cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Cytological studies on the developing vitreous as related to the hyaloid vessel system

The embryonic development of the cell population of the mammalian vitreous has been traced to two sources: the undifferentiated mesenchymal cells of the eye primordium and the primitive reticular cells of the bone marrow. Undifferentiated mesenchymal cells invade the future vitreous space in two ways: through the annular opening between the rim of the optic cup and the lens primordium, and through the open embryonic fissure. They differentiate into prevascular cells, hemangioblasts, and fibrocytes located in the area of the optic nerve head. From the very beginning of fetal development, another ameboid-type cell of mesenchymal origin makes its entrance into the vitreous through the hyaloid vessels; these monocyte-like cells differentiate into hyalocytes and populate a well-defined area of the cortical vitreous close to the retina and to the ora serrata. Gamma-irradiation (600 rads) of newly born rabbits and cats decreases the number of migrating amebocytes in their vitreous; 24 h later, however, they are replaced by monocytes from the hyaloid vessels.
Comparison of extracts of tubercle bacilli and BCG as immunizing agents in guinea pigs.

Summary1. Comparison has been made in guinea pigs of ability of BCG and various extracts and fractions of the tubercle bacillus to stimulate increased resistance to tuber culosis. 2. Significant resistance was induced by 1 mg of BCG, given subcutaneously, in each of 4 experiments reported. 3. Comparable resistance was induced by 0.1 mg (in adjuvant) of a crude chloroform extract, and also by tubercle bacilli which had been exhaustively extracted with neutral organic solvents. 4. The immunizing potency of such defatted bacilli was completely destroyed by extraction with alcohol-ether containing 3% HCl and only partially by autoclaving for 20 minutes. The ability of defatted bacilli to induce delayed hypersensitivity was also destroyed by removal of firmly bound lipids with alcohol-ether containing HCl.
The evolution of CpNpG methylation in plants

CpNpG and CpG methylation was surveyed in a range of vascular and nonvascular plants to determine firstly when CpNpG methylation evolved and secondly whether the two methylation systems found in higher plants were likely to be under common or separate control. Although both systems exist in a wide range of vascular plant taxa, the nonvascular plant taxa appear to contain only CpNpG methylation and this in only very limited amounts. The data suggest that both systems may have evolved at the same time and that speciation involved loss of one or the other methylation system or the evolution of differentiation stage-specific control systems.
Impact toughness of irradiated reduced-activation ferritic steels

Abstract Eight chromium-tungsten steels ranging from 2.25 to 12 wt% Cr were irradiated at 365°C to 13–14 dpa in the Fast Flux Test Facility. Post irradiation Charpy impact tests showed a loss of toughness for all steels, as measured by an increase in the ductile-brittle transition temperature (DBTT) and a decrease in the upper-shelf energy. The most irradiation-resistant steels were two 9% Cr steels: the DBTT of a 9Cr-2W-0.25V-0.1C steel increased 29°C, and for the same composition with an addition of 0.07% Ta the DBTT increased only 15°C. This is the smallest shift ever observed for such a steel irradiated to these levels. The other steels developed shifts in DBTT of 100 to 300°C. A 2.25% Cr steel with 2% W, 0.25% V, and 0.1% C was less severely affected by irradiation than 2.25% Cr steels with 0.25% V and no tungsten, 2% W and no vanadium, and with 1% W and 0.25% V. Irradiation resistance appears to be associated with microstructure, and microstructural manipulation may lead to improved properties.
Secondary spore formation in Orchesellaria mauguioi (Asellariales, Trichomycetes) and its taxonomic and ecological implications

Orchesellaria (Orc.) mauguioi (Asellariales) was detected from the hindguts of Isotomurus palustris (Collembola, Hexapoda) collected in Japan. The secondary spore formation on the exuviae of its host is described. When the host molted, its exoskelton including the ectoderm-originated hindgut cuticle to which Orc. mauguioi mycelia attaches was shed. Arthrospores of Orc. mauguioi germinated and penetrated the molt skin and produced secondary spores terminally. The secondary spore is a narrowly ovoid monosporangious sporangium accompanied by a capitate-lageniform terminal cell; these fall off together as a dispersive unit. The terminal cell is sterile and bears one to three fine filamentous extensions seven times as long as the length of the cell. In contrast to the appendages produced endogenously by other harpellids, the filament is produced exogenously and is similar to those of the genus Orphella (Harpellales). The taxonomic and ecological implications of the secondary spore formation of Orc. mauguioi are discussed by comparison with those of other Trichomycetes.
Extending the Gyárfás-Sumner conjecture

Say a set H of graphs is heroic if there exists k such that every graph containing no member of H as an induced subgraph has cochromatic number at most k. (The cochromatic number of G is the minimum number of stable sets and cliques with union V(G).) Assuming an old conjecture of Gyarfas and Sumner, we give a complete characterization of the finite heroic sets. This is a consequence of the following. Say a graph is k-split if its vertex set is the union of two sets A, B, where A has clique number at most k and B has stability number at most k. For every graph H"1 that is a disjoint union of cliques, and every complete multipartite graph H"2, there exists k such that every graph containing neither of H"1, H"2 as an induced subgraph is k-split. This in turn is a consequence of a bound on the maximum number of vertices in any graph that is minimal not k-split, a result first proved by Gyarfas [5] and for which we give a short proof.
Interaction of synaptotagmin with the cytoplasmic domains of neurexins

Abstract Synaptotagmin, a major intrinsic membrane protein of synaptic vesicles that binds Ca 2+ , was purified from bovine brain and immobilized onto Sepharose 4B. Affinity chromatography of brain membrane proteins on immobilized synaptotagmin revealed binding of α- and β-neurexins to synaptotagmin in a Ca 2+ -independent manner. Using a series of recombinant proteins in which glutathione S-transferase was fused to the cytoplasmic domains of three different neurexins or of control proteins, it was found that synaptotagmin specifically interacts with the cytoplasmic domains of neurexins but not of control proteins. This interaction is dependent on a highly conserved, 40 amino acid sequence that makes up most of the cytoplasmic tails of the neurexins. Our data suggest a direct interaction between the cytoplasmic domains of a plasma membrane protein (the neurexins) and a protein specific for a subcellular organelle (synaptotagmin). Such an interaction could have an important role in the docking and targeting of synaptic vesicles in the nerve terminal.
Relational theory and the practice of psychotherapy

Relational theory and the practice of psychotherapy, by Paul L. Wachtel, New York, Guilford Press, 2008, 338 pp., £25.95 (hardback) Paul Wachtel's Relational theory and the practice of psychotherap...
SU‐GG‐I‐154: Automated US QC with Phantoms — A Comparison with Electronic Transducer Testing

Purpose: To compare the ability of automated quality control software to detect flaws in ultrasound transducers as compared with an electronic transducertestingsystem.Method and Materials: A standard tissue‐mimicking quality control phantom was used to acquire images with an ultrasoundsystem that has defective transducer elements. A program written specifically to evaluate image quality parameters was used to evaluate the resultant images. The automated QC program was compared against a commercially available system that evaluates the transducer while it is detached from the rest of the ultrasoundscanner. Variables evaluated include image uniformity, sensitivity (depth of penetration) and spatial/contrast resolution. Results: The automated QC software was able to detect the transducer flaws that existed on the given transducer. This was also detected by the electronic transducer test system. The results from the latter depict transducer elements that are not operating properly, either due to delamination of the piezoelectric element from the acoustic coupling layer, contact failure, or grounding of the line in the cable. The automatic QC program is not able to detect this level of detail, however, the results from image analysis are more relevant to overall system performance. Conclusion: The ability of an automated QC program to detect transducer flaws has been evaluated. The automated QC program is not able to provide details of the transducer failure to direct repairs, however, it is able to detect subtle changes in transducer/ultrasound scanner performance in total. Therefore, the use of such a system will provide the physicist/engineer with objective imaging performance measurements. Comparisons of cost and ease of use will be included in the summary of this work and the reliability of each system to improve the quality of ultrasound studies will be discussed.
Social Work Education and Clinical Learning: Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow

Social Work Education and Clinical Learning by Simpson, Williams, and Segall is a welcome and timely statement about the nature of clinical social work and its implications for educational curricula. The authors took on an awesome task. Educating students for clinical practice is increasingly more daunting than it has been previously and is in considerable disarray, if not a state of crisis. In addition to amplifying and expanding some of the major points the authors make, this discussion considers where we have been, where we are, and where we are going. It describes the educational landscape today, which the author views as bleak with respect to its preparation of students for clinical social work practice. In keeping with clinical social work’s inclusive definition that encompasses a broad knowledge base, diverse practice roles, and a wide range of interventions, this discussion emphasizes the importance of numerous unifying themes that help to distinguish clinical social work from other approaches or from the use of a fragmented assemblage of techniques. The paper considers the role of evidence-based practice and makes some suggestions about future emphases in clinical social work. It concludes with a call to alter the educational landscape.
Further studies on the mechanisms controlling prostaglandin biosynthesis in the cat adrenal cortex: the role of calcium and cyclic AMP.

In light of previous studies which have implicated prostaglandin (PG) formation as a link in ACTH-induced steroid production by isolated cat adrenocortical cells, experiments were carried out to provide additional information regarding the role of PGs in adrenal steroidogenesis and their interactions with calcium and cyclic AMP. Perfusion of cat adrenal glands with Locke's solution plus β(l–24)-ACTH resulted in an immediate increase in PGF2α release, which rapidly declined to basal levels after the stimulus was withdrawn. In contrast, maximal rates of steroid release were manifest some 30 min after removal of ACTH. ACTH and its onitrophenyl sulfenyl derivative (NPS-ACTH) increased PG (PGF2α and PGE2) and steroid release by trypsin-dispersed cat cortical cells, but NPSACTH, unlike ACTH, did not augment cortical cyclic AMP levels. In this same preparation, indomethacin completely blocked ACTH and NPSACTH facilitated PGF2α and PGE2 release but failed to suppress steroid release markedly. Calciumdeprivation b...
Co-expressing Pdx1 and Ngn3 induces few beta-like cells in the liver of mice

We have assessed whether expressing pancreatic transcription factors Pdx1 and Ngn3 in the liver could induce beta-like cells for curing type I diabetes. When co-expressed in the liver of insulin reporter mice using adenovirus, few cells in the liver were turned into beta-like cells which were marked by lacZ expression by X-gal staining. Insulin promoter assay showed that Pdx1 highly activates insulin promoter when combined with Ngn3. In ex vivo experiments to determine permissiveness of stem/progenitor and fully differentiated cells by ectopic transcription factors, it was found that more islet genes were induced in ES or bone marrow SP cells than fully differentiated NIH3T3 or MEF cells by Pdx1 or Ngn3. Our results suggest that synergistic action of Pdx1 and Ngn3 on inducing various islet genes as well as cell intrinsic factors played a crucial role in directing few liver cells into beta-like cells in vivo.
Laparoscopic Ureteroureterostomy for Retrocaval Ureter

Abstract Objectives To debate the different laparoscopic approaches for the surgical management of patients with circumcaval ureter. Methods Updated literature review and discussion of personal experiences concerning the laparoscopic treatment of the circumcaval ureter. Results Laparoscopic approaches promote less intraoperative bleeding, a shorter postoperative hospital stay, reduced postoperative pain, earlier return to daily activities and a significant superior aesthetics effect, while preserving therapeutic efficacy in performing reanastomosis of a circumcaval ureter. The main limiting factor for both a transabdominal and a retroperitoneal laparoscopic repair is the intracorporeal anastomosis of the ureter, which significantly increased the surgical time. Interestingly, a laparoscopic pyelopyelostomy for retrocaval ureter without resection of the retrocaval segment has been debated. Conclusions Comparisons among historical reports regarding open surgery and laparoscopic transposition and reanastomosis of a circumcaval ureter have clearly shown the advantages of minimally invasive approaches.
Charge-Modulated Associates of Anionic Donors with Cationic π-Acceptors: Crystal Structures of Ternary Synthons Leading to Molecular Wires

Tetramethylpyrazine is effectively transformed via controlled N-protonation or N-methylation to afford a series of mono- and dicationic π-acceptors of particular use in the study of charge modulation during the self-assembly of various anionic donors and π-acid acceptors into ternary synthons and infinite linear chains (molecular wires). Thus, when the charges of the anionic donor (D) and the cationic acceptor (A) are unequal (either as 1:2 or as 2:1), the corresponding crystal structures of the donor/acceptor associates all contain structure motifs of discrete synthons consisting of (A···D···A) or (D···A···D) triads. On the other hand, when the anionic donor and cationic acceptor are of equal charge (either as 1:1 or as 2:2), the corresponding crystal structures all contain infinite chain arrangements: (···D···A···D···A···D···), which are the same as those we previously found in the cocrystallization of various anionic donors with neutral π-acids. Fully appreciated anion/π interactions are found in all o...
Hα Spectroscopy of the Unusual Binary V Sagittae

?????We present high-quality spectra of the H? emission line of the nova-like variable V Sge, obtained during a photometric bright state during 1986 July. The profiles have several components, including (1) a very broad, flat-topped emission line that forms in the optically thin wind of one of the stars, (2) a central, narrow peak that probably originates in a circumbinary shell, and (3) a moving component that attains an extreme velocity of approach just prior to secondary eclipse (when the brighter and lower mass Roche lobe?filling primary star is in the foreground). We review models for the emission based on the expected collision of the stellar winds of both stars, and suggest that the moving component originates in a high-density region that extends from between the stars to above the leading hemisphere of the primary. The example of V Sge shows that interacting binaries may cease mass transfer in favor of mass ejection from the system at some stage in their evolution.
Modeling microcapsules that communicate through nanoparticles to undergo self-propelled motion.

Using simulation and theory, we demonstrate how nanoparticles can be harnessed to regulate the interaction between two initially stationary microcapsules on a surface and promote the self-propelled motion of these capsules along the substrate. The first microcapsule, the “signaling” capsule, encases nanoparticles, which diffuse from the interior of this carrier and into the surrounding solution; the second capsule is the “target” capsule, which is initially devoid of particles. Nanoparticles released from the signaling capsule modify the underlying substrate and thereby initiate the motion of the target capsule. The latter motion activates hydrodynamic interactions, which trigger the signaling capsule to follow the target. The continued release of the nanoparticles sustains the motion of both capsules. In effect, the system constitutes a synthetic analogue of biological cell signaling and our findings can shed light on fundamental physical forces that control interactions between cells. Our findings can a...
Vaginal hysterectomy with and without morcellation: The university of new mexico hospital's experience*

Objective : To compare intraoperative and postoperative complications of vaginal hysterectomy with and without morcellation. Methods : Between August 1990 and January 1995, 345 women underwent vaginal hysterectomy without laparoscopic assistance at the University of New Mexico and associated hospitals. Medical records available for 340 of these women were reviewed for demographic data, perioperative complications, change in hematocrit, duration of procedure, hospital stay, and uterine size and weight. Some of the records were incomplete with respect to uterine size, uterine weight and hospital stay. The subjects were divided into two groups, 281 who had vaginal hysterectomies without morcellation and 59 who had vaginal hysterectomies with morcellation. The perioperative courses of the two groups were compared. Results : Although women undergoing morcellation were significantly older (mean 44 versus 41 years, P = .004), there were no statistically significant differences in other surgical or anesthetic risk factors, including parity, obesity, hormonal status, and preexisting medical disease. Mean uterine weight was significantly greater in those undergoing morcellation (222 versus 110 g, P P = .004) but did not increase the duration of hospitalization or rate of perioperative complications (18.6 versus 17.4%, odds ratio 1.09, 95% confidence interval 0.49–2.35). Conclusion : Uterine morcellation at the time of vaginal hysterectomy is safe and facilitates the vaginal removal of moderately enlarged and well-supported uteri without increasing perioperative morbidity.
Many independent origins of trans splicing of a plant mitochondrial group II intron.

We examined the cis- vs. trans-splicing status of the mitochondrial group II intron nad1i728 in 439 species (427 genera) of land plants, using both Southern hybridization results (for 416 species) and intron sequence data from the literature. A total of 164 species (157 genera), all angiosperms, was found to have a trans-spliced form of the intron. Using a multigene land plant phylogeny, we infer that the intron underwent a transition from cis to trans splicing 15 times among the sampled angiosperms. In 10 cases, the intron was fractured between its 5′ end and the intron-encoded matR gene, while in the other 5 cases the fracture occurred between matR and the 3′ end of the intron. The 15 intron fractures took place at different time depths during the evolution of angiosperms, with those in Nymphaeales, Austrobaileyales, Chloranthaceae, and eumonocots occurring early in angiosperm evolution and those in Syringodium filiforme, Hydrocharis morsus-ranae, Najas, and Erodium relatively recently. The trans-splicing events uncovered in Austrobaileyales, eumonocots, Polygonales, Caryophyllales, Sapindales, and core Rosales reinforce the naturalness of these major clades of angiosperms, some of which have been identified solely on the basis of recent DNA sequence analyses.
The neural representation of time

This review summarizes recent investigations of temporal processing. We focus on motor and perceptual tasks in which crucial events span hundreds of milliseconds. One key question concerns whether the representation of temporal information is dependent on a specialized system, distributed across a network of neural regions, or computed in a local task-dependent manner. Consistent with the specialized system framework, the cerebellum is associated with various tasks that require precise timing. Computational models of timing mechanisms within the cerebellar cortex are beginning to motivate physiological studies. Emphasis has also been placed on the basal ganglia as a specialized timing system, particularly for longer intervals. We outline an alternative hypothesis in which this structure is associated with decision processes.
Dealing proactively with data corruption: Challenges and opportunities

The danger of production or backup data becoming corrupted is a problem that database administrators dread. This position paper aims to bring this problem to the attention of the database research community, which, surprisingly, has by and large overlooked this problem. We begin by pointing out the causes and consequences of data corruption. We then describe the Proactive Checking Framework (PCF), a new framework that enables a database system to deal with data corruption automatically and proactively. We use a prototype implementation of PCF to give deeper insights into the overall problem and to outline a challenging research agenda to address it.
Atmospheric absorption spectroscopy using supercontinuum lasers

A supercontinuum absorption spectroscopy (SAS) approach for measurement of atmospheric constituents is extended to offer increased capability of detecting concentrations of gaseous species. An atmospheric path length greater than 600 m is utilized in the multi-wavelength differential absorption setup. A multi-wavelength algorithm for analysis of the spectra measurements obtained from the return of the supercontinuum source is used to determine the concentrations of species, with comparison to MODTRAN™ 5 simulation spectra. Further developments to the SAS approach and measurements are presented.
An overview of the injury severity score and the new injury severity score

Objective—The research was undertaken to describe the injury severity score (ISS) and the new injury severity score (NISS) and to illustrate their statistical properties. Design—Descriptive analysis and assessment of the distribution of these scales. Methods—Three data sources—the National Pediatric Trauma Registry; the Massachusetts Uniform Hospital Discharge Data Set; and a trauma registry from an urban level I trauma center in Massachusetts—were used to describe the distribution of the ISS and NISS among injured patients. Results—The ISS/NISS was found to have a positively skewed distribution and transformation did not improve their skewness. Conclusion—The findings suggest that for statistical or analytical purposes the ISS/NISS should not be considered a continuous variable, particularly if ISS/NISS is treated as a continuous variable for correlation with an outcome measure.
Sequence of the rabbit glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase-encoding cDNA

Two full-length cDNA clones encoding rabbit glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) were isolated from a lambda gt10 rabbit spleen cDNA library and sequenced. As predicted from the open reading frame (ORF) in vitro translation of a sense orientation GAPDH cDNA clone yielded a protein product with a molecular mass of 37 kDa. Rabbit GAPDH exhibits a high degree of homology to the mouse, rat, hamster, chicken and human GAPDH on both the nucleotide (nt) and amino acid (aa) levels.
Emerging themes from the literature on circulating biomarkers of traumatic brain injury

ABSTRACT Objective diagnosis of traumatic brain injury (TBI) and early prediction of TBI-associated outcome remains a significant clinical challenge with major public health implications. The use of circulating biomarkers to quantify TBI has promise for real-time clinical decision making and may help clinicians determine the need for advanced imaging, and guide an individualized approach to the management of TBI. In this review of the literature, we provide an overview of candidate TBI biomarkers and discuss several themes emerging from the literature on TBI biomarkers. We suggest that the future utility of TBI biomarkers lies in the creation of composite panels of biomarkers tailored to the pursuit of specific clinic questions.
Assessing the roles of EGFR gene copy number, protein expression and mutation in predicting outcomes in non-small-cell lung cancer after treatment with EGFR inhibitors.

Evaluation of: Hirsch FR, Varella-Garcia M, Bunn PA Jr et al.: Molecular predictors of outcome with gefitinib in a Phase III placebo-controlled study in advanced non-small-cell lung cancer. J. Clin. Oncol. 24(31), 5034–5042 (2006) [1]. In this article, we critically evaluate a recent publication that assessed molecular predictors of clinical benefit from treatment with gefitinib, a small-molecule inhibitor of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), in patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer. EGFR inhibitors, such as gefitinib, have previously been shown to preferentially benefit distinct subgroups of advanced non-small-cell lung cancer patients, and strategies to prospectively identify these subgroups are under active investigation. In this study, the authors analyzed tissue from a randomized Phase III trial to examine the association of clinical benefit after gefitinib treatment with EGFR protein expression, EGFR gene copy number, EGFR mutations and other potential predictive markers. The ...
Economic and health consequences of selling a kidney in India.

ContextMany countries have a shortage of kidneys available for transplantation. Paying people to donate kidneys is often proposed or justified as a way to benefit recipients by increasing the supply of organs and to benefit donors by improving their economic status. However, whether individuals who sell their kidneys actually benefit from the sale is controversial.ObjectiveTo determine the economic and health effects of selling a kidney.Design, Setting, and ParticipantsCross-sectional survey conducted in February 2001 among 305 individuals who had sold a kidney in Chennai, India, an average of 6 years before the survey.Main Outcome MeasuresReasons for selling kidney, amount received from sale, how money was spent, change in economic status, change in health status, advice for others contemplating selling a kidney.ResultsNinety-six percent of participants sold their kidneys to pay off debts. The average amount received was $1070. Most of the money received was spent on debts, food, and clothing. Average family income declined by one third after nephrectomy (P<.001), and the number of participants living below the poverty line increased. Three fourths of participants were still in debt at the time of the survey. About 86% of participants reported a deterioration in their health status after nephrectomy. Seventy-nine percent would not recommend that others sell a kidney.ConclusionsAmong paid donors in India, selling a kidney does not lead to a long-term economic benefit and may be associated with a decline in health. Physicians and policy makers should reexamine the value of using financial incentives to increase the supply of organs for transplantation.
Scaling Isoprene Fluxes from Leaves to Canopies: Test Cases over a Boreal Aspen and a Mixed Species Temperate Forest

Abstract The rate at which isoprene is emitted by a forest depends on an array of environmental variables, the forest’s biomass, and its species composition. At present it is unclear whether errors in canopy-scale and process-level isoprene emission models are due to inadequacies in leaf-to-canopy integration theory or the imperfect assessment of the isoprene-emitting biomass in the flux footprint. To address this issue, an isoprene emission model (CANVEG) was tested over a uniform aspen stand and a mixed-species, broad-leaved forest. The isoprene emission model consists of coupled micrometeorological and physiological modules. The micrometeorological module computes leaf and soil energy exchange, turbulent diffusion, scalar concentration profiles, and radiative transfer through the canopy. Environmental variables that are computed by the micrometeorological module, in turn, drive physiological modules that calculate leaf photosynthesis, stomatal conductance, transpiration and leaf, bole and soil/root res...
Effective-field theory and the nuclear many-body problem

We review many-body calculations of the equation of state of dilute neutron matter in the context of effective-field theories of the nucleon-nucleon interaction.
Is the GI System Built For Exercise

The gut usually meets the fluid, electrolyte, and nutrient requirements of mild to heavy exercise. Gastric emptying and intestinal absorption rates of beverages ingested during exercise equal sweat rates. However, strenuous or prolonged exercise under dehydrated conditions can produce gastrointestinal distress and tissue damage.
A test case for structure‐based functional assignment: The 1.2 Å crystal structure of the yjgF gene product from Escherichia coli

The YER057c/YIL051c/YjgF protein family is a set of 24 full-length homologs, each approximately 130 residues in length, and each with no known function or relationship to proteins of known structure. To determine the function of this family, the structure of one member--the YjgF protein from Escherichia coli--was solved and refined at a resolution of 1.2 A. The YjgF molecule is a homotrimer with exact threefold symmetry. Its tertiary and quaternary structures are related to that of Bacillus subtilis chorismate mutase, although their active sites are completely different. The YjgF protein has an active site curiously similar to protein tyrosine phosphatases, including a covalently modified cysteine, but it is unlikely to be functionally related. The lessons learned from this attempt to deduce function from structure may be useful to future projects in structural genomics.
CRMActive: An Active Learning Based Approach for Effective Video Annotation and Retrieval

Conventional multimedia annotation/retrieval systems such as Normalized Continuous Relevance Model (NormCRM)[7] require a fully labeled training data for a good performance. Active Learning, by determining an order for labeling the training data, allows for a good performance even before the training data is fully annotated. In this work we propose an active learning algorithm, which combines a novel measure of sample uncertainty with a novel clustering-based approach for determining sample density and diversity and integrate it with NormCRM. The clusters are also iteratively refined to ensure both feature and label-level agreement among samples. We show that our approach outperforms multiple baselines both on a new, open dataset and on the popular TRECVID corpus at both the tasks of annotation and text-based retrieval of videos.
Seed-Mediated growth of gold nanorods: limits of length to diameter ratio control

The effects of the seed reaction conditions on the two-step seed-mediated growth of gold nanorods and the effect of gold and reducing agent content in the growth solution were evaluated. Results indicate that the reaction conditions used to produce the seeds have a significant impact on the aspect ratio of the gold nanorods produced. Increasing the concentration of gold or the reaction temperature in the seed production step results in lower length to diameter (aspect ratio) gold rods. In addition, the amount of prepared seed added to the growth solution impacts the rod aspect ratio, with increasing amounts of seed reducing the aspect ratio. The effects of reducing agent, ascorbic acid (AA), and gold content of the growth solution on the aspect ratio of the produced rods are strongly interrelated. There exists a minimum ascorbic acid to gold concentration below which rods will not form; however, increasing the ratio above this minimum results in shorter rods being formed. Characterization of nanorod growth is performed by UV-vis-NIR spectrophotometry and transmission electron microscopy (TEM).
Teratogenicity of low doses of all-trans retinoic acid in presomite mouse embryos

This study was designed to examine the developmental dose response for all-trans retinoic acid (TRA) administered at presomite stages in mouse embryos. Previous studies using hamsters [Shenefelt (1972) Teratology5: 103-118] have shown that developmental stages corresponding to those present early on gestational day (GD) 7 in mice are most sensitive to retinoid-induced teratogenesis. Our preliminary studies showed that at this treatment time, gavage dosages of 7. 5 mg/kg maternal body weight administered to C57B1/6N mice, an inbred strain, resulted in severe craniofacial malformations representing the holoprosencephaly, aprosencephaly spectrum. Additionally, in an outbred mouse strain, CD-1, exencephaly was induced by dosages of 2. 5 mg/kg TRA and above. Readily detectable abnormalities of the eyes, including anophthalmia and severe microphthalmia and iridial colobomata, were induced by even lower doses of TRA in the C57B1/6N strain. Incidences of micro/anophthalmia were 6. 7%, 8. 1%, 12. 9% and 32. 4% at 0, 0. 313, 0. 625, and 1. 25 mg/kg, respectively. The dosages required to induce significant incidences of exencephaly (2. 5 mg/kg) and severe ocular abnormalities (125 mg/kg) on GD 7 in mice are approximately 50-100-fold less than those that are commonly used to examine the teratogenicity of this compound at later developmental stages in this species. The trend toward an increase in the incidence of severe ocular malformations at the lowest dose examined and the fact that subtle ocular malformations were not taken into account for this study suggest that even lower dosages may be effective. Practical implications of this study include (1) the obvious need to conduct threshold dose determination studies at the most sensitive developmental stage in a sensitive strain/species, and (2) the need for careful surveillance of human populations for brain and ocular malformations (not necessarily those falling within the realm of retinoic acid embryopathy) following retinoid exposure during early stages of pregnancy. © 1995 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Numerical modelling of nonlinear behaviour of soft biological materials

Abstract This paper deals with the formulation of rigorous numerical methods for the stress analysis, at finite strains, of soft biological materials that can be characterized as incompressible nonlinear elastic solids.
DISTINGUISHING THE EFFECTS OF THE RED QUEEN AND COURT JESTER ON MIOCENE MAMMAL EVOLUTION IN THE NORTHERN ROCKY MOUNTAINS

Red Queen hypotheses maintain that biotic interactions are the most important drivers of evolutionary change, whereas Court Jester hypotheses regard physical-environmental perturbations, such as climate change, as most important. Tests for the biotic effects of climate change that are conducted on too large a geographic scale can falsely reject the Court Jester because climate is so complex its manifestation is in opposite directions in different geographic areas. Consequently, faunal responses vary from place to place, and lumping of data from different climate zones averages out any local faunal responses. Likewise, tests that are conducted at inappropriate temporal scales will not be effective at distinguishing between the Red Queen and Court Jester. A test at a temporal and geographic scale that takes the above considerations into account suggests a biotic response of mammals to a climatic warming event in the northern Rocky Mountains 18.5-14.0 Ma (the late-Early Miocene climatic optimum). During the environmental perturbation, mammalian species richness possibly increased, faunal turnover was pronounced, and taxa adapted to warm, arid environments became more abundant in numbers of species and density of individuals. The data are consistent with environmental change—the Court Jester—driving evolutionary change at sub-continental spatial scales and temporal scales that exceed typical Milankovitch oscillations. The Red Queen may be active at smaller temporal and geographic scales.
Oak Decline in Central Hardwood Forests: Frequency, Spatial Extent, and Scale

Oak decline is a widely distributed disease that results from an interacting set of factors in the Central Hardwood Region. Episodes of decline have been reported since before the turn of the twentieth century and from every state in the region. It is a stress-mediated disease that results from the interactions of physiologically mature trees, abiotic and biotic stressors that alter carbohydrate physiology, and opportunistic fungal pathogens and inner bark-feeding insects. Symptoms include reduced radial growth and slow, progressive crown dieback. Decline occurs over several years or decades, ending in death of vulnerable trees. Patterns of oak decline vary from a few trees in stands with diverse species composition and age structure, to areas covering several thousand ha in landscapes with more uniform composition of susceptible, physiologically mature red oak group species. Prolonged periods of drought that occur in combination with repeated spring defoliations by leaf-feeding insects exacerbate decline. Past disturbances have shaped current forest species composition and age structure, favoring physiologically mature stands with a large oak component, and are thus inextricably linked to oak decline vulnerability. Noteworthy examples are the functional extirpation of the American chestnut by the non-indigenous chestnut blight pathogen, combined with changing disturbance patterns, including fire suppression and reduced harvesting, during the early twentieth century. Data from extensive regional surveys have been used to develop models predicting the probability and impacts of oak decline events as part of the Forest Vegetation Simulator.
Efficient numerical solution of acoustic scattering from doubly-periodic arrays of axisymmetric objects

We present a high-order accurate boundary-based solver for three-dimensional (3D) frequency-domain scattering from a doubly-periodic grating of smooth axisymmetric sound-hard or transmission obstacles. We build the one-obstacle solution operator using separation into P azimuthal modes via the FFT, the method of fundamental solutions (with N proxy points lying on a curve), and dense direct least-squares solves; the effort is O ( N 3 P ) with a small constant. Periodizing then combines fast multipole summation of nearest neighbors with an auxiliary global Helmholtz basis expansion to represent the distant contributions, and enforcing quasiperiodicity and radiation conditions on the unit cell walls. Eliminating the auxiliary coefficients, and preconditioning with the one-obstacle solution operator, leaves a well-conditioned square linear system that is solved iteratively. The solution time per incident wave is then O ( N P ) at fixed frequency. Our scheme avoids singular quadratures, periodic Green's functions, and lattice sums, and its convergence rate is unaffected by resonances within obstacles. We include numerical examples such as scattering from a grating of period 13 λ × 13 λ comprising highly-resonant sound-hard "cups" each needing N P = 64800 surface unknowns, to 10-digit accuracy, in half an hour on a desktop.
Surface water‐groundwater connectivity in deltaic distributary channel networks

Delta distributary channel networks increase river water contact with sediments and provide the final opportunity to process nutrients and other solutes before river water discharges to the ocean. In order to understand surface water-groundwater interactions at the scale of the distributary channel network, we created three numerical deltas that ranged in composition from silt to sand using Delft3D, a morphodynamic flow and sediment transport model. We then linked models of mean annual river discharge to steady groundwater flow in MODFLOW. Under mean annual discharge, exchange rates through the numerical deltas are enhanced relative to a single-threaded river. We calculate that exchange rates across a <10 km2 network are equivalent to exchange through ~10–100 km of single-threaded river channel. Exchange rates are greatest in the coarse-grained delta due to its permeability and morphology. Groundwater residence times range from hours to centuries and have fractal tails. Deltas are vanishing due to relative sea level rise. River diversion projects aimed at creating new deltaic land should also aim to restore surface water-groundwater connectivity, which is critical for biogeochemical processing in wetlands. We recommend designing diversions to capture more sand and thus maximize surface water-groundwater connectivity.
Growth of Pinus caribaea hondurensis Relative to Spacing and Trunk Diameter on Two Soils in Puerto Rico

Abstract. Analysis of 19-year-old planted Pinus caribaea var. hondurensis on clay and sandy soils in the mountains of Puerto Rico showed the suitability of both sites for tree growth to commercial size. Growth rates were compared with tree densities ranging from 278 to 2,500 trees per hectare and tree dbh's (trunk diameters outside bark at breast height, 1.4 meters above ground on the upper side) from 10 to 40 cm. With angular spacing tree growth was found related to that of six equidistant adjacent trees. Frequent past remeasurements exposed tree growth trends with changes in the density of surrounding trees. Regressions of tree diameter growth based on relative basal area tree density had coefficients of determination (R2) of 0.76 and 0.77 for clay and sand, respectively. As a guide to tree planting spacing and thinning for any plantation productivity goal a table is presented showing predicted time requirements to grow each 10 cm in dbh, mean annual dbh growth rates, and approximate periodic productivi...
Polymorphism of two-dimensional boron.

The structural stability and diversity of elemental boron layers are evaluated by treating them as pseudoalloy B1–x⬡x, where ⬡ is a vacancy in the close-packed triangular B lattice. This approach allows for an elegant use of the cluster expansion method in combination with first-principles density-functional theory calculations, leading to a thorough exploration of the configurational space. A finite range of compositions x is found where the ground-state energy is essentially independent of x, uncovering a variety of stable B-layer phases (all metallic) and suggesting polymorphism, in stark contrast to graphene or hexagonal BN.
Effect of commercial proteins on house fly reproduction.

The effect of different commercially available proteins on reproduction in Musca domestica L. was investigated. Egg albumen, yeast hydrolysate, and defatted milk sustained good ovarian development, but several casein sources tested had little or no effect with wide variability among samples. Severe cholesterol contamination was found in one of the caseins tested. Conversion of casein to its sodium salt is very effective for reproduction studies when fed in a synthetic diet to adult house flies, and a modified diet for sustained viable egg production is reported.
Prostheses for stapes surgery.

A brief history of the development of the early stapes prosthesis is presented in this article. The biocompatibility of stapes prostheses currently employed in surgery to correct otosclerosis-induced hearing loss and the advantages and disadvantages of the different implant designs are also discussed.
Compare the application of flexible spatial statistics and kulldorff scanning window statistics to spatial aggregation of Hepatitis A

Objective To compare the application valuable of flexible spatial scan statistics and kulldorff scanning window in the cluster detection and early warning of hepatitis A. Methods The case numbers and incidence data of hepatitis A in 2012 for all the counties (cities, districts) in Yunnan province were collected from China Information System for Disease Control and Prevention and the total number was 1 335. By extracting the time length by month, the flexible spatial scan statistics was tested by retrospective analyses of hepatitis A data in Yunnan in 2012 and compared the results with the Kulldorff circular scan statistic analyses. Results The results of flexible scanning window showed that there were fifteen hepatitis A spatial clusters in Yunnan province in 2012 and in July, these areas including Gejiu county, Mengzi county and Wenshan county had the strongest clusters (the log likelihood ratio (LLR) =52.66, P=0.001). The results of Kulldorff scanning window showed that there were twenty hepatitis A spatial clusters and these areas including Gejiu county, Hekou county, Maguan county, Mengzi county, Pingbian county, Wenshan county had the strongest clusters (LLR=47.82, P=0.001). The results of the flexible scanning window were the same as the actual monitoring results. But the results of Kulldorff scanning window showed that in May and June some areas without incidence had the clusters. Conclusion Flexible scanning window can detect the monthly clusters of the Hepatitis A. Flexible scanning window had a higher accuracy than Kulldorff irregular circular scanning window. Flexible spatial scan statistics had the value in the use of spatial aggregation detecting on hepatitis A. Key words: Hepatitis A; Population surveillance; Epidemiologic methods; Flexible spatial scan statistics; Kulldorff irregular circular scan statistics
Privacidade, proteção de dados e autodeterminação informativa

Este artigo propoe a discussao sobre autodeterminacao informativa, compreendendo o tema da confianca e do consentimento em face das atividades especificas de armazenamento, registro e transmissao de dados. Propoe o debate sobre o acesso pelo individuo as informacoes existentes nos registros publicos a seu respeito e sobre como se da a gestao das informacoes nos bancos de dados nominativos. O artigo ainda se preocupa em debater o conceito de autodeterminacao informativa, o direito geral de liberdade diante da possibilidade de sua restricao. No texto, alem da apreciacao sobre os principios orientadores de um direito de acesso, ha o debate sobre o controle na transmissao de dados nominativos – a transmissao de dados transfronteiras - e a responsabilidade civil pela gestao dos bancos e sobre a implantacao de mecanismos administrativos de controle, alem da responsabilidade juridica pertinente.
Ergonomics in the Development and Prevention of Musculoskeletal Injury in Interventional Radiologists

Interventional radiology is a constantly evolving specialty overlapping with multiple other specialties, including cardiology, vascular surgery, orthopedic surgery, urology, and minimally invasive surgery. Unique ergonomic considerations for interventional radiology include utilization of intraoperative viewing monitors and personal radiation protection equipment. Work-related injuries are common in interventional radiologists,1 often leading to pain while performing procedures or during time away from work. This review article aims to identify the ergonomic challenges related to interventional radiology and provide background, guidelines, and specific recommendations for prevention of musculoskeletal injury.
“Getting a Life:” Vocational Discernment in the Post-Christian World:

In post-Christian American culture, emerging adult vocational discernment has become a more protracted and complex process. If ministers are going to utilize this discernment process for emerging a...