cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Computational modeling of biochemical systems using cellular automata

COMPUTATIONAL MODELING OF BIOCHEMICAL SYSTEMS USING CELLULAR AUTOMATA By Advait Ashok Apte, Ph.D. A Dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy at Virginia Commonwealth University. Virginia Commonwealth University, 2009 Major Director: Stephen S. Fong Assistant Professor, Chemical and Life Science Engineering Biological systems exhibit complex behaviors through coordinated responses of individual biological components. With the advent of genome-scale techniques, one focus has been to develop methods to model interactions between components to accurately describe intact system function. Mathematical modeling techniques such as constraintbased modeling, agent-based modeling, cellular automata (CA) modeling and differential equation modeling are employed as computational tools to study biological phenomenon. We have shown that cellular automata simulations can be used as a computational tool for 12 predicting the dynamics of biological systems with stochastic behavior. The basic premise for the research was the observations made during a study of biologically important feedforward motifs where CA simulations were compared with differential equation simulations. It was shown for classes of structural motifs with feed-forward architecture that network topology affects the overall rate of a process in a quantitatively predictable manner. The study which comprised of CA simulations compared with differential equation modeling show reasonable agreement in the predictability of system dynamics, which provided enough support to model biological systems at cellular level to observe dynamic system evolution. The great promise shown by CA simulations to model biochemical systems was then employed to elucidate evolutionary clues as to why biological networks show preference for certain types of motifs and preserve them with higher frequency during evolution. It was followed by modeling apoptotic networks to shed light on the efficacy of inhibitors and to model cellulose hydrolysis to evaluate efficiency of different enzyme systems used by cellulytic bacteria.
Chapter 12 The functional effects of protein and lipid dynamics in sarcoplasmic reticulum

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the functional effects of protein and lipid dynamics in sarcoplasmic reticulum. The chapter uses conventional electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) of nitroxide spin labels to measure lipid chain rotational motions, to resolve lipid–protein interactions, and o devise a quantitative assay for lipid fluidity. It develops and uses both saturation transfer EPR (STEPR) and time-resolved phosphorescence anisotropy (TPA) to detect the global rotational diffusion of the protein. The chapter shows the way they have been combined and correlated with Ca-ATPase kinetics to assess the role of dynamic protein–lipid and protein–protein interactions in the enzymatic cycle. The spectroscopic probe techniques developed to measure and correlate the rotational motions of membrane proteins and lipids are outlined in the chapter. The two principal approaches are EPR and TPA that provides the means to observe rotational dynamics spanning the time scale from picoseconds to milliseconds. One of the unique aspects of the research described in the chapter is the use of both EPR and optical techniques in tandem, taking advantage of their complementary sensitivities.
Temozolomide; A novel regional perfusion agent for the treatment of advanced extremity melanoma

5129 Isolated limb perfusion (ILP) with melphalan is a well established treatment for regionally advanced melanoma confined to an extremity. While complete response rates exceed 60%, many still respond poorly and about one-third of the complete responders develop a subsequent local recurrence at a median time of 13 months. Temozolomide is a novel methylating agent that has shown promising antitumor activity against metastatic melanoma when administered orally in recent clinical trials, with relatively little toxicity. We set out to determine if temozolomide could be utilized intra-arterially as a regional chemotherapeutic agent for patients with advanced extremity melanoma. ILP was performed using a nude rat xenograft model of subcutaneously injected human DM6 melanoma cells. Temozolomide was solubilized in a 10% solution of dimethyl sulfoxide and 0.9% saline. At total temozolomide doses between 750 mg/kg and 1000 mg/kg, all treated rats showed marked tumor regression by post-operative day eight, with 38% decrease in mean tumor volume and minimal limb toxicity. Temozolomide doses at or exceeding 3000 mg/kg produced frequent toxicity-related limb necrosis. By comparison, rats treated systemically with temozolomide (300 mg/kg) showed no tumor regression. The efficacy of temozolomide ILP was also significantly higher than that of melphalan ILP at equitoxic doses, as only one of five rats treated with melphalan (27 mg/kg) demonstrated tumor regression. By post-operative day 14, the tumor volume of temozolomide treated animals was always less than or equal to the original tumor volume. In contrast, the tumors of rats treated with either melphalan or saline had 315% greater volume than baseline by day 14, with no significant difference between either group. These data suggest that ILP with temozolomide can be an effective treatment for regionally advanced extremity melanoma. In addition, temozolomide appears to be markedly superior to melphalan, the agent currently utilized for clinical ILP.
McKee Rankin: The Actor as Playwright

McKee Rankin (1844-1914), from Windsor, Ontario, became one of the greatest actors on the American stage for a half-century. He also earned a reputation as the best stage manager and the best teacher of acting. This article deals with his talent as a playwright within the context of the important plays of his day. His The Danites brought a new realism to the stage, and his Abraham Lincoln introduced historical realism as drama. McKee Rankin (1844-1914), ne a Windsor (Ontario), fut, pendant une cinqauantaine d'annees, l'un des plus grands comediens de la scene americaine, ou il acquit aussi la reputation d'etre l'un des meilleurs regisseurs et professeurs d'art dramatique. Cet article traite de son talent de dramaturge par rapport aux pieces les plus saillantes de son epoque. La piece de McKee Rankin, The Danites, apporta un nouveau realisme scenique, tandis que son Abraham Lincoln dramatisa de facon realiste l'histoire recente.
Chemical control of interstrain competition for soybean nodulation by Bradyrhizobium japonicum

Previous research has shown that a significant limitation to the agricultural use of improved rhizobial inoculant strains is competition from the indigenous soil population. In this work, we sought to test whether chemical inhibitors of flavonoid-induced nod gene expression in Bradyrhizobium japonicum could be identified and utilized to affect interstrain competition for nodulation of soybeans. Approximately 1,000 structural and functional analogs of the known, natural inducers of nod gene expression were tested on six strains of B. japonicum containing a nodY-lacZ fusion. We successfully identified effective inhibitors of nodY expression. The addition of the inhibitor 7-hydroxy-5-methylflavone significantly inhibited nodulation by a sensitive strain and could be used to effectively manipulate the competition between strains for soybean nodulation. However, this work also uncovered significant limitations for the practical use of this methodology. For example, despite the almost universal induction response to the identified natural inducers, there was a wide variability among strains in their response to any specific inhibitor. Given this unexpected variability, the cost of registration of an agronomic chemical, and the potential for the development of resistant field populations, it is unlikely that chemical inhibitors can be successfully applied to a field situation.
A comparison of the lecithin/sphingomyelin ratio and shake test for estimating fetal pulmonary maturity

Abstract In a comparison of the lecithin/sphingomyelin (L/S) ratio and the shake test on 212 amniotic fluid specimens, the shake test demonstrated less maturity than the L/S ratio in 34 per cent and more maturity in 6.6 per cent of the samples. Better correlation with the L/S ratio was obtained with the use of a 20 second shake test than a 15 second shake. When delivery of the fetus occurred within 72 hours following amniocentesis, respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) developed in 36 per cent of the patients in whom the L/S ratio was less than 2.0 but in only 12 per cent of the patients when the shake test was transitional or immature.
Recording requirements for simulation and analysis of wide area disturbances

The simulation and analysis of wide area disturbances in large electric power systems are very critical to the optimal design and operation of the system. This paper discusses the requirements and describes a Web-based architecture for wide area disturbance recording. The primary recording devices are specialized monitoring and recording devices, while the backup recording is provided by the protection IEDs and the substation level of the substation automation system. The distribution of recording modes between these three components of the distributed recording system is described. The communications architecture of a Web-based distributed system for wide area disturbance recording is presented later in the paper.
Minicraniotomy versus bur holes for evacuation of chronic subdural collections in infants-a preliminary single-institution experience.

Object Various surgical interventions have been described to evacuate chronic subdural collections (CSCs) of infancy. These include transfontanel percutaneous aspiration, subdural drains, placement of bur hole(s) with or without a subdural drain, and shunting. Shunt placement typically provides good long-term success (resolution of the subdural fluid), but comes with well-known early and late complications. Recently, the authors have used a mini–osteoplastic craniotomy technique with the goal of definitively treating these children with a single surgery while avoiding the many issues associated with a shunt. They describe their procedure and compare it with the traditional bur hole technique. Methods In this single-institution retrospective study, the authors evaluated 26 cases involving patients who underwent treatment for CSC. Preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative data were reviewed, including radiographic findings (density of the subdural fluid and ventricular and subarachnoid space size), ne...
Dominance hierarchies and the evolution of human reasoning

Research from ethology and evolutionary biology indicates the following about the evolution of reasoning capacity. First, solving problems of social competition and cooperation have direct impact on survival rates and reproductive success. Second, the social structure that evolved from this pressure is the dominance hierarchy. Third, primates that live in large groups with complex dominance hierarchies also show greater neocortical development, and concomitantly greater cognitive capacity. These facts suggest that the necessity of reasoning effectively about dominance hierarchies left an indelible mark on primate reasoning architectures, including that of humans. In order to survive in a dominance hierarchy, an individual must be capable of (a) making rank discriminations, (b) recognizing what is forbidden and what is permitted based one's rank, and (c) deciding whether to engage in or refriin from activities that will allow one to move up in rank. The first problem is closely tied to the capacity for transitive reasoning, while the second and third are intimately related to the capacity for deontic reasoning. I argue that the human capacity for these types of reasoning have evolutionary roots that reach deeper into our ancestral past than the emergence of the hominid line, and the operation of these evolutionarily primitive reasoning systems can be seen in the development of human reasoning and domain-specific effects in adult reasoning.
Behavioral abnormalities in young adult pigs caused by malnutrition in early life.

ABSTRACT Baby pigs were malnourished for a period of 8 weeks by restricting protein or caloric intake with the objective of studying behavioral changes that remained long after nutritional rehabilitation had been achieved. An apparatus was designed for the measurement of changes in the level of excitement or emotionality under conditions of stress, as well as changes in learning performance in a conditioned avoidance situation. The most striking behavioral change due to early malnutrition was the heightened excitement of the pigs when exposed to aversive stimuli, although there was also an indication of decreased learning ability. Since learning performance can be affected by behavioral factors that influence the level of reinforcement (reward or punishment), impaired learning may be due either to decreased intelligence (capacity) or to elevated excitement and consequent over-reaction to reinforcement. The nutritional condition which caused the greatest change in behavioral development resulted from feeding a diet very low in protein from the third through the eleventh week of life. Behavioral abnormalities were also noted, although in lesser degree, if the low protein diet was initiated later, i.e., seventh to fifteenth week of life or if a diet of normal composition was fed in restricted quantity so as to prevent growth during an 8-week period starting either at birth or at 3 weeks of age.
Picard-Fuchs Equations, Hauptmoduls and Integrable Systems

The Schwarzian equations satisfied by certain Hauptmoduls (i.e., uniformizing functions for Riemann surfaces of genus zero) are derived from the Picard–Fuchs equations for families of elliptic curves and associated surfaces. The inhomogeneous Picard–Fuchs equations associated to elliptic integrals with varying endpoints are derived and used to determine solutions of equations that are algebraically related � ′
Observations of Millisecond Pulsars on Time Scales from 10 Nanoseconds to 10 Years

At this conference devoted to the study of a variety of astrophysical time series, it is fitting to note that 1997 marks the 30th anniversary year of the discovery of pulsars, which produce arguably the most famous astronomical time series (Hewish et al., 1968). The diversity and richness of science that has developed from observations of pulsars could never have been foreseen by their discoverers. Most of this science is deduced from detailed studies of pulsar time series. Timing observations of millisecond pulsars can be made with precisions that are unparalleled in astronomy. In this review, following a brief introduction to the pulsar population in general and to millisecond pulsars in particular, I will describe timing observations, highlight results of long-term high-precision timing observations of millisecond pulsars, and finally, present a look to the future in this active field.
Symptom assessment and exercise impairment in surgical decision making in hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy: Relationship to outcomes.

Abstract Objectives We sought to assess the long-term outcomes in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and severe left ventricular outflow tract obstruction, in whom the decision regarding surgery (vs conservative management) was based on assessment of symptoms or exercise capacity. Methods This was an observational study of 1530 patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (aged 50 ± 13 years, 63% were men) with severe left ventricular outflow tract obstruction (excluding those aged Results Coronary artery disease, family history of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, and syncope were present in 15%, 17%, and 18% of patients, respectively, whereas 73% patients were in New York Heart Association class II or greater. Mean left ventricular ejection fraction, basal septal thickness, and left ventricular outflow tract gradient (resting or provocable) were 62% ± 5%, 2.2 ± 1 cm, and 101 ± 39 mm Hg, respectively. A total of 858 patients (56%) underwent exercise echocardiography, of whom 503 (59%) had exercise capacity impairment. At 8.1 ± 6 years, 990 patients (65%) underwent surgical relief of left ventricular outflow tract obstruction, and 540 patients (35%) did not. There were 156 events (10%) (134 deaths), with 0% 30-day mortality in the surgical group. On multivariable Cox proportional hazard analysis, increasing age (hazard ratio [HR], 1.20), coronary artery disease (HR, 1.68), worse New York Heart Association class (HR, 1.46), and atrial fibrillation (HR, 1.90) predicted higher events, whereas surgery (time-dependent covariate HR, 0.57) was associated with improved event-free survival (all P Conclusions In patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and severe left ventricular outflow tract obstruction, in whom the decision regarding surgery was based on the presence of intractable symptoms and impaired exercise capacity, surgery was associated with significant improvement in long-term composite outcomes.
Risk Mitigation: We Are All Going to Die

The communication of risk, especially as presented by some popular media outlets, can obfuscate many of the real threats to society conveying fear where the actual risk may be minimal while dismissing others that can create significant problems. For governance purposes, then, it is important that different aspects of risk are carefully explored including geophysical criteria, vulnerability metrics, behavioral concerns, probability and risk levels, hazardousness of place, and the dynamic, ever-changing nature of systems. In addition, some responsibility must be placed on personal accountability in hazardous environments. In this way, hazard managers can be informed as to appropriate and necessary remedial action to mitigate risk.
Fine structure study of pollen development in Haemanthus katherinae Baker. I. Formation of vegetative and generative cells.

When microspores of the African blood lily divide, they form pollen grains which consist of 2 cells of unequal size. This is accomplished when the microspore nucleus is displaced from the centre of the grain prior to division. The displacement is always towards the side of the grain opposite the furrow, and large vacuoles form in the cytoplasm between the furrow and the nucleus. During cell division the cell plate curves around one daughter nucleus and fuses with the pollen wall to enclose the generative cell. The cell-plate attachment always occurs with the wall that is opposite the furrow of the grain. Most of the microspore9s organelles become incorporated in the larger vegetative cell, whereas the generative cell has few, if any, plastids and only a small number of other organelles. The wall around the generative cell is composed of finely fibrillar material enclosed within 2 unit membranes. The generative cell eventually becomes detached from the pollen wall, becomes spheroidal, and moves to a position near the centre of the pollen grain. At the same time, the large vacuoles disappear from the vegetative cell and the number of organelles increases substantially.
Automatic recognition of continuously spoken sentences from a finite state grammer

We report performance results on the recognition of continuously spoken sentences from the finite state grammar for the "New Raleigh Language" (vocabulary-250 words; average sentence length-8 words; entropy-2.86 bits/word; perplexity-7.27 words). Sentence and word error rates of 5% and 0.6% , respectively, are achieved, using a new centisecond-level model for the acoustic processor. We also report results for the "CMU-AIX05 Language" (vocabulary-1011 words; average sentence length-about 7 words; entropy-2.18 bits/word; perplexity-4.53 words), using both our earlier phone-level model and the centisecond-level model. With the phone-level acoustic-processor model, sentence and word error rates of 2% and 0.8%, respectively, are achieved. With the centisecond-level model, sentence and word error rates are 1% and 0.1%, respectively.
Functional studies of Alzheimer's disease tau protein

In vitro assays were used to monitor and compare the kinetic behavior of bovine tubulin polymerization enhanced by tau proteins isolated from Alzheimer's disease (AD) and nondemented (ND) age-matched control brains. Tau from AD cases induced slower polymerization and a steady state turbidity value approximately 50% of that stimulated by tau from control cases. Tau from the most severe AD case was least effective at promoting polymerization. Dark-field light microscopy of the control samples revealed abundant microtubule formation and many microtubule bundles. Microtubule assembly was observed in AD samples as well, but bundling was not obvious. These results were confirmed by negative-stain electron microscopy. Morphological analysis showed that AD tau-induced microtubules were longer than control microtubules. Furthermore, our initial results suggest that the reduction of AD tau activity is correlated with neurofibrillary pathology in AD brains. Earlier reports indicated that AD tau is modified by phosphorylation (Grundke-Iqbal et al., 1986; Wood et al., 1986; Iqbal et al., 1989; Brion et al., 1991a,b; Lee et al., 1991). Our results support the hypothesis that tau modification compromises its function by altering its ability to nucleate and bundle microtubules.
Applying the High Involvement Framework to Local Management of Schools in Victoria, Australia

ABSTRACT This article assesses the policy strategy for local management of schools in Victoria, Australia within the high involvement framework for creating high performance organizations. The high involvement framework as adapted to education hypothesizes that a decentralized strategy for improving educational performance requires decentralizing four key resources: power over the budget and personnel functions; information about revenues, expenditures, costs and best practices; knowledge and skills including both technical and business knowledge; and rewards including compensation and other incentives. The framework also includes an instructional guidance framework of curriculum standards and student assessment to those standards, and facilitative principal leadership. Based on two years of data collection at both the state and school levels, focusing on governance, management, finance, and curriculum and instruction, the study found that Victoria's Schools of the Future ranked high on all six variables,...
Modeling the devolatilization behavior of a softening bituminous coal

A model is developed to explain the devolatilization (pyrolysis) behavior of softening coals. A brief review of currently existing devolatilization models indicates that many totally disregard the importance of mass transfer limitations in and around pyrolyzing coal particles. Many that do account for mass transfer limitations do so via a pore diffusion model which is inappropriate for softening coals. The present model develops a concept of a softened, “evaporating” coal particle with attention paid to the details of the chemistry occurring in the “metaplast” (tarry mass of the particle). Specifically, a quantitative approach incorporates metaplast repolymerization and cracking reactions within the particle. The results suggest important differences in modeling of coal pyrolysis data obtained at atmospheric and vacuum conditions.
Inflammation and sudden cardiac death in a community-based population of older adults: The Cardiovascular Health Study

Background Inflammation is linked to adverse cardiovascular events, but its association with sudden cardiac death (SCD) has been controversial. Older subjects, who are at particular risk for SCD, were underrepresented in previous studies addressing this issue. Objective The purpose of this study was to study the association between inflammation and SCD in a community-based population of older adults. Methods In the Cardiovascular Health Study, 5806 and 5382 participants had measurements of C-reactive protein (CRP) and interleukin-6 (IL6), respectively, and were followed for up to 17 years. SCD risk as a function of baseline IL-6 and CRP was assessed in the overall population and in a group of participants without known prevalent cardiac disease. Results In univariate analyses, both IL-6 (hazard ratio [HR] 1.79 for 1+ log IL-6, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.50–2.13; 5th vs 1st quintile HR 3.36, 95% CI 2.24–5.05) and CRP (HR 1.31 for 1+ log CRP, 95% CI 1.18–1.45; 5th vs 1st quintile HR 2.00, 95% CI 1.40–2.87) were associated with SCD risk. In covariate-adjusted analyses, accounting for baseline risk factors, incident myocardial infarction, and heart failure, the association with SCD risk persisted for IL-6 (HR 1.26 for 1+ log IL-6, 95% CI 1.02–1.56; 5th vs 1st quintile HR 1.63, 95% CI 1.03–2.56) but was significantly attenuated for CRP (HR 1.13 for 1+ log CRP, 95% CI 1.00–1.28; 5th vs 1st quintile HR 1.34, 95% CI 0.88–2.05). Similar findings were observed in participants without prevalent cardiac disease. Conclusion Greater burden of inflammation, assessed by IL-6 levels, is associated with SCD risk beyond traditional risk factors, incident myocardial infarction, and heart failure.
The coordination chemistry of the binuclear iron site in hemerythrin

A. Introduction 195 B. Methemerythrin 197 (i) The Fe(III)Fe(III) site 197 (ii) The reactions 198 (a) Anations 198 (b) Reductions. 199 C. Deoxyhemerythrin 201 (i) The Fe(II)Fe(II)site 201 (ii) The reactions 202 (a) With oxygen. 202 (b) Oxidations 203 (c) Ligand interactions 204 D Semi-methemerythrin 205 (i) The Fe(II)Fe(III)site 205 (ii) The reactions 206 (a) Anations 206 (b) Redox reactions 207 E. Conformationally controlled reactions 208 F. The last ten years 209 Acknowledgements 211 References 211
Optimal Process Control Using Neural Networks

Infinite time optimal controllers have been designed for a dispersion type tubular reactor model by using the framework of adaptive critic optimal control design. For the reactor control problem, which is governed by two coupled nonlinear partial differential equations, an optimal controller synthesis is presented through two sets of neural networks. One set of neural networks captures the relationship between the states and the control, whereas the other set of networks captures the relationship between the states and the costates. This innovative approach embeds the solutions to the optimal control problem for a large number of initial conditions in the domain of interest. Although the main aim of this paper is to solve a process control problem, the methodology presented here can be viewed as a practical computational tool for many problems associated with nonlinear distributed parameter systems. Numerical results demonstrate the viability of the proposed method.
Subchronic administration of clozapine, but not haloperidol or metoclopramide, decreases dopamine D2 receptor messenger RNA levels in the nucleus accumbens and caudate-putamen in rats

Abstract The effects of unique profile antipsychotic drugs on dopamine D 2 receptors and D 2 receptor messenger RNA were assessed following subchronic administration in rats. Male, Sprague-Dawley rats were administered oral haloperidol, clozapine, metoclopramide or no drug for three weeks via their drinking water. Tissue from the medial nucleus accumbens and dorsolateral caudate-putamen was dissected and analyzed by Northern blot analysis for levels of dopamine D 2 receptor messenger RNA and binding assays conducted with [ 3 H]spiperone for dopamine D 2 receptors. Haloperidol and metoclopramide, but not clozapine, significantly increased [ 3 H]spiperone in the caudate-putamen, but not the nucleus accumbens. Clozapine significantly decreased D 2 messenger RNA levels in the caudate putamen and the nucleus accumbens, while metoclopramide and haloperidol had no significant effect in either brain region. The finding of decreased D2 receptor messenger RNA levels produced by subchronic clozapine may account for the lack of striatal D2 receptor up-regulation, which was robustly observed after subchronic haloperidol and metoclopramide. Furthermore, since haloperidol and metoclopramide have a high liability for motor side effects, the current results relate favorably to the low motor side effect profile of clozapine.
Incidence of Benign and Malignant Prostate Tissue in Biopsies of Bladder Neck After a Radical Prostatectomy

AbstractPurpose: We determined whether bladder neck sparing radical prostatectomy may leave prostate tissue in the unresected bladder neck.Materials and Methods: We intraoperatively evaluated the presence of prostate tissue in bladder neck biopsy specimens from 73 consecutive patients undergoing bladder neck sparing radical prostatectomy.Results: Of the 73 specimens 14 (19 percent) contained prostate tissue: 9 (12 percent) were positive for prostate cancer and 5 (7 percent) contained benign prostate tissue. All patients with a positive bladder neck biopsy had a positive margin at another site.Conclusions: We recommend routine bladder neck biopsies for patients undergoing a bladder neck sparing procedure.
Project assessment : A tool for improving project management

Abstract Application development projects fail for a myriad of reasons; most, however, stem from poor project management. This article describes a practical guide for analyzing projects from the initiation phase to close-out. Performed correctly, the guide increases the chances of project success as well as gives an organization an opportunity to develop project management skills.
Interannual Variability of Summer Monsoon Onset over the Western North Pacific and the Underlying Processes

Climatological summer monsoon onset over the South China Sea (SCS) and the western North Pacific (WNP) (defined as the region of 108‐208N, 1208‐1608E) displays three distinct stages. Around mid-May, monsoon rain commences in the SCS and the Philippines. In early to mid-June, the monsoon rain extends to the southwestern Philippine Sea. After mid-July, the rainy season starts in the northeastern part of the WNP. The onset anomaly, however, displays an in-phase interannual variation across the entire WNP domain. The standard deviation of the onset date increases eastward from 3 pentads in the SCS to 5 pentads in the northeastern part of the domain. The large onset variability in the WNP is mainly attributed to large year-to-year changes of the seasonal cycle. .
Gout. Novel therapies for treatment of gout and hyperuricemia

In the past few decades, gout has increased not only in prevalence, but also in clinical complexity, the latter accentuated in part by a dearth of novel advances in treatments for hyperuricemia and gouty arthritis. Fortunately, recent research reviewed here, much of it founded on elegant translational studies of the past decade, highlights how gout can be better managed with cost-effective, well-established therapies. In addition, the advent of both new urate-lowering and anti-inflammatory drugs, also reviewed here, promises for improved management of refractory gout, including in subjects with co-morbidities such as chronic kidney disease. Effectively delivering improved management of hyperuricemia and gout will require a frame shift in practice patterns, including increased recognition of the implications of refractory disease and frequent noncompliance of patients with gout, and understanding the evidence basis for therapeutic targets in serum urate-lowering and gouty inflammation.
Nonlinear output feedback control of an exothermic reactor

Abstract A nonlinear output feedback controller is constructed for an exothermic, first-order reaction in a continuous reactor where only temperature measurements are available. It consists of two blocks: an observer used to reconstruct the states from available measurement information, and a nonlinear state feedback controller which utilizes the reconstructed state information to determine the control action. Initial conditions of the observer states must be properly chosen for the entire observation process to yield physically meaningful estimates of the system states. When the reactor is subject to measured time-varying feed temperature, the open-loop system exhibits extreme parametric sensitivity, ignition and extinction behavior, and nonlinear oscillations at certain operating conditions. Simulation results of the controlled system at these operating conditions demonstrate satisfactory control behavior.
Catalyzed hydrogen peroxide treatment of octachlorodibenzo-p-oxin (OCCD) in surface soils

Abstract The treatment of soils contaminated with octachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (OCDD) using a Fenton-like reaction was investigated using four soils, two hydrogen peroxide concentrations, and four temperatures. Loss of OCDD was inversely related to the soil organic carbon content, with 96% OCDD removed in a soil with 2% organic carbon. Use of 3.5% H2O2 and 35% H2O2 was equally effective in a natural soil, but 35% H2O2 was more effective in silica sand. In addition, increased loss of OCDD occurred at elevated temperatures. Analysis of extracts by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) showed no peaks other than the parent compound, including other dioxin congeners.
Whither Metropolitan Governance

The author examines the issue of metropolitan governance without metropolitan government through an in-depth case study of two English conurbations, the West Midlands and Greater Manchester, 10 yea...
Hedonic coalition formation for optimal deployment

This paper presents a distributed algorithmic solution, termed Coalition formation and deployment algorithm, to achieve network configurations where agents cluster into coincident groups that are distributed optimally over the environment. The motivation for this problem comes from spatial estimation tasks executed with unreliable sensors. We propose a probabilistic strategy that combines a repeated game governing the formation of coalitions with a spatial motion component governing their location. For a class of probabilistic coalition switching laws, we establish the convergence of the agents to coincident groups of a desired size in finite time and the asymptotic convergence of the overall network to the optimal deployment, both with probability 1. We also investigate the algorithm's time and communication complexity. Specifically, we upper bound the expected completion time of executions that use the proportional-to-number-of-unmatched-agentscoalition switching law under arbitrary and complete communication topologies. We also upper bound the number of messages required per timestep to execute our strategy. The proposed algorithm is robust to agent addition and subtraction. From a coalitional game perspective, the algorithm is novel in that the players' information is limited to the neighboring clusters. From a motion coordination perspective, the algorithm is novel because it brings together the basic tasks of rendezvous (individual agents into clusters) and deployment (clusters in the environment). Simulations illustrate the correctness, robustness, and complexity results.
Hospital care may not affect the risk of readmission.

Background : Thirty-day readmissions have become a focal point for reducing health care spending, because they are viewed as a marker of the quality of hospital care. However, if increased time in the hospital is associated with better care, attempts to shorten length of stay (LOS) may result in increased rates of readmission. As such, we sought to explore the association of an incremental added day in LOS with the rate of readmission. Methods : We examined the rate of readmission at 30 and 120 days for 4151 patients admitted to a general internal medicine unit between July 2004 and March 2006. We used binary logistic regression to examine the relationship between an incremental added day in LOS and the probability of readmission. Results : Readmission rates were 8.7% at 30 days and 21.0% at 120 days, respectively. After controlling for demographic characteristics and severity of illness, we found that the probability of readmission varied little for an incremental added day in LOS. Conclusions : Our findings suggest that more hospital care may not affect the likelihood of readmission and thus denying payment for readmission may be unwarranted.
Prostaglandin levels in isolated brain microvessels and in normal and norepinephrine-stimulated cat brain homogenates.

Abstract The levels of PGD 2 , PGE 2 , PGF 2α and 6-keto-PGF 1α (6KF 1α ) produced from endogenous archidonic acid (AA) were quantitated in cat cerebral cortical homogenates and microvessels isolated from cat cerebral cortex using gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS). There was a six-fold enrichment of 6KF 1α levels in isolated microvessels, compared to homogenates, suggesting that 6KF 1α is of vascular, rather than neuronal origin. In order to further understand any possible role that norepinephrine (NE)_might have on modulation of PG synthesis, we studied the effects of 0.5 mM NE on PG synthesis from endogenous AA and from 3 H-PGG 2 , the endoperoxide precursor of PGs. In cat cortical homogenates NE induced a 74% increase in PGD 2 and PGF 2α , a 62% increase in PGE 2 , and a 36% increase in 6KF 1α , as measured by GC/MS. NE caused a twofold increase in the conversion of 3 H-PGG 2 to 3 h-PGG 2α , with a concomitant decrease in 3 H-PGE 2 and 3 H-6KF 1α formation, and no change in 3 H-PGD 2 synthesis. NE had no effect on the total conversiob of 3 H-PGG 2 to 3 H-PGs, nor on the breakdown of 3 H-PGG 2 in the absence of brain tissue. We conclude that NE stimulates extravascular synthesis of PGD 2 , PGE 2 and PGF 2α by stimulation of the prostaglandin synthetase complex, in addition to NE's stimulatory effect on the conversion of PGG 2 to PGF 2α , and that the lack of effect of NE on 6KF 1α synthesis reflects either a failure to achieve an adequate concentration at the vascular tissue, or an absence of the mechanism whereby NE stimulates PG synthetase.
Complex shear modulus quantification from acoustic radiation force creep-recovery and shear wave propagation

Quantitative mechanical properties can be measured with shear wave elasticity imaging methods in a model-independent manner if both shear wave speed and attenuation are known. Typically, only shear wave speed is measured and rheological models are used to solve for the shear viscoelastic complex modulus. This paper presents a method to quantify viscoelastic properties in a model-independent way by estimating the loss tangent over a wide frequency range using time-dependent creep-recovery response induced by acoustic radiation force. The shear wave group velocity and the shear wave center frequency in combination with loss tangent are used to estimate the complex modulus so that knowledge of the applied radiation force magnitude is not necessary. Experimental data are obtained in one excised swine kidney.
Two types of brain calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II: morphological, biochemical and immunochemical properties.

Abstract Two forms of the soluble calmodulin-dependent protein kinase type II can be isolated from rat brain: one oligomeric enzyme complex contains the α and β subunits of the enzyme, whereas the other oligomeric species is comprised of a constant ratio of the subunits of the kinase and tubulin in the presence of several other minor polypeptides. The unassociated enzyme oligomer does not detectably exchange with the tubulin-containing form, and both forms rechromatograph by ion-exchange to their respective positions. In the molecular complex of proteins eluting at high ionic strength, the ratio of kinase subunits to tubulin remains constant throughout sedimentation velocity centrifugation and gel permeation chromatography. Furthermore, a similar complex of proteins is coprecipitated by the anti-kinase monoclonal antibody. Hydrodynamic parameters demonstrate that the tubulin-associated enzyme is larger than the unassociated enzyme, and displays heterodisperse behavior as well. Electron microscopic examination of negatively stained enzyme preparations reveals that the free enzyme constitutes uniform 10–20 nm diameter oligomers in contrast to the tubulin-associated kinase which forms elongated structures with varying morphology. Interestingly, enzyme purified through the calmodulin-Sepharose step can also form ‘polymers’ featuring ultrastructural similarities to postsynaptic densities and brain microsomal cytokeletal preparations. We discuss the relevance of these observations to the ability of the type II calmodulin-dependent protein kinase to interact with other polypeptides and to form cytoskeletal structures such as the postsynaptic density.
Automatic classification of images on the Web

Numerous research works about the extraction of low-level features from images and videos have been published. However, only recently the focus has shifted to exploiting low-level features to classify images and videos automatically into semantically meaningful and broad categories. In this paper, novel classification algorithms are presented for three broad and general-purpose categories. In detail, we present algorithms for distinguishing photo-like images from graphical images, true photos from only photo-like, but artificial images and presentation slides from comics. On a large image database, our classification algorithm achieved an accuracy of 97.3% in separating photo-like images from graphical images. In the subset of photo-like images, true photos could be separated from ray-traced/rendered image with an accuracy of 87.3%, while with an accuracy of 93.2% the subset of graphical images was successfully partitioned into presentation slides and comics.
Analysis of functional domains of the Enterococcus faecalis pheromone-induced surface protein aggregation substance

Pheromone-inducible aggregation substance (AS) proteins of Enterococcus faecalis are essential for high-efficiency conjugation of the sex pheromone plasmids and also serve as virulence factors during host infection. A number of different functions have been attributed to AS in addition to bacterial cell aggregation, including adhesion to host cells, adhesion to fibrin, increased cell surface hydrophobicity, resistance to killing by polymorphonuclear leukocytes and macrophages, and increased vegetation size in an experimental endocarditis model. Relatively little information is available regarding the structure-activity relationship of AS. To identify functional domains, a library of 23 nonpolar 31-amino-acid insertions was constructed in Asc10, the AS encoded by the plasmid pCF10, using the transposons TnlacZ/in and TnphoA/in. Analysis of these insertions revealed a domain necessary for donor-recipient aggregation that extends further into the amino terminus of the protein than previously reported. In addition, insertions in the C terminus of the protein also reduced aggregation. As expected, the ability to aggregate correlates with efficient plasmid transfer. The results also indicated that an increase in cell surface hydrophobicity resulting from AS expression is not sufficient to mediate bacterial aggregation.
Modulation of murine mammary tumor vasculature by dietary n-3 fatty acids in fish oil

We have previously shown that mice fed a high (n-3) fatty acid-containing diet with 20% (w/w) total fat had significantly slower mammary tumor growth, decreased numbers of metastatic pulmonary nodules, and decreased total metastatic load. In this study we sought to determine whether tumor vascularization was altered in mice fed diets varying in concentrations of (n-3) and (n-6) fatty acids. Several direct or indirect parameters of vascularization were tested. With 20% dietary fat, fish oil (FO) or a mixture of FO and safflower oil (FS) significantly reduced blood vascular area, mast cell number and macrophage infiltration in solid mammary tumors compared to tumors grown in mice fed safflower oil (SO). A decreasing trend was seen in the percent area of vessels positive for CD31 and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in the 20% FO and 20% FS compared to the 20% SO dietary groups. VEGF concentrations were twice as high in smaller tumors (100 mm3) from all dietary groups as compared to larger tumors (500 mm3). A two-fold increase in VEGF levels was found in the 20% SO dietary group compared to the 20% FO group in 100-mm3 but not larger tumors. We conclude that at 20% total fat, the n-3 fatty acids found in fish oil may inhibit primary mammary tumor growth through modulation of select determinants of vascularization.
SU-C-BRF-03: PCA Modeling of Anatomical Changes During Head and Neck Radiation Therapy

Purpose: To develop principal component analysis (PCA) models from daily cone beam CTs (CBCTs) of head and neck (H and N) patients that could be used prospectively in adaptive radiation therapy (ART). Methods: : For 7 H and N patients, Pinnacle Treatment Planning System (Philips Healthcare) was used to retrospectively deformably register daily CBCTs to the planning CT. The number N of CBCTs per treatment course ranged from 14 to 22. For each patient a PCA model was built from the deformation vector fields (DVFs), after first subtracting the mean DVF, producing N eigen-DVFs (EDVFs). It was hypothesized that EDVFs with large eigenvalues represent the major anatomical deformations during the course of treatment, and that it is feasible to relate each EDVF to a clinically meaningful systematic or random change in anatomy, such as weight loss, neck flexion, etc. Results: DVFs contained on the order of 3×87×87×58=1.3 million scalar values (3 times the number of voxels in the registered volume). The top 3 eigenvalues accounted for ∼90% of variance. Anatomical changes corresponding to an EDVF were evaluated by generating a synthetic DVF, and applying that DVF to the CT to produce a synthetic CBCT. For all patients, the EDVF formore » the largest eigenvalue was interpreted to model weight loss. The EDVF for other eigenvalues appeared to represented quasi-random fraction-to-fraction changes. Conclusion: The leading EDVFs from single-patient PCA models have tentatively been identified with weight loss changes during treatment. Other EDVFs are tentatively identified as quasi-random inter-fraction changes. Clean separation of systematic and random components may require further work. This work is expected to facilitate development of population-based PCA models that can be used to prospectively identify significant anatomical changes, such as weight loss, early in treatment, triggering replanning where beneficial.« less
The Protein CTCF Is Required for the Enhancer Blocking Activity of Vertebrate Insulators

An insulator is a DNA sequence that can act as a barrier to the influences of neighboring cis-acting elements, preventing gene activation, for example, when located between an enhancer and a promoter. We have identified a 42 bp fragment of the chicken beta-globin insulator that is both necessary and sufficient for enhancer blocking activity in human cells. We show that this sequence is the binding site for CTCF, a previously identified eleven-zinc finger DNA-binding protein that is highly conserved in vertebrates. CTCF sites are present in all of the vertebrate enhancer-blocking elements we have examined. We suggest that directional enhancer blocking by CTCF is a conserved component of gene regulation in vertebrates.
Percutaneous endoluminal placement of stent-grafts for the treatment of isolated iliac artery aneurysms.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the feasibility of stent-grafts for treatment of isolated iliac artery aneurysms (IAAs). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Nine IAAs in eight patients were treated with transluminally placed endovascular stent-grafts. All patients were men (median age, 72 years). In three, the aneurysm involved both the common and internal iliac arteries. In one, common and external iliac arteries were involved. The other aneurysms involved only the common iliac artery. Two aneurysms were treated with balloon-expandable stents covered with polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) graft material, three were treated with self-expanding Z-stents covered with a woven polyester graft, and four were treated with self-expanding Z-stents covered with PTFE. RESULTS: Transluminal placement of the stents was successful in all patients with thrombosis of the aneurysms. There were no distal thromboembolic events, deaths, or infections. The median follow-up period was 8.5 months. CONCLUSION: Initial results suggest that transluminal st...