cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The X-ray spectrum of NGC 1068

The first X-ray spectrum of a classical Seyfert 2 galaxy, NGC 1068, measured by the Einstein Observatory, is presented. The small soft X-ray luminosity of about 9 x 10 to the 41st ergs/s, the lack of variability, and the Compton temperature of less than 10 to the 6th K are all consistent with the model of Antonucci and Miller (1985); these authors have suggested that NGC 1068 contains a hidden Seyfert 1 nucleus seen indirectly through the electron scattering. However, the steep spectral slope (alpha = 2.0 + or - 0.3) distinguishes the NGC 1068 from the vast majority of Seyfert 1 galaxies.
Preoperative findings predict conversion from laparoscopic to open cholecystectomy.

Background Previous studies evaluating predictive factors for conversion from laparoscopic to open cholecystectomy have drawn conflicting conclusions. We evaluated objective preoperative variables to create an accurate, accessible risk score to predict conversion. Methods A retrospective review was performed of laparoscopic cholecystectomy patients at an urban tertiary care center. Seventy characteristics were subjected to bivariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis to identify parameters that independently predict conversion to open cholecystectomy. A model was created based on this analysis. Results Laparoscopic cholecystectomy was performed on 1377 patients for benign gallbladder disease over a 71-month period. There were 112 (8.1%) conversions to open cholecystectomy. The correlation between the preoperative clinical diagnosis and pathologic diagnosis for acute and chronic cholecystitis was 48.6% and 94.6%, respectively. Multivariate analysis identified male gender, elevated white blood cell count, low serum albumin, ultrasound finding of pericholecystic fluid, diabetes mellitus, and elevated total bilirubin as independent predictors of conversion. These 6 factors were also associated with the pathologic diagnosis of acute cholecystitis. A model to calculate the risk for conversion was created with an area under the receiver operator curve of 0.83. The risk for conversion also can be estimated based on the number of factors identified present and ranged from 2% when 1 factor was present to 89% with 6 factors. Conclusions These results demonstrate that conversion to open cholecystectomy can be predicted based on parameters available preoperatively. Conversion is more likely in patients who have acute cholecystitis; however, the correlation between its clinical and pathologic diagnosis is poor. Improvements in the ability to determine the risk for conversion have important implications for surgical care.
Synthesis and photophysics of an octathioglycosylated zinc(II) phthalocyanine

Abstract A water soluble zinc(II) phthalocyanine symmetrically appended with eight thioglucose units was synthesized from commercially available hexadecafluorophthalocyaninatozinc(II) by controlled nucleophilic substitution of the peripheral fluoro groups. The photophysical properties and cancer cell uptake studies of this nonhydrolysable thioglycosylated phthalocyanine are reported. The new compound has amphiphilic character, is chemically stable, and can potentially be used as a photosensitizer in photodynamic therapy.
Stakeholder perspectives on implementing a universal Lynch syndrome screening program: a qualitative study of early barriers and facilitators

Evidence-based guidelines recommend that all newly diagnosed colon cancer be screened for Lynch syndrome (LS), but best practices for implementing universal tumor screening have not been extensively studied. We interviewed a range of stakeholders in an integrated health-care system to identify initial factors that might promote or hinder the successful implementation of a universal LS screening program. We conducted interviews with health-plan leaders, managers, and staff. Interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed. Thematic analysis began with a grounded approach and was also guided by the Practical Robust Implementation and Sustainability Model (PRISM). We completed 14 interviews with leaders/managers and staff representing involved clinical and health-plan departments. Although stakeholders supported the concept of universal screening, they identified several internal (organizational) and external (environment) factors that promote or hinder implementation. Facilitating factors included perceived benefits of screening for patients and organization, collaboration between departments, and availability of organizational resources. Barriers were also identified, including: lack of awareness of guidelines, lack of guideline clarity, staffing and program “ownership” concerns, and cost uncertainties. Analysis also revealed nine important infrastructure-type considerations for successful implementation. We found that clinical, laboratory, and administrative departments supported universal tumor screening for LS. Requirements for successful implementation may include interdepartmental collaboration and communication, patient and provider/staff education, and significant infrastructure and resource support related to laboratory processing and systems for electronic ordering and tracking. Genet Med 18 2, 152–161.
Cranioplasty of the difficult frontal region.

Abstract Problems associated with performing a cranioplasty on the difficult frontal region were discussed. As many of the problems are related to the materials available, the advantages and disadvantages of the more popular classes of materials used in a cranioplast were indicated.
Opposite stereochemical courses for enzyme-mediated alkene reductions of an enantiomeric substrate pair.

Rat NADP-dependent leukotriene B4 12-hydroxydehydrogenase (Ltb4dh) catalyzes olefin reductions for some activated alkenes at the expense of NADPH in the absence of a flavin cofactor. Unlike flavoprotein alkene reductases, where net trans-addition of hydrogen has been consistently observed, Ltb4dh reduced both enantiomers of perillaldehyde to the same cis-product. To uncover the reason for this unexpected result, the stereochemical courses of perillaldehyde reductions by Ltb4dh were determined by deuterium labeling followed by 2H NMR analysis. These data showed unequivocally that Ltb4dh mediated net trans-addition of hydrogen to (R)-perillaldehyde but followed the opposite stereochemical course (net syn-addition) for (S)-perillaldehyde. To the best of our knowledge, such divergent stereochemical pathways for a single enzyme have not previously been reported.
Late Cretaceous upwelling and anoxic sedimentation in northwestern South America

Abstract Black shales and bituminous limestones were widely deposited in northwestern South America during the maximum transgression of late Cretaceous seas. These Cenomanian to Santonian (Campanian) anoxic sediments are distributed in two main subprovinces. Thick chert and phosphorite accumulated in the Trough Subprovince , landward of a possibly partially emergent Cordillera Central (Colombia). Only minor intercalations of chert were deposited in the Platform Subprovince , lying northward in the Maracaibo Basin (northwestern Venezuela). Faunal evidence (depauperate benthic fauna, planktic foraminiferal assemblages, high-dominance clupeoid fish assemblages) and sedimentological evidence suggest anoxic condition prevailed throughout the region, probably the result of dynamic upwelling in the Trough Subprovince, but the reflection of a “global” anoxic event within the Platform Subprovince.
Assignment of pterin deaminase activity to an enzyme of unknown function guided by homology modeling and docking.

Of the over 22 million protein sequences in the nonredundant TrEMBL database, fewer than 1% have experimentally confirmed functions. Structure-based methods have been used to predict enzyme activities from experimentally determined structures; however, for the vast majority of proteins, no such structures are available. Here, homology models of a functionally uncharacterized amidohydrolase from Agrobacterium radiobacter K84 (Arad3529) were computed on the basis of a remote template structure. The protein backbone of two loops near the active site was remodeled, resulting in four distinct active site conformations. Substrates of Arad3529 were predicted by docking of 57 672 high-energy intermediate (HEI) forms of 6440 metabolites against these four homology models. On the basis of docking ranks and geometries, a set of modified pterins were suggested as candidate substrates for Arad3529. The predictions were tested by enzymology experiments, and Arad3529 deaminated many pterin metabolites (substrate, kcat/K...
Measures of Adiposity Are Associated with Increased Risk of Peptic Ulcer

Background & Aims Obesity is associated with systemic inflammation, alterations in the intestinal microbiome, and decreased epithelial integrity. The association between obesity and peptic ulcer has not been investigated thoroughly. Methods We conducted a prospective cohort study of 47,120 men enrolled in the Health Professionals Follow-Up Study (mean age at baseline, 54 y). Biennially, we updated information on body mass index (BMI), physical activity, smoking, and use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs or aspirin. Self-reported waist and hip measurements were validated among a subsample of participants. Self-reported cases of gastric and duodenal ulcers were confirmed by medical record review. Helicobacter pylori status was determined from endoscopic biopsy specimens, serum antibody measurements, and/or stool antigen assays documented in the medical record. We used Cox proportional hazards modeling to calculate hazard ratios and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Results We documented 272 gastric and 320 duodenal ulcers over 24 years of follow-up evaluation. The multivariate-adjusted hazard ratio for gastric ulcer was 1.83 (95% CI, 1.20–2.78; P trend 2 ), compared with men with BMIs of 23.0 to 24.9 kg/m 2 , and 1.88 (95% CI, 1.06–3.33; P trend = .04) for men with waist-to-hip ratios (WHR) of 1.00 or higher, compared with men with a WHR of 0.85 to 0.89. The risk of duodenal ulcer was not associated with BMI ( P trend = .24) or WHR ( P trend = .68). In secondary analyses, increased BMI and WHR each were associated with increased risk of H pylori –negative, but not H pylori –positive, ulcers. The effect of BMI on ulcer risk did not change with use of aspirin or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, alcohol consumption, physical activity, or smoking. Conclusions In a large prospective cohort of male health professionals, central and total obesity were associated with increased risk of peptic ulcer—particularly gastric and H pylori –negative ulcers.
The effects of attire, location, and sex on aiding behavior: A similarity explanation

This study examined two distinct theoretical explanations for the effect of attire on aiding behavior. The reinforcing value of attire itself predicted that well-dressed persons would always receive more assistance than poorly dressed persons. The reinforcing value of perceived similarity predicted that similar persons would receive more assistance than dissimilar persons. Female confederates (N=17) who were well-dressed or poorly dressed approached males and females in an airport or bus station asking for a dime to complete a telephone call. Well-dressed confederates received more money at the airport; poorly dressed confederates received more money at the bus station. These results were interpreted as support for the similarity hypothesis.
Groundwater arsenic in the Verde Valley in central Arizona, USA

Abstract Forty-one water samples were collected and analyzed from throughout the Verde Valley watershed to identify the source of As in well water used for domestic and agricultural purposes. Each water sample was analyzed for anions, cations and trace chemical constituents by atomic absorption spectroscopy, anion chromatography and traditional wet chemical procedures. Arsenic concentrations ranged from 10 to 210 μg/l, with the highest values observed for water pooled on tailings from an abandoned Cu mine. Geostatistical analysis of the data revealed the primary source of As to be groundwater in contact with the Supai and Verde formations, as opposed to runoff from the abandoned mine tailings. Montezuma Well, a collapsed travertine spring, contained the highest levels of naturally occurring As (> 100 μg/l). Arsenic in Montezuma Well water was shown to be 100% arsenate. X-ray absorbance near edge spectra (XANES) of Potomogeton illinoiensis , an endemic plant species of Montezuma Well, demonstrate that As is absorbed as arsenate, reduced to arsenite in the plant and retained as an organic glutathione complex. XANES spectra of Montezuma Well sediments show 4 forms of As present: arsenate (∼54%), As(III)-glutathione complex (∼32%) and an As-organic complex (∼14%) containing dimethylarsinic acid and arsenobetaine. This is the first report of As(III)-glutathione in sediments.
Impact of carbon dioxide and ammonium on the growth of submerged Sphagnum cuspidatum

Abstract In a culture experiment, the influence of carbon dioxide and ammonium on the growth of Sphagnum cuspidatum Hoffm. was studied. During a 12-week period, S. cuspidatum was grown in a solution with various concentrations of carbon dioxide and ammonium. The culture experiment clearly demonstrated that the biomass and the length of S. cuspidatum only increased strongly when the carbon dioxide concentration of the water was high. Further it is shown that ammonium enrichment without CO 2 enrichment does not lead to an increase in biomass of S. cuspidatum .
Institutional Vision in Christian Higher Education: A Comparison of ACCU, ELCA, and CCCU Institutions

Most religious colleges and universities have made a conscientious effort to embed a declaration of religious identity and its defining values and guiding principles into their institutional vision. School administrators have been less successful at clearly and effectively articulating this message. A content analysis of the mission and vision statements from a nation-wide sample of Catholic, Evangelical, and “Christ-centered” schools was performed, and key linguistic components found to constitute a well conceived, viable, and easily diffused institutional vision were isolated. Findings reveal significant stylistic differences across religious institution types in terms of vision, clarity, complexity, pragmatics, optimism, and their use of language to unify the campus community. How mission and vision statements can better serve as guiding, governing and promotional documents is discussed.
Why the R-completion works☆

Abstract On a suitable homotopy category of towers, Ho(Tow-SS), we define a homotopy inverse limit functor Holim: Ho(Tow-SS) → Ho(SS) adjoint to the inclusion Ho(SS) → Ho(Tow-SS). This result is used to relate the R, tower of a space to its R-completion.
Effective dead space of differently shaped airways during high-frequency ventilation of a CO2-producing lung model

Abstract A simple lung model is described which simulates the mechanical properties and CO2 production of the lungs of a small animal, and which can be used with high-frequency ventilators. The model was ventilated by a rotary-valve ventilator and the system was used to determine the increment in ‘physiological’ (Bohr) dead space produced at various ventilatory frequencies between 0.5 and 15 Hz by the insertion of various additional volumes and configurations of ‘anatomical’ dead space in its ‘upper airway’. It was found that the insertion of a straight tube with an internal diameter similar to that of the ventilator outlet tube produced an increment in ‘physiological’ dead space that remained commensurate with the volume of the added tube at all combinations of tube volume and ventilatory frequency. The insertion of similar volumes of dead space in the form of tubes with smoothly expanded central portions produced increments in ‘physiological’ dead space which were commensurate with the volume of the added tube only at the lowest frequencies, and actually became negative at higher frequencies and volumes. These findings provide further evidence that the volume and configuration of the external portion of a high-frequency ventilator system may be of at least as much importance in determining its efficiency as is the lung structure of the animal or patient being ventilated.
Self-Regulation through Transactional Strategies Instruction

In a qualitative, multiple case study, we explored the challenges and successes teachers encounter while participating in a professional development program aimed at improving their reading comprehension instruction so as to increase students' self-regulated use of comprehension strategies. We documented five fifth grade teachers' experiences as they participated in a year-long professional development program. Teachers frequently faced obstacles related to texts, classroom management, instructional decisions, their students, time, and assessment issues. However, the teachers reported positive changes in their thinking and reading comprehension instruction. We also observed growth in their students' reading comprehension behaviors, with some students reaching the self-control level of self-regulated use of comprehension strategies as the year proceeded.
Pathogenesis of duodenal ulceration produced by cysteamine or propionitrile: influence of vagotomy, sympathectomy, histamine depletion, H-2 receptor antagonists and hormones.

Insight into the pathogenesis and etiology of experimental duodenal ulceration was sought by studying the modulation of this disease in rats by selective vagotomy, chemical sympathectomy, histamine depletion, histamine H-2 receptor antagonists (eg, metiamide, cimetidine), or endocrine ablations. Gastric secretion was examined in intact and pylorusligated animals. The formation of duodenal ulcers induced by the administration of propionitrile or cysteamine was abolished by vagotomy, decreased by sympathectomy, histamine depletion, histamine H-2 receptor antagonists, hypophysectomy, thyroidectomy, or adrenalectomy. Cimetidine and metiamide exerted a dose-dependent antiulcer effect, but metiamide enhanced the mortality of rats given propionitrile or cysteamine. The nonulcerogen derivative of cysteamine, ethanolamine, did not increase mortality when given in combination with metiamide. The gastric hyperacidity elicited by cysteamine was reduced by metiamide or vagotomy, the latter being more effective in this respect. Thus, the chemically induced duodenal ulcer in rats resembles the human peptic ulcer disease in sensitivity to therapeutic modalities and may serve as an appropriate model to study the role of neural, hormonal, and other factors in the etiology and pathogenesis of this disorder.
Effect of nighttime anisotropine methyl bromide of duodenal ulcer healing and pain: a double-blind controlled trial.

Anisotropine methyl bromide, an anticholinergic, 80 mg given orally at 8 P.M., suppresses gastric acid secretion through the night without significant side effects. Thirty patients with endoscopy-proved symptomatic duodenal ulcer disease completed a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of nighttime anisotropine methyl bromide therapy. Eleven (69 per cent) of 16 anisotropine methyl bromide-treated and six (43 per cent) of 14 placebo-treated subjects healed their ulcers within two weeks of starting treatment. The anisotropine methyl bromide-treated subjects averaged 0.63 +/- 0.27 (mean +/- S.E.) episodes of nocturnal pain during the treatment period versus 2.71 +/- 1.08 episodes in the placebo group (P = 0.06). This is the first reported study of this type designed to evaluate the efficacy of an anticholinergic agent in the healing of duodenal ulcers. Although not conclusive, the results suggest nighttime anisotropine methyl bromide therapy may be useful in the treatment of duodenal ulcer disease. Further studies seem warranted.
Motivation for whole-heart perfusion CMR: a simulation study based on retrospective comparison of the diagnostic performance of 3-slice vs. whole-heart SPECT

Background There is an ongoing debate on the merit of whole-heart 3D CMR perfusion imaging in terms of improving the overall diagnostic accuracy of myocardial perfusion CMR [1]. Whole-heart imaging is technically more challenging [2] and requires a compromise in terms of the spatial resolution [2] and temporal footprint (hence, potentially leading to more instances of artifactual images). The purpose of this work was to evaluate the potential incremental diagnostic value of whole-heart myocardial perfusion imaging compared to 3-slice imaging. The presented results are based on on a simulation of 3-slice imaging with myocardial perfusion SPECT (MPS) in a retrospective quantitative analysis of a large cohort who underwent stress MPS [3,4].
Eye movements of stumptailed monkeys during discriminative performance: An overview

There are a number of statements that can be made about eye movements of monkeys during the learning of simple and complex discriminative problems that are probably applicable to a wide variety of visual tasks. There are systematic changes in eye movements as a function of practice. Some of these changes occur long after grosser measures of performance, such as frequency of correct choices, have reached an asymptote. Hence, short-term studies of visual information processing may be misleading. Duration of visual fixations and frequency of visual fixations are independent measures, reflecting different cognitive processes. Studies which measure only total looking time confound these two measures and, thus, may miss important information. Eye movements appear to be an important, if not essential, component of the chain of events constituting the cognitive processing underlying performance on visual tasks.
A cytotoxicity test for the detection of Campylobacter jejuni toxin

Abstract A 7-h 51 Cr-release cytotoxicity assay has been developed to detect the presence of Campylobacter jejuni toxin in the culture supernatant. Some of the culture supernatants have cytotoxic effects against labeled chicken lymphocytes, while some others do not have this effect. There is no direct correlation between the pathogenicity of the organisms and the presence of the toxin. The supernatant of C. jejuni retains its cytotoxicity after heating at 100°C for 10 min.; therefore, it is a heat stable toxin.
Space, place and health

Space and place represent alternative ways of addressing the geographic world, the first based on geometry, coordinates and precise measurement, and the second based on place-names and their associations. While the spatial is a useful perspective for many forms of analysis of health data, only the platial perspective is able to inform the geographic aspects of human health behaviours, because perceptions are based on places. The two perspectives are contrasted, and examples are given of the kinds of reasoning from platial information that are routinely used by humans in solving tasks intuitively. The paper ends with a plea for more technical and theoretical work on place, to implement a vision of a platial technology that would in many ways complement geographic information systems.
Temporal patterns of secretion of porcine uterine suppressor and stimulatory macromolecules.

Abstract Temporal secretory patterns of porcine uterine suppressor (≥230 kD) and stimulatory (29 kD) macromolecules were evaluated within uterine luminal protein (ULP) secretions recovered during early pregnancy. The ULP was recovered by uterine flushing from four Landrace gilts each on Days 9, 12, 15 and 18 of pregnancy. Unfractionated and fractionated ULP (using Sephacryl S-200) was tested for suppression or stimulation of phytohemagglutinin-induced peripheral blood T-lymphocyte proliferation. For all days of pregnancy, unfractionated ULP suppressed (P 0.05) to stimulate lymphocyte proliferation, although there was a nonsignificant stimulatory trend for 2 of 4 gilts each at Days 12 and 15 of pregnancy. These findings demonstrate a temporal secretory pattern for the ≥230 kD lymphocyte suppressor component, which may be requisite for the immunological survival of the conceptus during early pregnancy. The inconsistent appearance of the lymphocyte stimulatory factor (29 kD component) tends to minimize its biological significance relative to the immunology of pregnancy.
Adherence or Compliance? Changes in Terminology

The terminology used in healthcare-related literature has been shown to reflect not only the knowledge of the practitioners, but also their beliefs and attitudes regarding patient care. One great area of change has been the inclusion of the patient in the determination and success of therapy, with the term “adherence” seeming to indicate this action more accurately than ”compliance.” Hugh H Tilson has been practicing within the public health arena for many years and so is knowledgeable about this altered philosophy in pharmacy practice. Within this editorial, he discusses the implications of the evolution of practitioners' approach to health care. Based on these changes, we will now begin using the term “adherence” in The Annals to reflect the partnership between the healthcare provider and patient.
Lumped-Elements in Microwave Integrated Circuits in the 1-12 GHZ Range

Lumped elements have found increasing use in microwave integrated circuits at low UHF and S-band frequencies. At this laboratory they have been used in various circuits such as filters, quadrature hybrids, and impedance matching networks for high-power transistor amplifiers. Limiting the use of lumped elements has been: (1) the uncertainties of the reactance and Q's of the elements at frequencies above 2.5 GHz, and (2) the difficulty of fabricating the high-Q components necessary for large impedance transformations to low-impedance active devices. The past difficulty in measuring the reactance and Q values above S-band has been the unavailability of a measurement system at high frequencies that is compatible with the size of the element. However, suitable resonant techniques have now been developed for frequencies from 1 to 12 GHZ. Lumped inductors and capacitors fabricated at this Iaboratory have been measured by these new techniques. The results demonstrate that high-Q capacitors have been achieved by recent improvements in thin-film dielectric processing, and that capacitors and single-turn inductors are "truly lumped" through 10 GHz.
Performance of Self-Seeded Parametric Multicasting of Analog Signals

We present noise and distortion measurements of multicast copies generated in a self-seeded parametric mixer. Linear mixer operation is achieved by distortion-free Brillouin suppression resulting in high signal-to-noise and distortion-ratio (SINAD) wavelength copies. SINAD of 48 dB was measured after the multicasting operation, corresponding to a digitized signal having more than 7.7 effective number of bits (ENOB). This represents the most linear and noiseless parametric mixer reported to date.
How Deliberation Affects Policy Opinions

Theorists argue that deliberation promotes enlightenment and consensus, but scholars do not know how deliberation affects policy opinions. Using the deliberative democracy and public opinion literatures as a guide, I develop a theory of opinion updating where citizens who deliberate revise their prior beliefs, particularly when they encounter consensual messages. A key aspect of this model is that opinion strength moderates the deliberative opinion change process. In two separate propensity score analyses using panel survey data from a deliberative forum and cross-sectional surveys, I show how deliberation and discussion both affect opinions toward Social Security reform. However, deliberation differs from ordinary discussion in that participants soften strongly held views, encounter different perspectives, and learn readily. Thus, deliberation increases knowledge and alters opinions, but it does so selectively based on the quality and diversity of the messages as well as the willingness of participants to keep an open mind.
Margins in breast-conserving therapy: have we lost sight of the big picture?

There are few, if any, surgical procedures for cancer treatment that are based on a foundation of high-quality evidence equivalent to that which supports the use of breast-conserving therapy (BCT)....
Microbial Diversity of Cryptoendolithic Communities from the McMurdo Dry Valleys, Antarctica

In the McMurdo Dry Valleys of Antarctica, microorganisms colonize the pore spaces of exposed rocks and are thereby protected from the desiccating environmental conditions on the surface. These cryptoendolithic communities have received attention in microscopy and culture-based studies but have not been examined by molecular approaches. We surveyed the microbial biodiversity of selected cryptoendolithic communities by analyzing clone libraries of rRNA genes amplified from environmental DNA. Over 1,100 individual clones from two types of cryptoendolithic communities, cyanobacterium dominated and lichen dominated, were analyzed. Clones fell into 51 relatedness groups (phylotypes) with ≥98% rRNA sequence identity (46 bacterial and 5 eucaryal). No representatives of Archaea were detected. No phylotypes were shared between the two classes of endolithic communities studied. Clone libraries based on both types of communities were dominated by a relatively small number of phylotypes that, because of their relative abundance, presumably represent the main primary producers in these communities. In the lichen-dominated community, three rRNA sequences, from a fungus, a green alga, and a chloroplast, of the types known to be associated with lichens, accounted for over 70% of the clones. This high abundance confirms the dominance of lichens in this community. In contrast, analysis of the supposedly cyanobacterium-dominated community indicated, in addition to cyanobacteria, at least two unsuspected organisms that, because of their abundance, may play important roles in the community. These included a member of the α subdivision of the Proteobacteria that potentially is capable of aerobic anoxygenic photosynthesis and a distant relative of Deinococcus that defines, along with other Deinococcus-related sequences from Antarctica, a new clade within the Thermus-Deinococcus bacterial phylogenetic division.
Direct Numerical Simulations of Three-Layer Viscosity-Stratified Flow

Two-dimensional simulations of flinstability at the interface of a three-layer, density-matched, viscosity-stratifi ed Poiseuille fl ow are performed using a front-tracking/fi nite difference method. This is an extension of the study for the stability of two-layer viscosity-stratifi ed fl ow of Cao et al., Int. J. Multiphase Flow, 30, 1485-1508 (2004). We present results for large-amplitude non-linear evolution of the interface for varying viscos- ity ratio m, Weber number We, and phase difference between the perturbations of the two interfaces. Strong non-linear behaviour is observed for relatively large initial perturbation amplitude. The higher viscosity fl uid is drawn out as a fi nger that penetrates into the lower viscosity layer. The fi nger originates at the crest of the perturbation at the interface. The simulated interface shape compares well with previously reported experiments. Increasing interfacial tension retards the growth rate of the interface as expected, whereas increasing the viscosity ratio enhances it. The sinuous instability appears to evolve faster than the varicose one. For certain fl ow parameters the high-viscosity fi nger displays a bulbous tip, which is also seen in our previously conducted experiments and two-layer results, although it is less pronounced. The low-viscosity intruding fi nger does not display this curious bulbous tip. Drop formation is precluded by the two-dimensional nature of the calculations.
Fine granularity clustering for large scale placement problems

In this paper we present a linear-time Fine Granularity Clustering (FGC) algorithm to reduce the size of large scale placement problems. FGC absorbs as many nets as possible into Fine Clusters. The absorbed nets are expected to be short in any good placement; therefore the clustering process does not affect the quality of results. We compare FGC with a connectivity-based clustering algorithm proposed in [1] and simulated-annealing-based algorithm in TimberWolf [2], both of which also reduce the number of external nets between clusters. The experimental results show that our algorithm achieves better net absorption than the previous approaches while using much less CPU time for large scale problems. With our FGC algorithm, we propose a Fast Placer Implementation (FPI) framework, which combines our FGC-based size reduction with traditional placement techniques to handle large-scale placement problems. We compared FPI placement results with a public-domain fast standard cell placer Capo[4] on large scale benchmarks. The results show that FPI can reduce CPU time for large scale placement by a factor of 3~5x while obtaining placement results of comparable or better quality.
Explanationist Aid for the Theory of Inductive Logic

AbstractA central problem facing a probabilistic approach to the problem of induction is the difficulty of sufficiently constraining prior probabilities so as to yield the conclusion that induction...
Bonding erythrocytes to plastic substrates by glow-discharge activation.

A procedure was developed for attaching erythrocytes to various plastics. Plastic disks were exposed to ammonia glow discharge (AGD) and found thereafter to form weak bonds with red cells settling from a dilute saline suspension poured over the disks. When the disks were used to produce a rotating shear flow, complete cell detachment was observed for stresses exceeding 34 dynes/cm2. Far stronger bonding was achieved by treating AGD-bonded cells with glutaraldehyde, and subsequent shearing failed to detach any cells (maximum stress 58 dynes/cm2). The proposed chemical mechanism involves attachment of -NH2 groups on the plastic during AGD, and formation also of carbonyl oxygen later, to provide sites for hydrogen bonding with the cell membrane. Subsequent glutaraldehyde exposure produces crosslinking between disk and cell, as well as fixing the cell in the normal way. Thus, the initial step succeeds in attaching erythrocytes in a deformable condition but rather weakly, while the second step produces rigid c...
Activity and Ca2+ regulate the mobility of TRPV1 channels in the plasma membrane of sensory neurons

TRPV1 channels are gated by a variety of thermal, chemical, and mechanical stimuli. We used optical recording of Ca2+ influx through TRPV1 to measure activity and mobility of single TRPV1 molecules in isolated dorsal root ganglion neurons and cell lines. The opening of single TRPV1 channels produced sparklets, representing localized regions of elevated Ca2+. Unlike sparklets reported for L-type Ca2+ channels, TRPV4 channels, and AchR channels, TRPV1 channels diffused laterally in the plasma membrane as they gated. Mobility was highly variable from channel-to-channel and, to a smaller extent, from cell to cell. Most surprisingly, we found that mobility decreased upon channel activation by capsaicin, but only in the presence of extracellular Ca2+. We propose that decreased mobility of open TRPV1 could act as a diffusion trap to concentrate channels in cell regions with high activity. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.03819.001
Elemental fish tissue contamination in northeastern U.S. lakes: Evaluation of an approach to regional assessment

The approach of the Environmental Monitoring and Assessment Program (EMA) to monitoring of fish tissue contaminants is shown to have utility for regional assessment, and for discrimination of regional from local contamination. The survey sampling design employed by EMAP can be used to make regional assessments without conducting a complete resource inventory. The Environmental Monitoring and Assessment Program—Surface Waters conducted a survey of 167 lakes in the northeastern United States during 1992 through 1994 and analyzed whole fish composite samples for contaminants, including Al, As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Hg, Ni, Pb, Se, and Zn. Using fish tissue contaminant consumption risk levels derived from U.S. Environmental Protection Agency hazard assessment models, methylmercury (MeHg) was determined to be the elemental contaminant of regional concern to fish consumers: 26% of lakes contained fish with MeHg exceeding a human critical value of 0.2 μg/g; 54 and 98% of lakes contained fish with MeHg exceeding wildlife critical values for piscivorous mammals (0.1 μg/g) and birds (0.02 μg/g), respectively. The other elements analyzed appeared to be at safe levels on a regional scale, or only of localized concern with regard to human health.
A comparison of surface friction velocities estimated by dissipation and iterative bulk aerodynamic methods during gale

Energy dissipation method and an Iterative Bulk Aerodynamic Method (IBAM) are used to estimate friction velocity (u*) for a wide wind speed range (5.66 to 21.6 ms−1) with convective atmospheric conditions over the ocean during the Genesis of Atlantic Lows Experiment (GALE). Values of u* obtained by the IBAM are in reasonably good agreement with those from the dissipation method. The iterative bulk method appears to do well for wind speeds up to about 21 ms−1.
Cardiac vagal control in the severity and course of depression: the importance of symptomatic heterogeneity.

Abstract Background Impaired cardiac vagal control (CVC), as indexed by respiratory sinus arrhythmia, has been investigated as a risk factor for major depressive disorder (MDD), but prior findings are mixed with respect to whether impaired CVC predicts greater global depression severity and/or a more severe course of disorder. One possible explanation for mixed findings is that CVC abnormalities in MDD are related more closely to specific depression symptoms than to the syndrome as a whole. Methods Depression severity (both global and symptom-specific indices) and electrocardiogram measures of resting CVC were obtained from 151 diagnosed MDD participants at intake, before randomization to a novel treatment for depression (acupuncture), and again after 8 and 16 weeks. Results Resting CVC did not predict global indices of depression in cross-sectional or longitudinal analyses. In symptom-specific analyses, resting CVC was positively related to sad mood and crying and inversely related to middle and late insomnia. Improvement in late insomnia was related to increases in CVC over time. Limitations Relationships between CVC and MDD were studied only within the clinical range of severity. Symptom analyses were exploratory and hence did not correct for Type I error. Conclusions Resting CVC did not exhibit concurrent or prospective relations with overall depression severity but a few specific symptoms did. Symptomatic heterogeneity across samples may account for mixed findings within the CVC–depression literature.
Risk Factors for Preoperative and Postoperative Hearing Loss in Children Undergoing Pressure Equalization Tube Placement

ObjectivePressure equalization tube (PET) placement is the most common surgical procedure performed during childhood. Current guidelines recommend more prompt management of children with otitis media with effusion who are at greater risk for speech-language and developmental problems. This study was designed to examine risk factors for continued post-PET hearing loss in a large pediatric clinical sample.Study DesignRetrospective analysis using the electronic medical record.SettingTertiary care children’s hospital.SubjectsPediatric patients undergoing PET placement between January 2009 and October 2012 who had audiometric tests.MethodsDemographics, patient diagnoses, and hearing loss information were extracted. Multivariate binary logistic regression models were used to identify associations between patient-specific characteristics and the presence of hearing loss.ResultsIn total, 3949 children with 4598 audiology visits were included (2357 males and 1592 females; mean age, 3.3 years), and 1272 preoperativ...
Differences inp16Gene Methylation and Expression in Benign and Malignant Ovarian Tumors

Abstract Objective. The aim of this study was to test the hypothesis that DNA methylation is important for silencing the p16 tumor suppressor gene in ovarian epithelial tumors and to compare the prevalence of this mechanism among different ovarian epithelial tumor subtypes. Method. Methylation-specific PCR was used to analyze the p16 gene for DNA methylation in 20 ovarian cystadenomas, 15 low malignant potential (LMP) tumors, and 37 carcinomas. p16 expression was determined immunohistochemically in 58 of these tumors (16 cystadenomas, 13 LMP tumors, 29 carcinomas). Differences in methylation or expression rates between specific tumor subgroups were examined by Fisher's exact test. Results. Fragments from the distal promoter and beginning of the first exon of the p16 gene were both methylated in 5 of 15 (33%) LMP tumors compared to 2 of 37 (5%) carcinomas ( P = 0.02). Those sites were also methylated in 5 of 20 (25%) cystadenomas. Lack of p16 expression was present in 7 of 16 cystadenomas, 4 of 13 LMP tumors, and 22 of 29 carcinomas ( P [LMPs versus carcinomas] = 0.01) and correlated with methylation changes in LMP tumors ( P = 0.05). p16 expression was correlated with mucinous differentiation in cystadenomas ( P = 0.001). Conclusion. p16 silencing may be important for the development of ovarian carcinomas and a subset of LMP tumors. Changes in DNA methylation may be more important for inactivation of this gene (and perhaps other tumor suppressor genes) in LMP tumors, which lack many of the alternative mechanisms present in carcinomas. p16 expression is primarily related to mucinous differentiation in cystadenomas.
Fuzzy sensor fusion for gas turbine power plants

In this paper we present a methodology for fuzzy sensor fusion. We then apply this methodology to sensor data from a gas turbine power plant. The developed fusion algorithm tackles several problems: 1) It aggregates redundant sensor information; this allows making decision which sensors should be considered for propagation of sensor information. 2) It filters out noise and sensor failure from measurements; this allows a system to operate despite temporary or permanent failure of one or more sensors. For the fusion, we use a combination of direct and functional redundancy. The fusion algorithm uses confidence values obtained for each sensor reading form validation curves and performs a weighted average fusion. With increasing distance from the predicted value, readings are discounted through a non-linear validation function. They are assigned a confidence value accordingly. The predicted value in the described algorithm is obtained through application of a fuzzy exponential weighted moving average time series predictor with adaptive coefficients. Experiments on real data from a gas turbine power plant show the robustness of the fusion algorithm which leads to smooth controller input values.
Time estimation: effects of attentional focus and a comparison of interval conditions.

Summary.-Time estimation was studied as a function of the subject's attention to' the stimulus interval and the stimulus condition of the standard interval. 11 1 subjects from lower level psychology classes were randomly assigned to an interval condition. Time estimation of a standard interval was significantly lower when subjects attended to the stimulus material than when attending to the interval of passing time. A significant difference was not obtaincd among the three intervals. What happens during an estimated interval has been the general concern in research on time estimation. Psychologists have utilized a number of variables and contradictory results are seemingly found (Curton & Lordahl, 1974). The effect of attentional focus on time estimation has had little consideration. Curton and Lordahl ( 1974) found that longer time estimates were obtained when subjects were asked to attend to an interval of time rather than to an attention-demanding task. Their study stated that further research was needed. Whether an interval is unfilled or filled has yielded unsubstantial data. When the stimulus of an interval is silent and bound by some signal, it is designated as being unfilled or empty; a filled interval has a continuous stimulus
Life in the Undercommons: Sustaining Justice-Work Post Disillusionment

This paper explores the tensions, challenges, and possibilities for engaging in justice work from within and beyond the university. Through personal and shared narratives, Mary Hermes, associate professor, and her students Chelda Smith and Erin Dyke discuss their motivations for becoming academics while also justice workers, and some of the ways these two roles scrape up against each other in the university and our communities and struggles within and beyond it. We frame our narratives, the products of a series of group discussions, around a few salient and overlapping themes: legitimizing modes of knowledge production, the dichotomization of the ‘university’ and ‘community,’ and the tensions involved in moving between and merging scholarship and activism. We conclude by considering our places in the undercommons of the university, and its potential for helping us collectively grapple with these tensions.
The bZIP Transcription Factor ATFx Binds Human T-Cell Leukemia Virus Type 1 (HTLV-1) Tax and Represses HTLV-1 Long Terminal Repeat-Mediated Transcription

The human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1) viral protein Tax is a transactivator of transcription driven by the cognate viral long terminal repeat (LTR). Tax exerts its effect through three nonidentical copies of the Tax-responsive element (TxRE), a member of the asymmetric cyclic AMP response element (CRE) family of enhancer sequences. Transactivation is mediated via interaction of Tax with members of the CREB/ATF family bound to TxRE. We have identified a cellular repressor of transcription, activating transcription factor x (ATFx), as a novel Tax-binding protein. In addition to binding directly to Tax we show by electrophoretic mobility shift assay that ATFx binds to the TxRE enhancer element via the bZIP domain. The functional impact of this bridging interaction results in repression of both basal and Tax-induced transcription from the HTLV-1 LTR. ATFx is unique among ATF family of proteins in that it is cell cycle regulated and exerts a tight repressive control over apoptotic signaling. We propose that recruitment of ATFx to the HTLV-1 LTR serves to link viral transcription with critical events in cellular homeostasis.
Revision of New World Species of the Cleptoparasitic Pompilid Genus Irenangelus Schulz (Hymenoptera: Pompilidae)

Abstract The New World species of Irenangelus Schulz are revised, with a key to species, re-descriptions, distributional information and illustrations for each species. In addition, two new species, I. evansi and crossopus, are described from Costa Rica and Panama.
An algebraic approach to image schemas for geographic space

Formal models of geographic space should support reasoning about its static and dynamic properties, its objects, their behaviors, and the relationships between them. Image schemas, used to embody spatiotemporal experiential abstractions, capture high-level perceptual concepts but do not have generally accepted formalizations. This paper provides a method for formally representing topological and physical image schemas using Milner's bigraphical models. Bigraphs, capable of independently representing mobile locality and connectivity, provide formal algebraic specifications of geographic environments enhanced by intuitive visual representations. Using examples from a built environment, we define topological schemas CONTAINER and LINK as static bigraph components, dynamic schemas INTO and LINKTO as rule-based changes in static components, and more complex schemas REMOVAL_OF_RESTRAINT and BLOCKAGE with sequences of rules. Finally, we demonstrate that bigraphs can be used to describe scenes with incomplete information, and that we can adjust the granularity of scenes by using bigraph composition to provide additional context.