cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Abdominal CT: General Considerations

Computed tomography (CT) of the abdomen is a diagnostic test often ordered when a patient presents with abdominal symptoms in attempt to localize pathology. It has the advantage of being fast and noninvasive. It is often performed in conjunction with contrast to gather additional information about a suspected pathology. That is why it is important to recognize the different types of contrasts and the different routes they can be administered through and tailor the exam accordingly.
Virtual diffraction analysis of dislocations and dislocation networks in discrete dislocation dynamics simulations

Abstract This work proposes a data-analytics-based method to correlate diffraction peak broadening to dislocation density in relaxed dislocation networks. The model relies on two key developments: the generation of virtual diffraction signatures of dislocated crystals and the development of a surrogate model to predict dislocation density from diffraction profiles. First, two algorithms are introduced for the generation of diffraction profiles from discrete dislocation dynamics (DDD) simulations. Both algorithms leverage the full-field spectral computation of the elastic strain fields generated in the presence of dislocations. However, the two algorithms differ in their treatment of correlations in the elastic strain field; the impact of this difference on the shape of diffraction peaks is emphasized. A database containing 220 virtual diffraction profiles is generated from networks of dislocations in Al using the correlation-dependent algorithm. This dataset is employed to train and test a surrogate model. Predictions consistently yield dislocation densities within a 90% confidence interval of +30% to −41%, which is an improvement over prior dislocation density prediction methods. It is thus demonstrated that the simultaneous use of virtual diffraction and data analytics can yield alternative models for the analysis of diffraction line profiles in which uncertainty can be quantified for complex dislocation networks.
3.07 – Chemical Biology

Chemical biology in the context of drug discovery involves the use of small molecules to probe biological systems such as cells or multicellular organisms. Small molecules are selected using high-throughput screens. Screens in chemical biology can be broadly classified as either phenotype-oriented or target-oriented. Phenotype-oriented screens involve exposure of a complex biological system to diverse small molecules. Active compounds are selected based on their ability to impart a desired phenotype. The molecular targets of selected compounds are then identified. Using this approach, macromolecules that mediate specific cell functions can be identified. Target-oriented screens use purified reagents. For example, a target-oriented screen may be used to identify compounds that specifically alter the activity of a particular protein. The selected compounds are then tested in cells and multicellular organisms in order to determine the function of that protein in cells. Small molecules offer many advantages over traditional genetic approaches. They are easily transferred to limitless assays, cause conditional disruptions of function, are titratable, and can target nucleic acids, lipids, and carbohydrates as well as proteins. Disadvantages of these approaches include difficulty in identifying the target of the small molecule (with phenotype-oriented screens) and in proving that a small molecule acts specifically on its target. This chapter will describe experimental strategies and technologies that are being developed to address these issues and provide examples of how high-throughput screening has been applied to the study of basic biology. Implications of chemical biology for drug discovery are also addressed.
Hepatitis C reinfection in people who inject drugs in resource-limited countries: A systematic review and analysis

Hepatitis C (HCV) is a global pandemic. The World Health Organization has developed a strategic plan for HCV elimination that focuses on low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) and high-risk populations, including people who inject drugs (PWID). While direct-acting antiviral (DAA) therapies are highly effective at eliminating HCV infections and have few side effects, medical professionals and policymakers remain concerned about the risk of reinfection among PWID. This study is a systematic review of research measuring the rate of HCV reinfection among PWID in LMICs and identifies additional areas for further research. A systematic search strategy was used to identify studies documenting HCV reinfection after sustained virologic response in PWID in LMICs. We refined results to include studies where at least 50% of participants had DAA treatment for primary HCV infection. Pooled reinfection rate was calculated across all studies. Seven studies met eligibility criteria. Most studies were conducted in six upper middle-income countries (Mexico, Romania, Russia, Taiwan, Georgi, and Brazil) and one lower middle-income country (Bangladesh) with a total of 7665 participants. No study included information from PWID in low-income countries. Sample sizes ranged from 200 to 3004 individuals, with demographic data missing for most participants. Four studies used deep gene sequencing, and reflex genotyping procedures to differentiate reinfection (infection by a different HCV genotype/subtype) from virologic relapse (infection by the same strain). The follow-up time of people cured from primary chronic HCV infection ranged from 12 weeks to 6.6 years. The pooled reinfection rate of all seven studies was 2.8 (range: 0.02 to 10.5) cases per 100 person-years (PY). In the five studies that differentiated relapse from reinfection, the incidence of reinfection was 1.0 per 100 PY. To date, research on reinfection rates among PWID in LMICs remains limited. Research focused on PWID in low-income countries is particularly needed to inform clinical decision making and evidence-based programs. While rates of reinfection among PWID who complete DAA treatment in upper and lower middle-income countries were similar or lower than rates observed in PWID in high-income countries, the rates were highly variable and factors may influence the accuracy of these measurements. This systematic review identifies several areas for continued research. Policies concerning access to HCV testing and treatment should be comprehensive and not place restrictions on PWID in these settings.
Long-term outcomes of coronary artery bypass grafting in veterans with left main coronary artery disease

Background: Studies of the civilian population with left main coronary artery disease (LMCAD) who underwent coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) have shown 2% to 4.2% 30-day mortality. However, there is a lack of reporting from the veteran population. Here we analyze the outcomes of veterans with LMCAD who underwent CABG by a single surgeon at a single Veterans Affairs Medical Center (VAMC). Methods: Veterans who underwent isolated CABG between 1998 to 2018 at a VAMC were further divided into a group with significant left main coronary artery disease (LMCAD) of stenosis greater than or equal to 50% and a group without left main coronary artery stenosis (non-LMCAD). The primary outcome was mortality. Secondary outcomes included postoperative complications. Multivariable regression analysis and Kaplan-Meier survival analysis were used to compare the two cohorts. Results: The demographics and comorbidities are similar between the two cohorts except for higher average age and percentage of stroke in the LMCAD group (n = 509) compared to non-LMCAD (n = 927). Perioperative complications are comparable between the two groups except for increased length of stay (LOS) in the LMCAD group (12.9 ± 15.9 days versus 10.9 ± 9.0 days in non-LMCAD, P < .001). 30-day mortality in the LMCAD group is 4.1% versus 1.4% in non-LMCAD. However, Kaplan-Meier curves show no significant difference in adjusted overall survival throughout 15 years between the groups (P = .560). Conclusion: Veterans with LMCAD who underwent CABG have similar postoperative complications compared to non-LMCAD group. The 30-day mortality is higher in the LMCAD group; however, there is no difference in long-term survival.
Communicated perspective-taking (CPT) and storylistening: Testing the impact of CPT in the context of friends telling stories of difficulty

Grounded in communicated narrative sense-making theory (CNSM), the purpose of the current study was to test the effects of storylisteners’ communicated perspective taking (CPT) on storytellers’ wel...
Economic modeling of reSET-O, a prescription digital therapeutic for patients with opioid use disorder.

reSET-O is a Food and Drug Administration-cleared prescription digital therapeutic (PDT) indicated to improve outpatient-treatment retention of patients with opioid use disorder (OUD). This study e...
Theory of shock electrodialysis I: Water dissociation and electrosmotic vortices.

Abstract Shock electrodialysis (shock ED), an emerging electrokinetic process for water purification, leverages the new physics of deionization shock waves in porous media. In previous work, a simple leaky membrane model with surface conduction can explain the propagation of deionization shocks in a shock ED system, but it cannot quantitatively predict the deionization and conductance (which determines the energy consumption), and it cannot explain the selective removal of ions in experiments. This two-part series of work establishes a more comprehensive model for shock ED, which applies to multicomponent electrolytes and any electrical double layer thickness, captures the phenomena of electroosmosis, diffusioosmosis, and water dissociation, and incorporates more realistic boundary conditions. In this paper, we will present the model details and show that hydronium transport and electroosmotic vortices (at the inlet and outlet) play important roles in determining the deionization and conductance in shock ED. We also find that the results are quantitatively consistent with experimental data in the literature. Finally, the model is used to investigate design strategies for scale up and optimization.
Understanding Portfolio Performance: Is Luck Very Persistent?

We develop a parsimonious econometrics methodology to estimate individual’s portfolio return process accounting for self-selection bias from portfolio adjustment; our approach is useful to assist investors learning own return process profile. We study three components to characterize investor’s performance process: individual’s specifics, aggregate shocks, and idiosyncratic shocks. We find that individual investor returns are subject to shocks with modest persistence. Our results have implications for the calibration for the portfolio return in stochastic growth model which, in turn, have further implications for a host of other issues in financial economics such as limited stock market participation, the equity premium puzzle, and accounting for wealth inequality.
Free Energy Trajectory for Escape of a Single Chain from a Diblock Copolymer Micelle

We use umbrella sampling to compute the free energy trajectory of a single chain undergoing expulsion from an isolated diblock copolymer micelle. This approach elucidates the experimentally unobser...
Pentalogy of Cantrell: Case Report With Review of the Literature.

Background Pentalogy of Cantrell is a rare, congenital disorder characterized by lower sternal defects, diaphragmatic defect, pericardial defect, supraumbilical abdominal wall abnormalities, and/or intracardiac defects. The collective defects result from failure of either differentiation or migration of mesenchymal or mesodermal structures during the embryonic phase of development. Mortality of the disease complex is high, and treatment, when appropriate, revolves around surgical correction of the associated defects. Purpose This article presents a case of pentalogy of Cantrell and examines the literature to report the most current evidence relative to the embryology and pathophysiology. In addition, the methods of pre- and postnatal diagnosis, management, and prognostic indicators are examined. Methods/search strategy Case report was gathered from the medical records and is provided as it occurred. The literature was searched for evidence of best management strategies as well as care implications for families. Findings/results A female newborn was delivered at (Equation is included in full-text article.)weeks' gestation secondary to premature onset of labor. Prenatal ultrasonography identified an abdominal wall defect, diaphragmatic hernia, sternal defect, ventricular septal defect, and open neural tube defect. Examination immediately after delivery confirmed prenatal findings and a diagnosis of pentalogy of Cantrell was assigned. Implications for practice Patients with the diagnosis of pentalogy of Cantrell should receive antenatal counseling relative to mortality and morbidity risks. An interprofessional approach in the immediate timeframe after delivery facilitates timely diagnostics and offers families prompt confirmation of antenatal findings. Implications for research Future research can focus on further elucidating genetic etiologies of pentalogy of Cantrell.
Early and late results of a protocol for simple transposition leading to an atrial switch (Mustard) repair

Inferences: A treatment protocol for patients with simple transposition, consisting of initial balloon atrial septostomy and leading to a delayed atrial switch repair of the Mustard type, in good circumstances, results in survivorship at 1 month, 1 year, 10 years, and 20 years of 95% (95% confidence limits [CL] 90% to 97%), 90% (95% CL 84% to 94%), 83% (95% CL 74% to 90%), and 80% (95% CL 70% to 88%), respectively. Low birth weight adversely affects survivorship. Hypoxia or heart failure accounts for most deaths within the first month and before the atrial switch (Mustard) repair. Most of the few deaths late postoperatively are sudden and they appear to occur particularly in patients who have junctional rhythm. A progressive increase in the prevalence of junctional rhythm has been a risk of the atrial switch repair, and only 76%, 65%, 59%, 56%, and 53% of patients can be expected to be free of this by 1, 5, 10, 15, and 20 years after repair. Important right ventricular dysfunction late after an atrial switch repair, with its adverse affect on the patients’ functional capacity, appears to be present in up to 10% of patients after the atrial switch repair, but may not be an immutable risk of this type of repair. About 90% of patients, essentially all of those who do not have right ventricular dysfunction, can be expected to be in New York Heart Association class I or II late postoperatively.
Manufacturability comparison of thin oxynitride films

Thin film nitridation has many applications in sub-0.13-micron line width semiconductor processing. We evaluated several single-wafer processing options capable of creating oxynitride films. Analytical results were obtained using ellipsometry, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and TOFSIMS. These control methods are also compared to electrical performance data. Data are also reviewed with respect to manufacturing requirements such as tool-to-tool matching and process capability; including chamber to chamber, wafer to wafer and within wafer variability
Modulation of Voltage-Gated Ca2+ Channels by G Protein-Coupled Receptors in Celiac-Mesenteric Ganglion Neurons of Septic Rats

Septic shock, the most severe complication associated with sepsis, is manifested by tissue hypoperfusion due, in part, to cardiovascular and autonomic dysfunction. In many cases, the splanchnic circulation becomes vasoplegic. The celiac-superior mesenteric ganglion (CSMG) sympathetic neurons provide the main autonomic input to these vessels. We used the cecal ligation puncture (CLP) model, which closely mimics the hemodynamic and metabolic disturbances observed in septic patients, to examine the properties and modulation of Ca2+ channels by G protein-coupled receptors in acutely dissociated rat CSMG neurons. Voltage-clamp studies 48 hr post-sepsis revealed that the Ca2+ current density in CMSG neurons from septic rats was significantly lower than those isolated from sham control rats. This reduction coincided with a significant increase in membrane surface area and a negligible increase in Ca2+ current amplitude. Possible explanations for these findings include either cell swelling or neurite outgrowth enhancement of CSMG neurons from septic rats. Additionally, a significant rightward shift of the concentration-response relationship for the norepinephrine (NE)-mediated Ca2+ current inhibition was observed in CSMG neurons from septic rats. Testing for the presence of opioid receptor subtypes in CSMG neurons, showed that mu opioid receptors were present in ~70% of CSMG, while NOP opioid receptors were found in all CSMG neurons tested. The pharmacological profile for both opioid receptor subtypes was not significantly affected by sepsis. Further, the Ca2+ current modulation by propionate, an agonist for the free fatty acid receptors GPR41 and GPR43, was not altered by sepsis. Overall, our findings suggest that CSMG function is affected by sepsis via changes in cell size and α2-adrenergic receptor-mediated Ca2+ channel modulation.
The Teaching Brain and the End of the Empty Vessel

I am excited to present this special section that explores the teaching brain. The goal of the series is to facilitate a transition in the lens on teaching from an empty vessel to a phenomenon as dynamic, variable, and context- dependent as learning. This transformation will likely push all of us to reevaluate our understanding and research on teaching. Over the coming year, each issue will provide several articles that seek to shed light on a different aspect of this burgeoning new area of research. This issue opens the series with a piece designed to lay out the conceptual framework and evidence base for a new way to think about teaching: the teaching brain. Next, Michael Chazan gives an archeological grounding for the existence of teaching in the earliest ancestors of Homo sapiens. Sidney Strauss and Margalit Ziv then describe how teaching is a fundamental human cognitive ability. Together, these articles begin to create a paradigm shift in the definition of teaching. We look forward to an exciting journey.
Phase equilibrium in the system CO2-H2O: Application to Mars

[1] Thermodynamic analysis of the system CO2-H2O shows that although CO2 clathrate and liquid CO2 are stable over most of the pressure and temperature range expected for the Martian regolith, hydraulic equilibrium of the regolith pore gas with the overlying atmosphere, a condition most likely in equatorial regions, will destabilize both phases. Condensation on Mars comes in four predictable assemblages: pure H2O ice, CO2 clathrate (hydrate), a eutectic mixture of solid CO2 and either clathrate or H2O ice (if the clathrate fails to nucleate), and under limited conditions, pure solid CO2. Seasonal frosts are likely to consist of thin layers of water ice and/or clathrate, overlain by the eutectic assemblage. Growing ice caps are also likely to be layered, with sets of ice (lower) and eutectic (upper) layers interspersed with pure solid CO2 layers. The saturated water content of a 1-bar CO2 atmosphere with surface temperatures >273 K would have reached 20 precipitable millimeters. Basal melting, triggered by trapped heat flow from the interior, limits the thickness and composition of the polar ice caps and is to be expected during periods of low obliquity, when there is extensive cooling and condensation at the poles. Introduction of liquid CO2 into the Martian regolith by basal melting at the poles may be a major mechanism for loss of the ancient greenhouse atmosphere and its long-term sequestration. Explosive release of CO2 fluid coexisting with groundwater may trigger outflow channel floods and reset atmospheric isotope ratios.
Agricultural Biotechnology, Law, and EPA Regulation

Introduction Agricultural Biotechnology What is the Significance of Agricultural Biotechnology? How is Agricultural Biotechnology Regulated? The Coordinated Framework EPA's Statutory Authority EPA Regulation of Agricultural Biotechnology Microbial Pesticides Plant-Pesticides Keywords: agricultural biotechnology
The receptor for the subgroup A avian leukosis-sarcoma viruses binds to subgroup A but not to subgroup C envelope glycoprotein

The putative subgroup A avian leukosis-sarcoma virus (ALSV) receptor (Tva) was recently cloned by gene transfer (P. Bates, J. A. Young, and H. E. Varmus, Cell 74:1043-1051, 1993; J. A. T. Young, P. Bates, and H. E. Varmus, J. Virol. 67:1811-1816, 1993). Susceptibility to infection by subgroup A ALSV is conferred on cells upon transfection with cDNAs encoding tva. The hypothesis that tva encodes a specific receptor for subgroup A ALSV predicts that the Tva protein should bind to subgroup A, but not to subgroup C, envelope glycoprotein. In this study, we examined this prediction by using several biochemical assays. We established stable NIH 3T3 cell lines expressing either Tva, the subgroup A envelope glycoprotein (Env-A), or the subgroup C envelop glycoprotein (Env-C) and used them in conjunction with soluble forms of these molecules to demonstrate specific binding. When cell lysates containing Tva were mixed with lysates of either Env-A or Env-C, an immunoprecipitable complex formed between Tva and Env-A but not between Tva and Env-C. A soluble, oligomeric form, of Env-A, not Env-C, binds to cells expressing Tva. Reciprocally, a secreted form of Tva can bind to cells expressing Env-A but not to cells expressing Env-C. A specific and stable complex formed between soluble Env-A and secreted Tva as demonstrated by sucrose density gradient centrifugation. Thus, by three kinds of assays, Tva appears to bind specifically to Env-A, which is consistent with genetic evidence that it serves as the cell surface receptor of subgroup A ALSV and the main determinant of subgroup specificity.
Primary graft failure associated with epithelial downgrowth: a case report

Epithelial downgrowth is a rare complication of ocular surgery. While the features of epithelial downgrowth following corneal transplantation are well described, its association with primary graft failure has only been reported once previously. We report a case of primary corneal graft failure (PGF) associated with retrocorneal epithelial cell ingrowth. A 59 year-old male underwent an uncomplicated penetrating keratoplasty for Fuchs' corneal dystrophy. The patient developed PGF, and a second transplant was performed 5 weeks after the initial surgery. The initial host corneal button and the failed corneal graft were examined with light microscopy. Histopathologic examination of the excised corneal button demonstrated multilaminar epithelial cells on the posterior corneal surface and absence of endothelial cells. DNA extraction and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for herpes simplex virus (HSV) DNA was performed on the failed corneal graft. Polymerase chain reaction performed on the failed corneal graft was negative for HSV DNA, which has been implicated in selected cases of PGF. Three years following repeat penetrating keratoplasty, there was no evidence of recurrent epithelial ingrowth. This is only the second report of PGF associated with epithelialization of the posterior corneal button, which most likely developed subsequent to, instead of causing, the diffuse endothelial cell loss and primary graft failure.
Modeling the development of martian sublimation thermokarst landforms

Abstract Sublimation-thermokarst landforms result from collapse of the surface when ice is lost from the subsurface. On Mars, scalloped landforms with scales of decameters to kilometers are observed in the mid-latitudes and considered likely thermokarst features. We describe a landscape evolution model that couples diffusive mass movement and subsurface ice loss due to sublimation. Over periods of tens of thousands of Mars years under conditions similar to the present, the model produces scallop-like features similar to those on the martian surface, starting from much smaller initial disturbances. The model also indicates crater expansion when impacts occur in surfaces underlain by excess ice to some depth, with morphologies similar to observed landforms on the martian northern plains. In order to produce these landforms by sublimation, substantial quantities of excess ice are required, at least comparable to the vertical extent of the landform, and such ice must remain in adjacent terrain to support the non-deflated surface. We suggest that martian thermokarst features are consistent with formation by sublimation, without melting, and that significant thicknesses of very clean excess ice (up to many tens of meters, the depth of some scalloped depressions) are locally present in the martian mid-latitudes. Climate conditions leading to melting at significant depth are not required.
Implementing a force strategy for object re-orientation

This paper describes a method to reorient grasped rigid objects of polygonal cross-section using open loop force control strategies. A representation of forces in a spherical reference frame has been developed that ensures grasp stability and allows simple commands to control object reorientation. A procedure is shown for controlling at which fingers slip or rotation occurs, that can be used for three orthogonal rotations of an object grasped with three fingers. The implementation of a "twirling rotation" on the Stanford/JPL hand is described. A failure analysis is presented for potential causes for the object to slip from the grasp. Object control strategies are developed assuming line contacts and infinitesimal finger sizes. The influence of cylindrical finger tips on the performance of reorientations is described.
Effect of Growth Rate on the Macromolecular Composition of Prototheca zopfii, a Colorless Alga Which Divides by Multiple Fission

Prototheca zopfii, a eukaryote that divides by multiple fission, was investigated to determine how growth rate controls daughter cell number. The macromolecular composition, cell size, and number of nuclei per cell were determined in cultures during balanced growth in various media. Cellular mass, ribonucleic acid (RNA), deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA), carbohydrate, and nuclear number increased as positive linear functions of growth rate, whereas nuclear ploidy remained constant with a value of 0.098 pg of DNA/nucleus. The ratios of RNA to protein, protein to mass, and carbohydrate to mass were unaffected by growth rate, whereas the ratios of DNA to protein and RNA to DNA could be expressed as curvilinear functions of growth rate, the former negative and the latter positive. The dependency of normalized gene dosage (DNA/protein) on growth rate appeared as a distinguishing feature of multiple fission. Determination of the normalized rates of protein and RNA synthesis revealed that both increase linearly with growth rate. It is concluded that Prototheca zopfii may exist in a number of physiological states which are characterized by a unique size and macromolecular composition and which are dictated by growth rate.
ΔFosB indirectly regulates Cck promoter activity

Abstract Some of the important biochemical, structural, and behavioral changes induced by chronic exposure to drugs of abuse appear to be mediated by the highly stable transcription factor ΔFosB. Previous work has shown that ΔFosB overexpression in mice for 2 weeks leads to an increase in the expression of numerous genes in striatum, most of which are later downregulated following 8 weeks of ∆FosB expression. Interestingly, a large number of these genes were also upregulated in mice overexpressing the transcription factor CREB. It was unclear from this study, however, whether short-term ΔFosB regulates these genes via CREB. Here, we find that 2 weeks of ΔFosB overexpression increases CREB expression in striatum, an effect that dissipates by 8 weeks. The early induction is associated with increased CREB binding to certain target gene promoters in this brain region. Surprisingly, one gene that was a suspected CREB target based on previous reports, cholecystokinin (Cck), was not controlled by CREB in striatum. To further investigate the regulation of Cck following ΔFosB overexpression, we confirmed that short-term ΔFosB overexpression increases both Cck promoter activity and gene expression. It also increases binding activity at a putative CREB binding site (CRE) in the Cck promoter. However, while the CRE site is necessary for normal basal expression of Cck, it is not required for ΔFosB induction of Cck. Taken together, these results suggest that while short-term ΔFosB induction increases CREB expression and activity at certain gene promoters, this is not the only mechanism by which genes are upregulated under these conditions.
RATE, PROBABILITY AND MATCHING: COMMENTS ON “THE IDENTITIES HIDDEN IN THE MATCHING LAWS, AND THEIR USES” BY DAVID THORNE

David Thorne's (2010) article, "The identities hidden in the matching laws, and their uses" performs a valuable service in pointing out alternative expressions of matching. However, some identities tend to obscure rather than illuminate empirical relationships. Three such problematic instances are discussed: interresponse time as a function of interval and ratio schedule parameters; probability equality as implying rate matching; the apparent simplicity of probabilistic functions, as opposed to response rate functions, of reinforcement rate.
Anisotropic pressure equilibrium in a toroidal stellarator

Equilibria of a toroidal stellarator plasma with a pressure tensor of the form are calculated to high accuracy within the framework of a low-beta expansion previously employed to find scalar-pressure equilibria. Expressions are obtained for various quantities such as the vertical field and the magnetic-axis shift which are important experimentally; when the helical field is allowed to go to zero, results previously derived for tokamaks are obtained in each case.
BRCA2 is epistatic to the RAD51 paralogs in response to DNA damage

Homologous recombination plays an important role in the high-fidelity repair of DNA double-strand breaks. A central player in this process, RAD51, polymerizes onto single-stranded DNA and searches for homology in a duplex donor DNA molecule, usually the sister chromatid. Homologous recombination is a highly regulated event in mammalian cells: some proteins have direct enzymatic functions, others mediate or overcome rate-limiting steps in the process, and still others signal cell cycle arrest to allow repair to occur. While the human BRCA2 protein has a clear role in delivering and loading RAD51 onto single-stranded DNA generated after resection of the DNA break, the mechanistic functions of the RAD51 paralogs remain unclear. In this study, we sought to determine the genetic interactions between BRCA2 and the RAD51 paralogs during DNA DSB repair. We utilized siRNA-mediated knockdown of these proteins in human cells to assess their impact on the DNA damage response. The results indicate that loss of BRCA2 alone imparts a more severe phenotype than the loss of any individual RAD51 paralog and that BRCA2 is epistatic to each of the four paralogs tested.
The “thousand words” problem: Summarizing multi-dimensional data

Abstract An inherent difficulty in the application of multi-dimensional sensing to process monitoring and control is the extraction and interpretation of useful information. Ultimately the measured data must be collapsed into a relatively small number of values that capture the salient characteristics of the process. Although multiple dimensions are frequently necessary to isolate a particular physical attribute (such as the distribution of a particular chemical species in a reactor), plant control systems are not equipped to use such data directly. The production of a multi-dimensional data set (often displayed as an image) is not the final step of the measurement process, because information must still be extracted from the raw data. In the metaphor of one picture being equal to a thousand words, the problem becomes one of paraphrasing a lengthy description of the image with one or two well-chosen words. Various approaches to solving this problem are discussed using examples from the fields of particle characterization, image processing, and process tomography.
A gas-phase 85Kr beta excited X-ray source

Abstract Studies were made of beta excited X-ray sources utilizing 85 Kr, in the gaseous form, and Cu foil target. The gas phase necessitated the construction of a special source holder. An example of the spectrum produced, as detected by an argon-methane flow counter, exhibits the classical form, with a well defined K α doublet and the white radiation continuum. Comparison of 85 Kr to 204 Tl, a non-gaseous emitter of similar beta E max , indicates the 85 Kr source, as constructed, to be approximately 10 times less efficient than 204 Tl in K X-ray production. This difference in efficiency is probably due to the variation in source geometry, as 204 Tl-Cu has 5 mil Cu backing and 85 Kr-Cu has no backing target. The K photon to total photon ratio is 0.33 for 85 Kr-Cu vs 0.69 for 204 Tl-Cu with 1.2 mil Cu and 1.3 mil Cu respectively. Such a noble gas, beta-excited source of stimulated X-rays provides a photon source uniquely safe, in the event of rupture of the seal.
Continuous intravenous dobutamine is associated with an increased risk of death in patients with advanced heart failure: insights from the Flolan International Randomized Survival Trial (FIRST).

Abstract Objective To evaluate clinical characteristics and outcomes of patients with advanced heart failure receiving intravenous continuous dobutamine in the FIRST Trial (Flolan International Randomized Survival Trial). Methods Four hundred seventy-one patients with class IIIb to IV heart failure who were enrolled in the FIRST trial were included. Eighty patients treated with dobutamine at FIRST randomization were compared with 391 patients not treated with dobutamine at randomization. The occurrence of worsening heart failure, need for vasoactive medications, resuscitated cardiac arrest, myocardial infarction, and total mortality were compared between the 2 groups. Results The dobutamine group had a higher occurrence of first event (85.3% vs 64.5%; P = .0006) and a higher mortality rate (70.5% vs 37.1%; P = .0001) compared with the no dobutamine group. Intravenous continuous dobutamine was an independent risk factor for death after adjusting for baseline differences. Conclusions Dobutamine use at the time of randomization was associated with a higher 6-month mortality rate. This effect persisted after adjustment for baseline differences. This analysis challenges the concept that continuous intravenous dobutamine is beneficial to advanced heart failure patients with respect to survival. (Am Heart J 1999;138:78-86.)
Chronotype and Breast Cancer Risk in a Cohort of US Nurses

The aim of this study was to examine the relation between chronotype and breast cancer risk. We analyzed the association between chronotype (definite morning type, probable morning type, probable evening type, definite evening type, or neither morning nor evening type) and breast cancer risk among 72 517 women in the Nurses’ Health Study II (NHS II). Chronotype was self-reported in 2009, and 1834 breast cancer cases were confirmed among participants between 1989 and 2007; a 2-yr lag period was imposed to account for possible circadian disruptions related to breast cancer diagnosis. Age- and multivariable-adjusted logistic regression was used to estimate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Participants who self-reported as neither morning nor evening type had a 27% increased risk of breast cancer (multivariable-adjusted OR = 1.27, 95% CI = 1.04–1.56), compared with definite morning types. None of the other chronotypes were significantly associated with breast cancer risk (multivariable-ad...
Kinematic and Kinetostatic Synthesis of Planar Coupled Serial Chain Mechanisms

Single Degree-of-freedom Coupled Serial Chain (SDCSC) mechanisms form a novel class of modular and compact mechanisms with a single degree-of-freedom, suitable for a number of manipulation tasks. Such SDCSC mechanisms take advantage of the hardware constraints between the articulations of a serial-chain linkage, created using gear-trains or belt/pulley drives, to guide the end-effector motions and forces. In this paper, we examine the dimensional synthesis of such SDCSC mechanisms to perform desired planar manipulation tasks, taking into account task specifications on both end-effector motions and forces. Our solution approach combines precision point synthesis with optimization to realize optimal mechanisms, which satisfy the design specifications exactly at the selected precision points and approximate them in the least-squares sense elsewhere along a specified trajectory. The designed mechanisms can guide a rigid body through several positions while supporting arbitrarily specified external loads. Furthermore, torsional springs are added at the joints to reduce the overall actuation requirements and to enhance the task performance. Examples from the kinematic and the kinetostatic synthesis of planar SDCSC mechanisms are presented to highlight the benefits.
The media deprivation experience: Revealing mass media as both message and massage

This paper argues that the mass media deprivation experience is a potent means with which to sensitize students to the seductive, yet iron‐fisted grip of the mass media. Advice is offered with respect to (1) guiding the experience, (2) describing typical before and after reactions, and (3) identifying theoretical discussion issues.
Vector properties of magnetostriction

The vector properties of a newly developed Preisach-type magnetostriction model are discussed. The model uses a modified version of the Della Torre-Pinzaglia-Cardelli model to compute the irreversible and the reversible components of the magnetization. The magnetostriction can then be simulated by assuming that its magnitude is proportional to the magnetization and its direction is dependent on the magnetization history. The modeling approach is outlined for two types of isotropic media: native and polycrystalline. The preliminary results show excellent agreement with the rotational magnetization measurements for a sample of high-strength steel.
Palytoxin induces a relatively non-selective cation permeability in frog sciatic nerve which can be inhibited by cardiac glycosides.

Abstract —The effect of palytoxin (PTX) on compound resting potential and compound action potential of frog sciatic nerve was studied using the sucrose-gap technique. PTX irreversibly depolarized the compound resting potential and reduced the amplitude of the compound action potential. PTX evoked a marked depolarization when extracellular Na + was replaced by Li + , Cs + and the organic cations methylammonium, hydroxylammonium, and methylhydroxylammonium but not by tetramethylammonium, tetraethylammonium, choline or the divalent cations, Ca 2+ and Ba 2+ . The maintained depolarization was not sensitive to inhibition by saxitoxin (300 nM) or procaine (10 mM). The depolarization was inhibited by ouabain or cymarin but not by the aglycon, strophanthidin. However, strophanthidin did antagonize the inhibitory action of cymarin which suggests that PTX and cardiac glycosides do not share an identical binding site but there may be some overlap. We conclude that in frog sciatic nerve, PTX interacts with the (Na + -K + ) pump to induce the opening or formation of a relatively non-selective cation pore within or near the pump protein.
First Results of the SRF Wafer Test Cavity for the Characterization of Superconductors

The wafer test cavity was designed as a short sample test system that could create a reproducible environment for the testing of superconducting materials above the Bardeen–Cooper–Schrieffer limit of niobium. The results of the sapphire test cavity showed that the dielectric was too lossy, and thus, the original design had to be altered to make operation feasible with current hardware and achieve $\sim$ 200 mT. The new design was fabricated at Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility and was cryogenically tested. After four tests, the cavity was able to produce a 6.6-mT field with a $Q$ of $3.96\ast 10^{8}$ . Although lower than anticipated, in comparison to other ${\rm TE}_{01}$ cavities, this result is quite encouraging. Multipacting and coupling were limitations, but current work is pursuing the elimination of these complications. This document will expound upon the new design, mathematical simulations, testing of the cavity, complications, results, and future work.
Generalist Versus Specialist Occupational Therapists

The issue is not generalist versus specialist, bachelor's degree versus master's degree, or even registered occupational therapist versus certified occupational therapy assistant. The issue is: What is each professional's product? What is the process by which each produces it? What knowledge, skills, and judgment do each need to competently produce the product? And, under what circumstances and conditions and at what point are each required to assure a quality product? The delineation of the requisite knowledge and skills as well as the delineation of generalist and specialist will flow from the answer to these questions.
Pleiotropic Effects and Compensation Mechanisms Determine Tissue Specificity in Mitochondrial Myopathy and Sideroblastic Anemia (MLASA)

The tissue specificity of mitochondrial diseases is poorly understood. Recently, tissue-specific quantitative differences of the components of the mitochondrial translation system have been found to correlate with disease presentation in fatal hepatopathy caused by mutations in mitochondrial translation factor EFG1. MLASA is an autosomal recessive inherited progressive oxidative phosphorylation disorder that affects muscle and erythroid cells. The disease is caused by the homozygous point mutation C656T (R116W) in the catalytic domain of the pseudouridylate synthase 1 (PUS1) gene, which leads to a complete lack of pseudouridylation at the expected sites in mitochondrial and cytoplasmic tRNAs. Despite the presence of these altered tRNAs, most tissues are unaffected, and even in muscle and erythroid cells the disease phenotype only slowly emerges over the course of years. In order to elucidate intracellular pathways through which the homozygous mutation leads to tissue-restricted phenotype, we performed microarray expression analysis of EBV-transformed lymphoblasts from MLASA patients, heterozygous parents, and controls using human Beadchip microarray with 47,296 transcripts. Genes coding for proteins involved in DNA transcription and its regulation, and metal binding proteins, demonstrated major differences in expression between patients and all other individuals with normal phenotype. Genes coding for ribosomal proteins differed significantly between individual with at least one copy of the mutated PUS1 gene and controls. These findings indicate that the lack of tRNA pseudouridylation can be overcome by compensatory changes in levels of ribosomal proteins, and that the disease phenotype in affected tissues is likely due to pleiotropic effects of PUS1p on non-tRNA molecules involved in DNA transcription and iron metabolism. Similar combinations of mechanisms may play a role in the tissue specificity of other mitochondrial disorders.
Simmias’ Objection to Socrates in the Phaedo : Harmony, Symphony and Some Later Platonic/ Patristic Responses to the Mind/Soul-Body Question

Simmias’ famous epiphenomenalist analogy of the soul-body relation to the harmony and strings of a lyre (together with Cebes’ subsequent objection) leads to Socrates’ initial refutation and subsequent prolonged defense of soul’s immortality in the Phaedo. It also yields in late antiquity significant treatments of the harmony relation by Plotinus (Ennead III 6 [26] 4, 30-52) and Porphyry (Sentences 18, 8-18) that present a larger context for viewing the nature of harmony in the soul and the psycho-somatic compound. But perhaps the most detailed treatment of the musical analogy, and certainly the most radical, is to be found in Gregory of Nyssa’s De Hominis Opificio. Gregory’s remarkable development of the musical instrument analogy provides a multi-layered analysis of interrelated causality on the mechanistic, physiological, psycho-somatic and intellectual/spiritual planes. Gregory not only sees mind/soul and body as radically equal and yet multilayered in their mutual development; he also refuses to restrict mind to the brain alone, for all physiological systems, in his view, are holistically and individually expressive of mind’s activity. Gregory’s theory is more innovative than Augustine’s view of the mind/soul-body relation and, in my view, the most important account between Plotinus and Aquinas.
Physics and chemistry of the mesopause region

Abstract This paper is based on a tutorial presentation given at the 2001 CEDAR (Coupling Energetics and Dynamics of Atmospheric Regions) workshop. It gives an overview of chemical and physical processes important in the mesopause region. Topics covered include composition, photochemistry, dynamics and transport, and energy budget. Special emphasis is placed on the role of variations in composition in linking the physical and chemical processes. Examples from numerical models and observations are given to illustrate the points. Two specific cases where composition plays a role are described. The first illustrates that hemispheric differences in CO2 due to transport by the mean circulation enhance the mesopause temperature extremes near solstices. The second shows how transport of chemical species by gravity waves can alter the heating structure in such a way as to destabilize the gravity wave.
Absorbable staples in continentileal urinary pouch

Continent ileal urinary reservoirs were created in dogs to study absorbable surgical staples. Within each pouch, certain controlled observations were possible. The staples and chemically similar polyglactin absorbable sutures caused almost identical tissue reactions. The staples outlasted the sutures, probably because of greater size. Inverted and everted staple closures worked equally well. It appears feasible to consider clinical urinary diversion with absorbable staples, a time-saving method.
Investigating the asymptotic properties of import elasticity estimates

Abstract Feenstra (1994) is widely implemented in international trade to estimate elasticities of substitution. Through a Monte Carlo experiment, simulated estimates suggest substantial biases due to weak instruments. However, the derivation of the elasticity of substitution drastically mitigates these biases.
Treatment of Nonseptic Olecranon Bursitis: A Controlled, Blinded Prospective Trial

• We enrolled 42 patients with nonseptic olecranon bursitis in a double-blind prospective treatment trial to compare the efficacy of an intrabursal steroid preparation with that of an oral antiinflammatory agent. Patients were randomized into one of four treatment regimens: (1) methylprednisolone acetate (20 mg) intrabursal injection and oral naproxen (1 g/d for 10 days), (2) methylprednisolone acetate (20 mg) intrabursal injection and oral placebo for 10 days, (3) oral naproxen (1 g/d for 10 days), and (4) oral placebo for 10 days. The degree of swelling in millimeters was assessed at study introduction and at 1,3, and 6 weeks. At 6 months, the number of patients requiring reaspiration for bursitis recurrence was tabulated. Data at 1 week indicated that patients treated with an intrabursal methylprednisolone acetate injection (20 mg) demonstrated the most rapid decrease in swelling. At 6 weeks, the methylprednisolone-treated groups demonstrated sustained improvement. At 6 months, the mean number of reaspirations per patient for reaccumulation of bursal fluid was higher in groups 3 (1.0±1.2) and 4 (0.4 ± 0.7). An intrabursal methylprednisolone acetate 20-mg injection seems to be the most effective treatment regimen for nonseptic olecranon bursitis. ( Arch Intern Med . 1989;149:2527-2530)
Lansoprazole treatment of patients with chronic idiopathic laryngitis: a placebo-controlled trial.

Lansoprazole treatment of patients with chronic idiopathic laryngitis: a placebo-controlled trial