich source on the development of studies in Northwest Argentina by Rex Gonzales (1976), specifically written for American Antiquity at the request of the then editor Dr. Patty Jo Watson. Gonzales was influenced by the seminal work of Willey and Sabloff as well as Willey and Phillips. Because of this ready source I find myself not going back to the original literature base in Argentina. However, there are some good historical analyses of the discipline, published in Argentina, which ought not be over­ looked. Prof. Dolores Carolina Elkin of Buenos Aires has recently reminded me of a book of significant impor­tance, the 320 page review of Jorge Fernandez. Fernandez covers many fronts; he starts with a review of the major periods as he defines them in Argentina, then looks at the contributions and histories of the major institutions conducting research in the country. the impact of international congresses and foreign investigators, and finishes his text with a review of the patterns of development of regional archaeological paradigms. This discussion takes up 180 pages; the remaining 140 pages are a very nice bibliography of Argentine archaeology.
Epicurean equanimity towards death

This paper assesses two reformulations of Epicurus' argument that "death ... is nothing to us, since while we exist, death is not present; and whenever death is present, we do not exist." The first resembles many contemporary reformulations in that it attempts to reach the conclusion that death is not to the disadvantage of its subject. I argue that this rather anachronistic sort of reformulation cannot succeed. The second reformulation
Rigid DNA chains near nanoparticles

Abstract Two-photon excitation time-resolved fluorescence anisotropy and lifetime measurements were used to study the conformation of DNA near oppositely charged nanoparticles. Negatively-charged rhodamine-labeled DNA was allowed to adsorb onto positively-charged nanoparticles in deionized water and surface-induced fluorescence quenching was observed by measuring the fluorescence lifetime. Fluorescence quenching decreased with the addition of NaCl to the DNA-nanoparticle complex, which implies that the separation of DNA from the nanoparticles increased. However, comparison of fluorescence lifetime decays between free labeled-DNA and the DNA-nanoparticle complex shows that the adsorbed DNA remained less flexible than free labeled-DNA.
The development and validation of the food craving acceptance and action questionnaire (FAAQ)

Research has suggested that mindfulness and acceptance may be important factors in the development, maintenance and treatment of both obesity and eating disorders. However, very few scales exist that apply constructs of acceptance and mindfulness to eating behavior. A measure of acceptance about food related thoughts would be especially beneficial in investigating links between acceptance and problematic eating, and in better understanding mechanisms of action of effective treatments for obesity and eating disorders. The Food Acceptance and Awareness Questionnaire (FAAQ) was developed to measure acceptance of urges and cravings to eat or the extent to which individuals might try to control or change these thoughts. The FAAQ is a self-report questionnaire made up of ten items each rated on a seven-point Likert scale (1=very seldom true to 6=always true). Higher scores indicate greater acceptance of motivations to eat. The FAAQ was given to a sample of 463 undergraduate students along with several other measures of eating behavior and other psychological variables. Concurrent associations with variables theorized to be closely linked (Eating Attitudes Test, EAT; the Dutch Eating Behavior Questionnaire, DEBQ; body mass index, BMI) and not very closely linked (the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale, DASS) were evaluated in order to indicate the new scale's convergent and divergent validity. These results demonstrated highly significant correlations with these measures in the expected direction, with stronger correlations for the theoretically-consistent variables than the theoretically-inconsistent variables. Exploratory factor analyses confirmed a structural two-factor model. Factor 1 seems to measure one's ability to regulate eating despite urges and cravings, and Factor 2 seems to measure desire to maintain internal control over eating thoughts. The FAAQ was also administered to a separate sample of 29 overweight or obese women enrolled in a weight loss program, and found to be predictive of weight loss. Taken together, results suggest that the FAAQ is a psychometrically sound instrument which might be a valuable tool for assessing acceptance of food related thoughts and urges.
Survival analysis of patients with stage I and II hepatocellular carcinoma after a liver transplantation or liver resection.

Introduction Liver transplantation (LT) is a treatment option in select patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The aim of the present study was to compare survival in Stage I or II HCC patients undergoing either liver transplant (LT) or a liver resection (LR).
Infection with Mycobacterium bovis BCG Diverts Traffic of Myelin Oligodendroglial Glycoprotein Autoantigen-Specific T Cells Away from the Central Nervous System and Ameliorates Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis

Infectious agents have been proposed to influence susceptibility to autoimmune diseases such as multiple sclerosis. We induced a Th1-mediated central nervous system (CNS) autoimmune disease, experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) in mice with an ongoing infection with Mycobacterium bovis strain bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) to study this possibility. C57BL/6 mice infected with live BCG for 6 weeks were immunized with myelin oligodendroglial glycoprotein peptide (MOG(35-55)) to induce EAE. The clinical severity of EAE was reduced in BCG-infected mice in a BCG dose-dependent manner. Inflammatory-cell infiltration and demyelination of the spinal cord were significantly lessened in BCG-infected animals compared with uninfected EAE controls. ELISPOT and gamma interferon intracellular cytokine analysis of the frequency of antigen-specific CD4(+) T cells in the CNS and in BCG-induced granulomas and adoptive transfer of MOG(35-55)-specific green fluorescent protein-expressing cells into BCG-infected animals indicated that nervous tissue-specific (MOG(35-55)) CD4(+) T cells accumulate in the BCG-induced granuloma sites. These data suggest a novel mechanism for infection-mediated modulation of autoimmunity. We demonstrate that redirected trafficking of activated CNS antigen-specific CD4(+) T cells to local inflammatory sites induced by BCG infection modulates the initiation and progression of a Th1-mediated CNS autoimmune disease.
Management of epidermolysis bullosa acquisita

By all accounts, epidermolysis bullosa acquisita (EBA) is a very rare chronic subepidermal blistering disease which involves the skin and mucous membranes. The disease can appear in childhood, but has a wide age range with no sex, racial or ethnic group predilection. There is an absence of family or personal history of any blistering diseases. There is a developing association of the HLA-DR2 allele and some of these cases can have enhanced susceptibility to bullous SLE. Other disease associations with EBA include inflammatory bowel disease, amyloidosis, myeloma, thyroiditis, diabetes and multiple endocrinopathy syndrome. EBA often presents with skin fragility and blistering that is usually trauma induced, so that the elbows, knees, knuckles, fingers and fingernails tend to be affected. The lesions heal with scarring and milia formation. However, some cases of EBA can have a clinical phenotype, similar to bullous pemphigoid, with widespread inflammatory vesicles and bullae. Other cases may present similarly to cicatricial pemphigoid with involvement of the eyes, mouth and genital areas. The severity of EBA varies, indicating a rather heterogenous nature. Milder cases undoubtedly occur and some of these go into spontaneous remission, but very severe cases can lead to blindness, oesophageal strictures and anal stenosis and be very incapacitating. The diagnosis of EBA can be confirmed by salt-split immunofluoresence procedures where the BMZ antibodies bind to the dermal side of the split. Ideally, one wishes to identify type 7 collagen by Western blot analysis, ELISA or immunoelectron microscopy. EBA can be a very frustrating and difficult disease to treat. In our experience, EBA can show great heterogeneity in the response to therapy. Some cases appear mild and respond to low dose prednisolone with dapsone, 50–100 mg daily. More moderately severe cases require prednisolone, azathioprine or cyclosporin. There are, undoubtedly, very severe cases which appear to be resistant to all of the above therapies. It is not advised that very high dose oral corticosteroids he administered in EBA, as often this is ineffective and leads to crippling steroid side-effects. For very resistant or severe cases, the use of oral mycophenolate mofetil can be recommended. Some cases may respond to IV pulses of prednisolone and cyclophosphamide and others, to IVIG infusions. Unfortunately, because of the rarity of the disease, no exact therapeutic policy has been established and each case requires consideration on its merits. Management of cases with severe ocular, oesophageal or genital involvement is best done within a specialized centre which includes facilities for endoscopic techniques for strictures.
Isoleucine and Leucine Independently Regulate mTOR Signaling and Protein Synthesis in MAC-T Cells and Bovine Mammary Tissue Slices

Understanding the regulatory effects of individual amino acids (AA) on milk protein synthesis rates is important for improving protein and AA requirement models for lactation. The objective of this study was to examine the effects of individual essential AA (EAA) on cellular signaling and fractional protein synthesis rates (FSR) in bovine mammary cells. Omission of L-arginine, L-isoleucine, L-leucine, or all EAA reduced (P < 0.05) mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR; Ser2448) and ribosomal protein S6 (rpS6; Ser235/236) phosphorylation in MAC-T cells. Phosphorylation of mTOR and rpS6 kinase 1 (S6K1; Thr389) decreased (P < 0.05) in the absence of L-isoleucine, L-leucine, or all EAA in lactogenic mammary tissue slices. Omission of L-tryptophan also reduced S6K1 phosphorylation (P = 0.01). Supplementation of L-leucine to media depleted of EAA increased mTOR and rpS6 and decreased eukaryotic elongation factor 2 (Thr56) phosphorylation (P < 0.05) in MAC-T cells. Supplementation of L-isoleucine increased mTOR, S6K1, and rpS6 phosphorylation (P < 0.05). No single EAA considerably affected eukaryotic initiation factor 2-α (eIF2α; Ser51) phosphorylation, but phosphorylation was reduced in response to provision of all EAA (P < 0.04). FSR declined when L-isoleucine (P = 0.01), L-leucine (P = 0.01), L-methionine (P = 0.02), or L-threonine (P = 0.07) was depleted in media and was positively correlated (R = 0.64, P < 0.01) with phosphorylation of mTOR and negatively correlated (R = -0.42, P = 0.01) with phosphorylation of eIF2α. Such regulation of protein synthesis will result in variable efficiency of transfer of absorbed EAA to milk protein and is incompatible with the assumption that a single nutrient limits protein synthesis that is encoded in current diet formulation strategies.
Preliminary Characterization of Rabbit Oviduct Fluid Trypsin Inhibitors

This study has shown rabbit oviduct fluid to contain trypsin inhibitors with properties similar to those of the trypsin inhibitors present in various mammalian blood sera, including rabbit blood serum. The concentration of oviduct fluid trypsin inhibitor (OFTI) activity varied with the hormonal state of the animal. For five estrous rabbits, the average inhibitor level was 475 inhibitor milli-units (ImU)/ml of oviduct fluid. However, seven days after ovulation, the level had risen to 800 ImU/mI. After this, the concentration declined to nearly estrous levels as pseudopregnancy progressed. In four ovariectomized >,
Phlegmasia complicating prophylactic percutaneous inferior vena caval interruption: A word of caution

Abstract Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the incidence of thrombotic complications in patients with deep vein thrombosis (DVT) who were treated with percutaneous inferior vena caval interruption in place of anticoagulation. Methods: A retrospective review of all percutaneously placed inferior vena cava filters for 1 year, August 1993 through July 1994, was performed. Results: Thirty-three percutaneous inferior vena cava filters were placed in 32 patients. The underlying disease was pulmonary embolism in 15 (47%) and DVT in 17 (53%) patients. Of patients with pulmonary embolism, 11 had a documented DVT, and four were not evaluated for DVT. There were 14 men and 18 women, with a mean age of 63.5 years (range 24 to 93 years). Indications for vena caval interruption were recurrent pulmonary embolism with therapeutic anticoagulation ( n = 2 [6%]), prophylactic insertion with documented pulmonary embolism and therapeutic anticoagulation ( n = 8 [25%]), documented pulmonary embolism and absolute contraindication to anticoagulation ( n = 5 [16%]), documented DVT and absolute contraindication to anticoagulation ( n = 2 [6%]), prophylactic insertion with documented DVT and therapeutic anticoagulation ( n = 5 [16%]), and documented DVT with relative contraindication to anticoagulation ( n = 10 [31%]). Of the 32 patients with inferior vena cava filters, 17 were not given anticoagulants (7 absolute contraindications, 10 relative contraindications), and 15 were given anticoagulants. Insertion of a percutaneous inferior vena cava filter in patients who were not given anticoagulants was followed by the development of phlegmasia cerulea dolens in four patients (24%), which was bilateral in two patients; one patient eventually died. No patients treated with inferior vena cava filter and anticoagulation had development of phlegmasia. Conclusions: Percutaneous inferior vena caval interruption effectively prevents pulmonary embolism in patients with DVT but does not impact the underlying thrombotic process and in fact may contribute to progressive thrombosis in patients who are not given anticoagulants. Anticoagulation with intravenous heparin is safe and effective therapy for DVT in most patients. We believe that percutaneous insertion of vena cava filters should not replace anticoagulation in routine proximal DVT, and those patients who require an inferior vena cava filter for failure of anticoagulation should continue to receive heparin to treat the primary thrombotic process. We caution that relative contraindications to anticoagulation should be carefully scrutinized before recommending vena cava interruption as a primary therapy for DVT. (J VASC SURG 1995;22:606-11.)
Teaching NeuroImages: Intraneural ganglion cyst of the tibial nerve

A 59-year-old man with knee arthritis suddenly developed left posterior thigh pain and complete paralysis of his foot. EMG/nerve conduction studies localized the lesion to the distal sciatic nerve in the thigh (absent motor units from the short head of biceps femoris but normal vastus lateralis). Imaging demonstrated an intraneural ganglion cyst in the tibial nerve extending up to the sciatic nerve (figure 1), which was resected (figure 2). Synovial fluid escaped from a capsular defect, tracking up a tibial articular branch of the sciatic nerve, causing secondary compression of the peroneal division.1,2 Intraneural ganglia typically involve the peroneal nerve.
A link between mitotic entry and membrane growth suggests a novel model for cell size control

Addition of new membrane to the cell surface by membrane trafficking is necessary for cell growth. In this paper, we report that blocking membrane traffic causes a mitotic checkpoint arrest via Wee1-dependent inhibitory phosphorylation of Cdk1. Checkpoint signals are relayed by the Rho1 GTPase, protein kinase C (Pkc1), and a specific form of protein phosphatase 2A (PP2ACdc55). Signaling via this pathway is dependent on membrane traffic and appears to increase gradually during polar bud growth. We hypothesize that delivery of vesicles to the site of bud growth generates a signal that is proportional to the extent of polarized membrane growth and that the strength of the signal is read by downstream components to determine when sufficient growth has occurred for initiation of mitosis. Growth-dependent signaling could explain how membrane growth is integrated with cell cycle progression. It could also control both cell size and morphogenesis, thereby reconciling divergent models for mitotic checkpoint function.
Labeling Genetically Engineered Food in the United States: Suggestions for a New Approach

The Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA) provides that a food is misbranded if the label accompanying the product is false or misleading in any particular. Congress provided minimal guidance to assist the FDA in making these determinations. When challenged, courts have granted substantial deference to FDA’s various interpretations of what constitute a material fact. However, when confronted with the regulatory question of whether or how to label products derived from genetically engineered (GE) crops, the FDA adopted a narrow reading of the statute that focused on changes in the product itself, rather than the act of genetic engineering. Only those GE products that possessed characteristics significantly different from their conventional counterparts would require labels. This “process versus product” distinction in food labels lies at the heart of the FDA’s resistance to repeated calls for mandatory labeling of foods derived from genetic engineering. Consumer interest in GE food, according to the agency, is not a material fact to trigger mandatory labeling under the statute. In contrast to its approach to GE labels, the agency has long required (since 1966) process-based labels for foods treated with irradiation. As recently as 1986, the FDA affirmed that materiality of information under it misbranding analysis is not limited to product safety or even the abstract worth of the information, but whether consumers view the information as important and whether the omission of a labeling statement would mislead the consumer. Accordingly, mere consumer interest can give rise to a mandatory labeling regime under the FFDCA. In the irradiation context, whole foods and single-ingredient products treated with irradiation must bear a label indicating the process. The irradiation of components in a multi-ingredient food product, however, need not bear a label. This distinction between processed, multi-ingredient and whole or single-ingredient foods provides a potential pathway for the agency to revise its approach to mandatory GE labeling. Exempting highly processed, multi-ingredient foods from a labeling regime would minimize traceability and segregation-generated disruptions in the commodity supply chain, thereby minimizing potential compliance costs, while also empowering consumers to express their preferences for non-GE whole and single-ingredient food products.
AMPA Receptor Cycling in the Synapse

Ionotropic glutamate receptors (GluRs) are involved in mediating signaling in response to synaptic activity. In addition to converting the chemical signal released from the presynaptic terminal to an electrical response in the postsynaptic neuron, these receptors are critically involved in activity-dependent, long-term changes in synaptic strength and, therefore, are central to processes thought to underlie learning and memory. The animation provides an interactive illustration of how activity-dependent changes in the glutamate receptor composition and numbers at the synapse may contribute to synaptic plasticity.
Indel information eliminates trivial sequence alignment in maximum likelihood phylogenetic analysis

Although there has been a recent proliferation in maximum-likelihood (ML)-based tree estimation methods based on a fixed sequence alignment (MSA), little research has been done on incorporating indel information in this traditional framework. We show, using a simple model on a single character example, that a trivial alignment of a different form than that previously identified for parsimony is optimal in ML under standard assumptions treating indels as ‘‘missing’’ data, but that it is not optimal when indels are incorporated into the character alphabet. We show that the optimality of the trivial alignment is not an artefact of simplified theory assumptions by demonstrating that trivial alignment likelihoods of five different multiple sequence alignment datasets exhibit this phenomenon. These results demonstrate the need for use of indel information in likelihood analysis on fixed MSAs, and suggest that caution must be exercised when drawing conclusions from software implementations claiming improvements in likelihood scores under an indels-as-missing assumption. � The Willi Hennig Society 2012.
Research in Clinical Practice

Clinical research in the practice setting can be a rewarding experience. The atmosphere of research is changing, however, with tighter budgets, more oversight, increasing litigation risks, financial pressures, and increased competition. Sites must be increasingly careful to negotiate appropriate study budgets and contract language that is not overly burdensome or risky for the site. The focus on investigator training and use of qualifies personnel is paramount to preserve and improve the quality of clinical research in the United STates. The future may find certification examinations necessary for all research staff, including investigators. Eventually, the number of clinical research sites in the community will decrease, and academic sites, along with international sites, will once again fill the void.
The Unmet Need for Family Planning

Maria is a 23-year-old woman who lives in a rural area 3 h from Santiago, Guatemala. She has a 1-year-old daughter and recently had an uncomplicated miscarriage after an unplanned pregnancy. Although she desires another child in the future, she is interested in contraception and travels 1 h to a clinic staffed by volunteer clinicians.
Onto resolving spurious wave reflection problem with changing nonlocality among various length scales

Abstract In this work an effective method was proposed in order to resolve the wave reflection problems between local/nonlocal models as well as multiple nonlocal models with varying nonlocality. Spurious wave reflection has been a primary concern in developing a robust multiscale–multiresolution model. In the current work a power-law based nonlocal peridynamic model has been proposed in order to mitigate this issue in a versatile manner. The fractional power-law eliminates the spurious wave reflection at the interfaces between local/nonlocal regions or regions with different nonlocalities. By controlling the exponent of the power-law it is possible to vary the frequency components of short or long waves without requiring a large handshake region. Using this underlying idea, 1 | x − x ′ | 1 + α , ∀ 0 α 2 can be used as a kernel function in order to define nonlocal interaction between x and x′. It was shown that by controlling α it is possible to change the nature of nonlocal interaction within any given cutoff range. Besides power law, Gaussian kernel is another good choice in minimizing the wave reflection issue. However, Gaussian function has some limitations with large variation in nonlocality or waves with higher frequency. In that context the proposed model demonstrated its effectiveness by removing any spurious wave reflections originated in various cases.
Structured Feature Selection

Feature dimensionality reduction has been widely used in various computer vision tasks. We explore feature selection as the dimensionality reduction technique and propose to use a structured approach, based on the Markov Blanket (MB), to select features. We first introduce a new MB discovery algorithm, Simultaneous Markov Blanket (STMB) discovery, that improves the efficiency of state-of-the-art algorithms. Then we theoretically justify three advantages of structured feature selection over traditional feature selection methods. Specifically, we show that the Markov Blanket is the minimum feature set that retains the maximal mutual information and also gives the lowest Bayes classification error. Then we apply structured feature selection to two applications: 1) We introduce a new method that enables STMB to scale up and show the competitive performance of our algorithms on large-scale image classification tasks. 2) We propose a method for structured feature selection to handle hierarchical features and show the proposed method can lead to big performance gain in facial expression and action unit (AU) recognition tasks.
Biomechanical studies on the lumbar spine and pelvis.

1. Eleven pelves and lumbar spines (eight embalmed and three unembalmed) were tested under static vertical loading; five specimens of the sacrum and the lumbar spines and five to eight thoracic vertebrae and discs (two embalmed, three unembalmed) were tested by static anterior bending; and four specimens of the sacrum and lumbar vertebrae and discs (all embalmed) were tested by static lateral bending. 2. Embalming increased the average maximum load and energy absorbed during vertical loading but decreased time magnitude of the average deflection. 3. Specimens tested by anterior bending had a greater bending moment, regardless of the condition of the specimen (embalmed or unembalmed) than those tested by lateral bending. 4. Embalmed specimens tested by lateral bending had a greater average deflection than similar specimens tested by anterior bending. 5. The greatest average amount of energy (inch pounds) was absorbed during vertical loading and the least during lateral bending. Embalming increases the energy-absorbing capacity of the pelvis and lumbar spine during vertical loading. 6. Unembalmed specimens tested by anterior bending showed the greatest average deflection. 7. Among the embalmed specimens the load increased more rapidly than the deflection in most of the specimens tested by vertical loading and in all of the specimens tested by anterior bending. In embalmed specimens tested by lateral bending the load increased more rapidly than deflection at first but later leveled off. 8. The slope of the load-deflection curve was generally steeper for specimens tested by vertical loading than for those tested by anterior or lateral bending. The slope of the curves for embalmed specimens was usually steeper than those for unembalmed ones. 9. No apparent relationship was found between the age of the individual whose spine was tested and the various biomechanical phenomena studied.
Cerebral Hemorrhage, Brain Edema, and Heme Oxygenase-1 Expression After Experimental Traumatic Brain Injury

Intracranial bleeding is a common and serious consequence of traumatic brain injury (TBI). In the present study, we investigated cerebral hematoma occurrence, brain edema formation, blood–brain barrier (BBB) disruption, and heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) expression after TBI. Moderate severity (1.8–2.2 atmospheres [ATM]) TBI was induced by lateral fluid percussion in male adult Sprague–Dawley rats. Sham rats underwent only a craniotomy. Rats were euthanized 24 h later for brain histology and immunoblotting analysis. We found TBI-induced cerebral hematomas and iron deposition in the ipsilateral hemisphere in all rats. TBI also caused marked BBB disruption (p < 0.05) and brain swelling (p < 0.05). HO-1, a key enzyme for heme degradation, was upregulated significantly after TBI (419 ± 89 vs 194 ± 59 pixels in the sham, p < 0.05). These results suggest that cerebral hematomas might play a role in brain injury after TBI. Future studies should determine the role of iron released from the cerebral hematoma in TBI.
Revisiting U. S. Public and Private Debt in April 2011

U.S. public and private debt is traced to the decision of the First Congress in 1790 to borrow the new nation's money supply. This established a debt imperative that requires debt to grow by compounding interest. When debt fails to grow enough, the economy goes into various degrees of recession. Annual debt increase required now is multiple trillions. Debt growth can be stopped by a general moratorium on interest. Federal debt can be paid with the debt certificates themselves by declaring them 'as good as cash' and the Federal government can pay new money into circulation debt and interest free. The actual cause of inflation and deflation is the undefined nature of the money unit. An hour of work time is suggested as the proper unit, not only for the dollar but for all currencies, so that prices can be fairly calculated as easily as length is measured with meters.
Let's Make a Deal: Waiving the Eighth Amendment By Selecting a Cruel and Unusual Punishment

This Article addresses the issue of whether a criminal defendant may waive the Eighth Amendment prohibition on cruel and unusual punishments by selecting an unconstitutional punishment over a constitutional punishment. The Article begins with a discussion of the Supreme Court’s Eighth Amendment jurisprudence, followed by a discussion of areas where the Court has allowed defendants to waive Eighth Amendment protections in various contexts. Then, the Article discusses court decisions that have addressed whether one may waive Eighth Amendment protections by choosing a cruel and unusual punishment. Generally, this issue has arisen in three contexts: (1) where defendants are given the punishment option of banishment; (2) where sex offenders are given the punishment option of castration; and (3) where capital defendants are given an execution method option that violates the constitution. The Article explains that at least in the context of punishment type, a defendant’s choice should not waive Eighth Amendment protections. First, the ban on cruel and unusual punishments is a right that differs significantly from other constitutional criminal rights because it serves a broad societal purpose. Second, the waiver of this right differs from the waiver of other criminal rights because such waivers do not benefit the individual or society. Finally, to allow such waivers would strip the Eighth Amendment of meaning by permitting legislatures to create any punishment options it desired. Therefore, the Article concludes that the Eighth Amendment ban on cruel and unusual punishments cannot be waived by an individual.
Dielectric Function of GaAs: a View Into Electron and Lattice Dynamics

Intense ultrafast optical excitation creates unique non-equilibrium conditions in a semiconductor, strongly modifies the bandstructure, and drives structural changes.1-3 Our previous results have shown that measuring fundamental optical properties, such as the dielectric constant1 and second-order susceptibility2 is a tremendous improvement over ordinary reflectivity and second-harmonic measurements, and yields results qualitatively different from previous assumptions. We now move beyond single-frequency measurements using a new broadband spectroscopic technique to simultaneously monitor the response of the dielectric function e(ω) of GaAs across the spectral range from 1.5 to 3.5 eV, with 100-fs temporal resolution.
Molten-Salt Reactors for Efficient Nuclear Fuel Utilization Without Plutonium Separation

Molten-salt reactors (MSRs), because of the fluid nature of the fuel, appear to provide an attractive approach to efficient fuel utilization in the thorium-/sup 233/U cycle as well as a means for limiting the availability of plutonium and the general proliferation risks associated with nuclear power generation. High-enrichment /sup 233/U systems could, in principle, be operated with positive breeding gains to effectively eliminate plutonium as a nuclear fuel. However, such systems would be proliferation sensitive. Concept modifications (short of denaturing the uranium fuel) can be conceived to enhance the proliferation resistance of high-enrichment MSRs, but it is doubtful that sufficient enhancement could be achieved to make the systems suitable for deployment other than at secure sites. Denaturing the uranium in an MSR introduces some plutonium into the fuel cycle and generally degrades its breeding performance. Nevertheless, a denatured MSR with full-scale on-site fuel reprocessing appears to be capable of break-even breeding. In addition, the plutonium (most of which is consumed in situ) would be of poor quality and could never be isolated from all other undesirable nuclides. Thus, such systems would provide for efficient utilization of uranium resources in a proliferation-resistant environment while limiting the amount of plutonium (and transplutoniummore » actinides) that would have to be handled as waste. The development of commercial MSRs by early in the 21st century appears to be technologically feasible.« less
Due Process of Law and Human Rights Perspectives on Capital Punishment

International human rights norms and standards are challenging state norms and practices as far as the death penalty is concerned. The “evolving standards of decency” rationale cited by the U.S. Supreme Court, citing international law, in abolishing juvenile death penalty augurs well for the eventual eradication of death penalty as a form of cruel, inhuman, degrading, and barbaric practice. This U.S. landmark jurisprudence reflects the degree and depth of development of human rights norms and standards vis-a-vis capital punishment. The “evolving standards of decency” used by the U.S. Supreme Court in stamping out the juvenile death law as a form of barbaric and unusual punishment actually applies to adults as well.
Controlled studies further the development of practical guidelines to manage dodder (Cuscuta gronovii) in cranberry production with short-term flooding

Flooding is an inexpensive cultural practice used for pest management in Massachusetts cranberry (Vaccinium macrocarpon Ait.) production. This project examined the use of short-term floods (<72 h) for dodder (Cuscuta gronovii Willd.) management under controlled conditions. Using incubators, seed was submerged in water for 0, 24 and 48 h at 10, 15 and 20°C (simulating spring water temperatures) and 0, 12, 24, 36 and 48 h at 15, 20 and 25°C (simulating summer water temperatures). Two 1-year controlled studies (field and greenhouse) evaluated three flood durations (0, 24 and 48 h) and four flood initiations (1, 2, 3 and 4 weeks after early seedling emergence (AEE)). Treated seeds were planted to cranberry vines and to Petri dishes; percent germination, degree of dodder attachment and dodder biomass data were collected. Treatments had limited effect on seed germination. Flooding 4 weeks AEE resulted in the lowest mean attachment ratings and dodder stem biomass on cranberry. This preliminary work provides evidence that flooding may retard dodder stem growth rather than reducing seed germination and that floods initiated after some time has elapsed after early emergence may be more effective than those initiated closer to the time of seedling emergence. More information is needed to thoroughly understand the processes involved; however, small projects such as this can provide interim guidelines that growers can immediately consider when deciding on a dodder management program.
Over the next hill.

In the tradition of Dr Arom, who had many interests in his clinical and research career, I will touch on three things that will impact the practice of clinical cardiac surgery over the next several...
Extensions of Buckley–Leverett Theory

This chapter discusses extensions of Buckley–Leverett theory and its application to radial systems as well as linear and radial composite reservoirs. The first part of the chapter is devoted to two-phase immiscible flow in a one-dimensional, radial system with governing radial frontal-advance equations of immiscible displacement. An extension of the classical Buckley–Leverett theory to a linear, composite system is then presented. In the last part, a Buckley–Leverett type analytical solution for one-dimensional, two-phase immiscible displacement in a linear composite porous medium of two domains is presented. Extension to an arbitrary number of domains and to one-dimensional horizontal flow in a composite system with nonconstant cross-sectional areas would be straightforward. For applications, these extended analytical solutions are used to look at flow behavior in a composite reservoir and to verify the numerical simulation results.
A practical projector-backprojector modeling attenuation, detector response, and scatter for accurate scatter compensation in SPECT

A projector-backprojector pair that models attenuation and the spatially variant geometric and the scatter response functions in a uniformly attenuating object for single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) was developed. The scatter response function (SRF) is modeled using a scheme based on the scatter responses of point sources in large slab phantoms. This scheme, slab derived scatter estimation, allows efficient and accurate modeling of the asymmetric properties of the scatter response during the projection and backprojection operations. The scatter model was verified by comparison of scatter line source response functions and scatter primary ratios obtained from direct Monte Carlo simulations. This eliminates the need for extensive Monte Carlo calculations for each object or extremely large memory to store the resulting SRFs for every pixel and view. Combined with iterative reconstruction techniques, this projector-backprojector provides a practical and accurate means for scatter compensation in SPECT. >