cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Ampullary adenocarcinoma: Defining predictors of survival and the impact of adjuvant therapy following surgical resection for stage I disease

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Outcomes and recommendations regarding adjuvant therapy (AT) for stage I ampullary adenocarcinoma (AAC) are inadequately described. We sought to determine factors associated with survival and better define the impact of AT. METHODS The NCDB was queried for stage I AAC patients undergoing resection. We evaluated variables influencing the administration of AT and affecting survival, including the receipt of AT. RESULTS Five hundred thirty-seven patients were identified. 1, 3, and 5-year OS were 91.3%, 78.8%, and 67.4%, respectively. 103 received AT: 101 chemotherapy, 31 radiation, and 29 a combination of both. AT was more commonly utilized in patients with poorly differentiated and T2 tumors. Comorbid disease was inversely associated with use of AT. Age ≥65 was associated with decreased survival for stage IA and IB, while positive resection margins and sampling of <12 LNs were associated with decreased OS for stage IA and IB, respectively. After propensity matching key covariates, no significant difference in OS was observed between those receiving and not receiving AT (P = 0.449). CONCLUSION This analysis revealed a modest 5-year OS for stage I AAC. Age, positive resection margins, and evaluation of <12 LNs negatively influenced OS and AT did not convey a survival benefit.
Advances in Tissue Engineering Approaches to Treatment of Intervertebral Disc Degeneration: Cells and Polymeric Scaffolds for Nucleus Pulposus Regeneration

Synthetic polymers and biopolymers are extensively used within the field of tissue engineering. Some common examples of these materials include polylactic acid, polyglycolic acid, collagen, elastin, and various forms of polysaccharides. In terms of application, these materials are primarily used in the construction of scaffolds that aid in the local delivery of cells and growth factors, and in many cases fulfill a mechanical role in supporting physiologic loads that would otherwise be supported by a healthy tissue. In this review we will examine the development of scaffolds derived from biopolymers and their use with various cell types in the context of tissue engineering the nucleus pulposus of the intervertebral disc.
A hydro-economic model of South Florida water resources system.

Abstract South Florida's water infrastructure and ecosystems are under pressure from socio-economic growth. Understanding the region's water resources management tradeoffs is essential for developing effective adaptation strategies to cope with emerging challenges such as climate change and sea level rise, which are expected to affect many other regions in the future. We describe a network-based hydro-economic optimization model of the system to investigate the tradeoffs, incorporating the economic value of water in urban and agricultural sectors and economic damages due to urban flooding while also accounting for water supply to sustain fragile ecosystems such as the Everglades and coastal estuaries. Results illustrate that maintaining high reliability of urban water supply under scenarios of reduced water availability (i.e., drier climate conditions) may trigger economic losses to the Everglades Agricultural Area, which will likely become more vulnerable as competition over scarce water resources increases. More pronounced economic losses are expected in urban and agricultural areas when flows to the Everglades are prioritized. Flow targets for coastal estuaries are occasionally exceeded under optimal flow allocations to various demand nodes, indicating that additional storage may be needed to maintain the environmental integrity of the estuarine ecosystems. Wetter climate conditions, on the other hand, generally lead to increased flows throughout the system with positive effects on meeting water demands, although flood mitigation efforts will necessitate additional releases to the estuaries. Strengths and limitations of the hydro-economic model are discussed.
Optimal Outside Airflow Control of Integrated Air Handling Unit System for Large Office Buildings

This paper presents the optimal outside air control in the integrated air handling unit system for large commercial buildings (OAHU). The optimal outside air control schedules are developed using the geometric linear optimization method, and expressed as analytical functions of the outside air temperature and enthalpy, the interior zone airflow ratio, and the exterior zone supply air temperature. The optimal outside air control schedules can be applied to both constant and variable air volume systems. When the optimal outside air control schedules are implemented, the OAHU system can significantly improve indoor air quality (IAQ) and use significantly less thermal energy than conventional systems. The geometric optimization method can also be used in other linear HVAC optimizations with non-liner constraint conditions.Copyright © 2003 by ASME
Trends in North Korean foreign policy

North Korea’s foreign policy track record in the post-cold war era is mixed. Most notable setbacks are the diplomatic normalization between the Soviet Union (now Russia) and South Korea; the reversal of its UN policy that paved the way for the simultaneous admission of the two Korean states to the world organization; and the diplomatic normalization between China and South Korea. On the credit side of Pyongyang’s diplomatic ledger are changes in its relations with Tokyo and Washington. While tangible results have yet to materialize, particularly in North Korea-Japan relations, the groundwork has nonetheless been laid for significant improvement. North Korea’s suspected nuclear weapons development program has played a major role in the unfolding of its relations with the United States. Conceptually, North Korean foreign policy can be explained in terms of its quest for three interrelated goals: security, legitimacy, and development. In the post-cold war era security appears to have emerged as the most important of the three goals. North Korea is at a crossroads. The choices it makes in foreign policy will determine not only the direction of its domestic policy but, ultimately, the survival of the regime itself. The external players in Seoul, Washington, Tokyo, Beijing, Moscow, and Vienna (the IAEA) have varying degrees of leverage over Pyongyang’s policy as well.
Nuts and Bolts of the Black Hole Engine: General Relativistic Mechanics

One of the most attractive, and also most daunting, features of astrophysics is that it brings together physics from many different fields and deals in the extremes of speed, gravity, temperature, and density. The deep gravitational potential of the black hole provides a stable engine block on which are hung all the key systems of the black hole engine. Many Schwarzschild radii away from the black hole lies the carburetion system. Fuel, in the form of gas clouds, or even whole stars, is tidally torn apart and dispersed into a smooth vapor of plasma flowing into the central regions of the engine.
Anti-insect defenses of Achnatherum robustum (sleepygrass) provided by two Epichloë endophyte species

Many pooid grasses (Poaceae) harbor Epichloe species (Hypocreales), endophytic fungi that often produce toxic alkaloids which may provide anti-insect protection for their hosts. Two natural populations of Achnatherum robustum (Vasey) (sleepygrass), in the Lincoln National Forest, Cloudcroft, and Weed (NM, USA), are infected with the endophyte species Epichloe funkii (KD Craven & Schardl) JF White and Epichloe sp. nov. We tested whether: (1) these endophytes affect survival, growth, and development of the insect herbivore Spodoptera frugiperda (JE Smith) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) (fall armyworm), (2) larval diets alter adult fecundity (assessed as number of larvae or eggs produced by females and number of spermatophores that males transfer to females when enclosed in pairs within each feeding group), and (3) infections affect leaf consumption in larval no-choice and choice experiments. Individual larvae were reared on Epichloe infected vs. uninfected clipped leaves from the Cloudcroft and Weed population plants. Overall, armyworm survival was not affected when fed infected sleepygrass from either population. However, larvae that fed on Weed-infected plants were smaller and had longer development than larvae that fed on uninfected and Cloudcroft-infected plants. Males fed on Weed-infected leaves had reduced mating success. Interestingly, pupal mass increased when larvae fed on either the infected leaf types. However, heavier females from both infected diets did not lay more eggs than lighter females from uninfected diets. In a no-choice test, larvae on Weed-infected plants diet consumed more leaf biomass than larvae from three other groups. In choice tests, larvae avoided feeding on leaves infected with either of the endophytes relative to uninfected leaves. Thus, the two Epichloe may provide direct protection to sleepygrass from insect herbivory by deterrence. The Weed population endophyte may provide stronger indirect protection than the Cloudcroft endophyte by reducing insect fitness or increasing risks of predation and parasitism through delayed development, even though larvae may consume more leaf biomass.
Conclusion: Early Modern Fantasies and Contemporary Realities

This concluding chapter discusses the effects and afterlives of dissembling disability. Although it was a fictional trend that focused on fraudulent action, the counterfeit-disability tradition instructed audiences to approach disability with suspicion, both on the stage and in the streets of London. The tradition demanded that genuinely disabled people perform their disabilities to, paradoxically, prove the reality of their impairments. Although the counterfeit-disability tradition shaped the lived experiences of early modern disabled people, it also suppressed knowledge of that experience by prioritizing narratives of counterfeit disability over genuine disability. The chapter concludes by tracing the enduring presence of the counterfeit-disability tradition on contemporary literature, culture, and, even, social policy.
Gender differences in the measurement of pharmacists’ job satisfaction

Men and women choose different levels of commitment in their careers and at home. Compared to men, women value the significance of tasks performed and social relations more and earnings less. The objective of this study was to explore whether male and female pharmacists show the same levels of satisfaction overall and with key facets of their job, whether overall satisfaction is associated with satisfaction with 12 key facets of pharmacists’ jobs, and whether this association is similar for men and women. The study used self-reported survey data collected from a random sample of licensed pharmacists practicing throughout the United States. The sample consisted of 436 males and 300 females. Pearson correlation coefficients were calculated to assess the association between overall job satisfaction and its key components. The 13 job satisfaction indices and the Pearson correlation coefficient values were compared by gender. Women were consistently more satisfied than men. Variations in overall job satisfaction were at best accompanied by moderate variations in the 12 job satisfaction facets, raising concerns about the validity of configuring a composite index from multiple indices of satisfaction. The results of this study can be used by healthcare managers and policymakers to facilitate communication, enhance teamwork, and promote a better allocation of scarce resources. Since men and women responded differently to various facets of their jobs, a constant set of rewards and stimulants may not be equally effective for both genders as employers transform the workplace to more adequately meet practitioners’ needs and increase their productivity.
Bispectral Index System (BIS) monitoring reduces time to discharge in children requiring intramuscular sedation and general anesthesia for outpatient dental rehabilitation.

Purpose: Pediatric patients who receive both intramuscular (IM) sedation and general anesthesia (GA) for oral rehabilitation occasionally experience prolonged sedation and delayed discharge. The Bispectral Index System (BIS) is an EEG monitor that measures the level of sedation. The authors compared discharge times of patients who had BIS monitoring to those who did not to determine if the use of BIS speeded discharge. Methods: After IRB approval, 20 children were enrolled. BIS was monitored continuously from admission until discharge. Each child received ketamine, midazolam, and glycopyrrolate IM. Once sedated, the patient was transferred to the operating room, moni- tored, and IV access was established. GA proceeded with sevoflurane, rocuronium, and fentanyl. Randomly, in half the patients, the anesthesiologist knew and maintained the BIS at GA level of sedation by adjusting sevoflurane. In the rest, the anesthesiologist did not know BIS. Time from turning of sevoflurane to discharge was noted and compared. Results: Patients where the BIS was known and used were discharged 60±13 minutes after the end of GA. Patients where BIS was unknown were discharged 90±11 minutes after the end of GA (P<.001). Conclusions: Based on the data, the authors recommend the use of BIS to facilitate faster discharge of pediatric patients who require IM sedation and GA for oral rehabilitation. (Pediatr Dent. 2004;26:256-260)
Redefining Kurdishness in the U.S. Diaspora: The experiences of Kurdish Students and Their Parents in Nashville Schools

As a result of a cumulative history of genocide, discrimination, and assimilation, Kurds have found refuge in many countries around the world, including the U.S., with the hope of practicing their culture and speaking their language without the fear of imprisonment or death. Unlike their fellow Kurds in the homeland, Kurdish people in the U.S. largely have the freedom to talk in Kurdish, dance, and sing in Kurdish, and dress Kurdish clothing. Kurdish people enjoy certain political and cultural freedoms in the U.S., which is largely absent in their homeland (Hassanpour, Skutnab-Kangas, & Cyhet, 1996) but the on-going war on terror brings about new constraints and limits to these freedoms (Thangaraj, 2015b). This research aims to understand the dynamics of the Kurdish identity transformation and negotiations in the context of the U.S. diaspora and the role of educational institutions, as one of the primary spaces of encounter with the mainstream U.S. society, in this transformation. It seeks answers to how Kurdish students and their parents, as an inherently heterogeneous group, go through the complex process of negotiation of their identities in and through Nashville, Tennessee school system. It aims to understand the new struggles and possibilities that the Kurdish diaspora experience as they look for a place in the new society that has its own politics of identity. What does the information about Kurdish students and their parents’ experiences tell us about the sociopolitical context of the new country and its racial, ethnic and gender relations and more specifically about the educational system as one of its institutions in reproducing these relations and placing Kurds somewhere in the spectrum of these relations? How does the case of Kurdish students and parents speak to the larger Middle Eastern diaspora studies?
Ablation of conceptus PTGS2 expression does not alter early conceptus development and establishment of pregnancy in the pig

Pig conceptuses secrete estrogens (E2), interleukin 1 beta 2 (IL1B2), and prostaglandins (PGs) during the period of rapid trophoblast elongation and establishment of pregnancy. Previous studies established that IL1B2 is essential for rapid conceptus elongation, whereas E2 is not essential for conceptus elongation or early maintenance of the corpora lutea. The objective of the present study was to determine if conceptus expression of prostaglandin-endoperoxide synthase 2 (PTGS2) and release of PG are important for early development and establishment of pregnancy. To understand the role of PTGS2 in conceptus elongation and pregnancy establishment, a loss-of-function study was conducted by editing PTGS2 using CRISPR/Cas9 technology. Wild-type (PTGS2+/+) and null (PTGS2-/-) fibroblast cells were used to create embryos through somatic cell nuclear transfer. Immunolocalization of PTGS2 and PG production was absent in cultured PTGS2-/- blastocysts on day 7. PTGS2+/+ and PTGS2-/- blastocysts were transferred into surrogate gilts, and the reproductive tracts were collected on either days 14, 17, or 35 of pregnancy. After flushing the uterus on days 14 and 17, filamentous conceptuses were cultured for 3 h to determine PG production. Conceptus release of total PG, prostaglandin F2⍺ (PGF2α), and PGE in culture media was lower with PTGS2-/- conceptuses compared to PTGS2+/+ conceptuses. However, the total PG, PGF2α, and PGE content in the uterine flushings was not different. PTGS2-/- conceptus surrogates allowed to continue pregnancy were maintained beyond 30 days of gestation. These results indicate that pig conceptus PTGS2 is not essential for early development and establishment of pregnancy in the pig.
A new high temperature magnetic oscillation in the Group VI Dichalcogenides

Abstract The magnetic moments of pristine Group VI Dichalcogenides are analyzed here in the relatively high temperature, low density nondegenerate statistical regime. We find that there is a new oscillation as a function of the magnetic field in this high temperature regime, and that it differs physically from the low-temperature de Haas-van Alphen effect of the degenerate regime.
Kinetics and Inverse Temperature Dependence of a Tsuji–Trost Reaction in Aqueous Buffer

The palladium-catalyzed Tsuji–Trost reaction has been extensively studied under synthetically relevant conditions (millimolar concentrations of substrates and catalyst, aprotic solvents, no additiv...
The Importance of Vaccinating Children and Pregnant Women against Influenza Virus Infection.

Influenza virus infection is responsible for significant morbidity and mortality in the pediatric and pregnant women populations, with deaths frequently caused by severe influenza-associated lower respiratory tract infection and acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). An appropriate immune response requires controlling the viral infection through activation of antiviral defenses, which involves cells of the lung and immune system. High levels of viral infection or high levels of inflammation in the lower airways can contribute to ARDS. Pregnant women and young children, especially those born prematurely, may develop serious complications if infected with influenza virus. Vaccination against influenza virus will lead to lower infection rates and fewer complications, even if the vaccine is poorly matched to circulating viral strains. Maternal vaccination offers infants protection via antibody transmission through the placenta and breast milk. Despite the health benefits of the influenza vaccine, vaccination rates around the world remain well below targets. Trust in the use of vaccines among the public must be restored in order to increase vaccination rates and decrease the public health burden of influenza.
Metastatic pulmonary sarcomatoid carcinoma presenting in an infant

Abstract Pulmonary sarcomatoid carcinoma is a rare subtype of non-small cell lung cancer typically seen in elderly male patients, accounting for 0.1–0.4% of all lung cancers [1]. We present a case report of a 3-month old boy diagnosed with pulmonary sarcomatoid carcinoma after presenting to the emergency department with respiratory distress. This is the first reported case of pulmonary sarcomatoid carcinoma presenting in an infant.
Super-resolution head and neck MRA using deep machine learning.

PURPOSE To probe the feasibility of deep learning-based super-resolution (SR) reconstruction applied to nonenhanced MR angiography (MRA) of the head and neck. METHODS High-resolution 3D thin-slab stack-of-stars quiescent interval slice-selective (QISS) MRA of the head and neck was obtained in eight subjects (seven healthy volunteers, one patient) at 3T. The spatial resolution of high-resolution ground-truth MRA data in the slice-encoding direction was reduced by factors of 2 to 6. Four deep neural network (DNN) SR reconstructions were applied, with two based on U-Net architectures (2D and 3D) and two (2D and 3D) consisting of serial convolutions with a residual connection. SR images were compared to ground-truth high-resolution data using Dice similarity coefficient (DSC), structural similarity index measure (SSIM), arterial diameter, and arterial sharpness measurements. Image review of the optimal DNN SR reconstruction was done by two experienced neuroradiologists. RESULTS DNN SR of up to twofold and fourfold lower-resolution (LR) input volumes provided images that resembled those of the original high-resolution ground-truth volumes for intracranial and extracranial arterial segments, and improved DSC, SSIM, arterial diameters, and arterial sharpness relative to LR volumes (P < .001). The 3D DNN SR outperformed 2D DNN SR reconstruction. According to two neuroradiologists, 3D DNN SR reconstruction consistently improved image quality with respect to LR input volumes (P < .001). CONCLUSION DNN-based SR reconstruction of 3D head and neck QISS MRA offers the potential for up to fourfold reduction in acquisition time for neck vessels without the need to commensurately sacrifice spatial resolution.
Understanding Disorders of Consciousness: Opportunities for Critical Care Nurses.

BACKGROUND Disorders of consciousness are powerful predictors of outcomes including mortality among critically ill patients. Encephalopathy, delirium, and coma are disorders of consciousness frequently encountered by critical care nurses but often classified incorrectly. OBJECTIVE To provide a greater understanding of disorders of consciousness and to provide standardized assessments and nursing interventions for these disorders. METHODS A literature search was conducted by using the terms consciousness, mental status, awareness, arousal, wakefulness, assessment, disorders of consciousness, delirium, encephalopathy, coma, vegetative state, and minimal consciousness. Articles were published in the past 10 years in CINAHL and PubMed. Articles were excluded if they were not in English or directly related to caring for patients with a disorder of consciousness. The remaining 142 articles were evaluated for inclusion; 81 articles received full review. RESULTS A disorder of consciousness signifies that the threshold for compensation has been surpassed with potentially irreversible damage. Altered thalamocortical interactions and reduced cortical activity impair communication networks across the various parts of the brain, causing a disturbance in consciousness. DISCUSSION The cue-response theory is a model that describes the process and impact of nursing care on recovery from acute brain injury. Appropriate standardized assessments and interventions must be used to manage altered levels of consciousness in critically ill patients. CONCLUSIONS Paying close attention to neurological changes and monitoring them with standardized assessments are critical to implementing early measures to prevent complications.
Systemic Hypertension: Diagnostic Implications

Systemic hypertension is an extremely common condition that affects 10% to 25% of adult Americans. It is even more common in black Americans and in the elderly. As many as 58,000,000 Americans have hypertension (1988 Joint National Committee, 1988). Through its effects in increasing the risk of stroke, heart attacks, congestive heart failure, renal failure, ruptured intracranial aneurysm, dissecting aortic aneurysm, and retinopathy, it is a leading cause of death and disability. In the absence of complications, it is usually asymptomatic; thus, periodic screening examinations are important to its detection.
A systematic review of randomized controlled trials examining the effectiveness of saffron (Crocus sativus L.) on psychological and behavioral outcomes.

Abstract Background Throughout the past three decades, increased scientific attention has been given to examining saffron's ( Crocus sativus L.) use as a potential therapeutic or preventive agent for a number of health conditions, including cancer, cardiovascular disease, and depression. Objective The purpose of this systematic review is to examine and categorize the current state of scientific evidence from randomized controlled trials (RCTs) regarding the efficacy of saffron on psychological/behavioral outcomes. Search Strategy Electronic and non-electronic systematic searches were conducted to identify all relevant human clinical research on saffron. The search strategy was extensive and was designed according to the “Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA).” Reference lists of articles that met the inclusion criteria were searched. Only English language studies were reviewed. Inclusion Criteria Saffron trials in combination with other substances and saffron safety studies were considered, in accordance with the PRISMA statement. Included studies must have a control group. Included studies must measure a physiological and/or a behavioral outcome. Data Extraction and Analysis The methodological quality of all included studies was independently evaluated by two reviewers using the Jadad score. Mean scores and P -values of measures were compared both inter- and intra-study for each parameter ( i.e ., depression). Results Twelve studies met our inclusion criteria. These studies examined the effects of saffron on psychological/behavioral outcomes of: major depressive disorder ( n = 6), premenstrual syndrome ( n = 1), sexual dysfunction and infertility ( n = 4), and weight loss/snacking behaviors ( n = 1). The data from these studies support the efficacy of saffron as compared to placebo in improving the following conditions: depressive symptoms (compared to anti-depressants and placebo), premenstrual symptoms, and sexual dysfunction. In addition, saffron use was also effective in reducing excessive snacking behavior. Conclusion Findings from initial clinical trials suggest that saffron may improve the symptoms and the effects of depression, premenstrual syndrome, sexual dysfunction and infertility, and excessive snacking behaviors. Larger multi-site clinical trials are needed to extend these preliminary findings.
Real-time subspace-based background modeling using multi-channel data

Background modeling and subtraction using subspaces is attractive in real-time computer vision applications due to its low computational cost. However, the application of this method is mostly limited to the gray-scale images since the integration of multi-channel data is not straightforward; it involves much higher dimensional space and causes additional difficulty to manage data in general. We propose an efficient background modeling and subtraction algorithm using 2-Dimensional Principal Component Analysis (2DPCA) [1], where multi-channel data are naturally integrated in eigenbackground framework [2] with no additional dimensionality. It is shown that the principal components in 2DPCA are computed efficiently by transformation to standard PCA.We also propose an incremental algorithm to update eigenvectors to handle temporal variations of background. The proposed algorithm is applied to 3-channel (RGB) and 4-channel (RGB+IR) data, and compared with standard subspace-based as well as pixel-wise density-based method.
Restoring Free Speech and Liberty on Campus

Part I. Introduction and Background: 1. The return of the proprietary university and the new politics of free speech and civil liberty 2. Background: the rise of anti-free speech and liberty ideologies Part II. Case Studies in the Politics of Civil Liberty on Campus: 3. Columbia's sexual misconduct policy: civil liberty vs. solidarity 4. Berkeley and the rise of the anti-free speech movement 5. Undue process at Penn 6. Renewal: the rise of the free speech movement at Wisconsin 7. Abolition in the Wisconsin faculty senate and its aftermath 8. Some conclusions concerning civil liberty and political strategy.
Cell-mediated hepatic injury in alcoholic liver disease

Abstract Background: The mechanism responsible for the initiation and perpetuation of alcoholic liver disease (ALD) remains poorly understood. This investigation attempted to elucidate the role of cell-mediated immune phemonena in the pathogenesis of ethanol-induced liver injury. Methods: Frozen liver biopsy specimens from 144 patients with moderate to severe ALD were examined by the avidin-biotin immunoperoxidase technique for the expression of antigenic markers of T and B lymphocytes, natural killer cells, and class I and II MHC molecules in the tissue. Results: Expression of CD3 by lymphocytes correlated significantly with regenerating nodules, intralobular inflammation, central sclerosis, and abnormalities of Kupffer cells. B cells were rarely present, and natural killer cells were absent. CD3+ lymphocytes expressed either CD4 or CD8 surface molecules. Enhanced class I MHC expression correlated significantly with portal inflammation, limiting plate erosion, vascular abnormalities, and hemosiderosis. Expression of class II MHC molecules correlated significantly with necrosis, bile stasis, and Mallory bodies. Conclusions: The distribution and persistence of CD4+ and CD8+ cells in actively advancing ALD, the enhanced MHC expression on hepatocytes, and their relationship to alcoholic hyalin and necrosis lend support to the hypothesis that a cytotoxic T lymphocytehepatocyte interaction plays a role, perhaps via lymphokine production, in the genesis or perpetuation of ALD.
The crystal structure of elongation factor G complexed with GDP, at 2.7 A resolution.

Abstract Elongation factor G (EF-G) catalyzes the translocation step of protein synthesis in bacteria, and like the other bacterial elongation factor, EF-Tu--whose structure is already known--it is a member of the GTPase superfamily. We have determined the crystal structure of EF-G--GDP from Thermus thermophilus. It is an elongated molecule whose large, N-terminal domain resembles the G domain of EF-Tu, except for a 90 residue insert, which covers a surface that is involved in nucleotide exchange in EF-Tu and other G proteins. The tertiary structures of the second domains of EF-G and EF-Tu are nearly identical, but the relative placement of the first two domains in EF-G--GDP resembles that seen in EF-Tu--GTP, not EF-Tu--GDP. The remaining three domains of EF-G look like RNA binding domains, and have no counterparts in EF-Tu.
The Reinforcement of Mating Preferences on an Island

We develop a haploid model for the reinforcement of female mating preferences on an island that receives migrants from a continent. We find that preferences will evolve to favor island males under a broad range of conditions: when the average male display trait on the island and continent differ, when the preference acts on that difference, and when there is standing genetic variance for the preference. A difference between the mean display trait on the continent and on the island is sufficient to drive reinforcement of preferences. Additional postzygotic isolation, caused, for example, by either epistatic incompatibility or ecological selection against hybrids, will amplify reinforcement but is not necessary. Under some conditions, the degree of preference reinforcement is a simple function of quantities that can be estimated entirely from phenotypic data. We go on to study how postzygotic isolation caused by epistatic incompatibilities affects reinforcement of the preference. With only one pair of epistatic loci, reinforcement is enhanced by tighter linkage between the preference genes and the genes causing hybrid incompatibility. Reinforcement of the preference is also affected by the number of epistatically interacting genes involved in incompatibility, independent of the overall intensity of selection against hybrids.
Target localization accuracy in a respiratory phantom using BrainLab ExacTrac and 4DCT imaging

This study evaluated the accuracy of measuring the motion of an internal target using four-dimensional computed tomography (4DCT) scanning and the BrainLAB ExacTrac X-ray imaging system. Displacements of a metal coil implanted in a commercial respiratory phantom were measured in each system and compared to the known motion. A commercial respiratory motion phantom containing a metal coil as a surrogate target was used. Phantom longitudinal motions were sinusoidal with a 4.0 second period and amplitudes ranging from 5-25 mm. We acquired 4DCT and ExacTrac images of the coil at specified respiratory phases and recorded the coordinates of the coil ends. Coil displacement relative to the 0% phase (full-inhale) position were computed for the ExacTrac and 4DCT imaging systems. Coil displacements were compared to known displacements based on the phantom's sinusoidal motion. Coil length distortion due to 4DCT phase binning was compared to the known physical length of the coil (31 mm). The maximum localization error for both coil endpoints for all motion settings was 3.5 mm for the 4DCT and 0.8 mm for the ExacTrac gating system. Coil length errors measured on the 4DCT were less than 0.8 mm at end inhale/exhale phases, but up to 8.3 mm at mid-inhalation phases at the largest motion amplitude (25 mm). Due to the fast image acquisition time (100 ms), no coil distortion was observable in the ExacTrac system. 4DCT showed problems imaging the coil during mid-respiratory phases of higher velocity (phases 20%-30% and 70%-80%) due to distortion caused by residual motion within the 4DCT phase bin. The ExacTrac imaging system was able to accurately localize the coil in the respiratory phantom over all phases of respiration. For our clinic, where end-respiration phases from 4DCT may be used for treatment planning calculations, the ExacTrac system is used to measure internal target motion. With the ExacTrac system, planning target size and motion uncertainties are minimized, potentially reducing internal target volume margins in gated radiotherapy.
Snippets of science

Puzzles, Problems and Enigmas: Occasional Pieces on the Human Aspects of Science. By John Ziman. Pp.373. ISBN 0-521-23659-2. (Cambridge University Press: 1982.) £12.50, $24.95.
Calcium binding by a lipid extract of Bacterionema matruchotii.

This work was done to determine whether the factor responsible for calcium binding by a calcifiableBacterionema matruchotii is in the lipid fraction of the cell. Freeze-dried cells were extracted with chloroform-methanol. The chloroform-methanol fraction, the extracted cells and untreated cells were examined for calcium binding. The chloroform-methanol fraction and the untreated cells bound calcium. The extracted cells did not.
Replacing the sofa with the spotlight: interrogating the therapeutic value of personal testimony within community-based theatre

In mid-2010, I assistant-directed a community-based performance with an ensemble of youth in a small South African town. We began by exploring the town's historical narratives, conducting interview...
On character sums of binary quadratic forms

Abstract We establish character sum bounds of the form | ∑ a ⩽ x ⩽ a + H b ⩽ y ⩽ b + H χ ( x 2 + k y 2 ) | p − τ H 2 , where χ is a non-trivial character (mod p), p 1 4 + e H p , and | a | , | b | p e / 2 H . As an application, we obtain that given k ∈ Z ∖ { 0 } , x 2 + k is a quadratic non-residue (mod p) for some 1 ⩽ x p 1 2 e + ϵ .
The keyword method: An alternative vocabulary strategy for developmental college readers

Abstract This study investigated the effectiveness of two vocabulary learning strategies, the keyword and dictionary methods, among developmental college readers. Forty college students attending a private university in the Southeast were randomly assigned unfamiliar words with either paired keywords and images or dictionary‐based definitions. The results of the study suggest the superiority of the keyword method as measured by both immediate and delayed tests of recall. From an instructional viewpoint, the keyword method may be adapted into the college curriculum. For students, the keyword method may be an important survival strategy to add to their repertoire of skills.
Blank optimization for sheet metal forming using multi-step finite element simulations

The present study aims to determine the optimum blank shape design for deep drawing of arbitrary shaped cups with a uniform trim allowance at the flange, i.e., cups without ears. The earing, or non-uniform flange, is caused by non-uniform material flow and planar anisotropy in the sheet. In this research, a new method for optimum blank shape design using finite element analysis is proposed. The deformation process is first divided into multiple steps. A shape error metric is defined to measure the amount of earing and to compare the deformed shape and target shape set for each stage of the analysis. This error metric is then used to decide whether the blank needs to be modified. The blank geometry change is based on material flow. The cycle is repeated until the converged results are achieved. This iterative design process leads to optimal blank shape. To test the proposed method, three examples of cup drawing are presented. In every case converged results are achieved after a few iterations. The proposed systematic method for optimal blank design is found to be very effective in the deep drawing process and can be further applied to other sheet metal forming applications such as stamping processes.
Spinal muscular atrophy is not the result of mutations at the beta-hexosaminidase or GM2-activator locus.

The disease locus for the clinically heterogeneous childhood spinal muscular atrophies (SMA) maps to the chromosome 5 subregion, 5q11.2–13.3. The beta-subunit of beta-D-N-acetylhexosaminidase (hexosaminidase) (EC 3.2.1.52) (Hex B) maps to the same region, and the protein required for substrate recognition by this enzyme, GM 2 -activator protein, likewise maps to chromosome 5. We have investigated the possibility of allelic variation among some forms of SMA and hexosaminidase deficiency. Recombination between the Hex B and SMA loci eliminates this enzyme as a candidate site for defects causing the illness. Furthermore, we show that, despite previous evidence to the contrary, the GM 2 -activator locus does not map to chromosome 5, thereby eliminating it as a candidate gene for SMA.
Changing Coastal oceanography of the Black Sea. I: Northwestern Shelf

Abstract This article describes the hydrography of the Northwestern Shelf (NWS), of the Black Sea emphasizing the changes induced by water management in the Dniejer and Dniester river basins. The existing literature and previously unpublished data have been reviewed and synthesized to describe water property fields and transport mechanisms of the NWS and the Dnieper and Dniester estuaries before the early 1960s, or the so-called precontrol period, when the effect of artificial river flow control upon the coastal waters was insignificant. After the hydroenergy complexes and water withdrawal and disposal systems on rivers became fully operational in the early 1970s (the so-called postcontrol period), the annual river discharge from the Dnieper and Dniester had noticeably decreased and seasonal river flow patterns had been artificially modified. Instead of a powerful and short early spring flood, typical for the natural conditions in the Dnieper river, the hydrographs in the postcontrol period exhibit two smaller peaks of river discharge of much longer period. One of them (winter-early spring) is caused by intense hydroenergy generation and weir discharges through the cascade of storage reservoirs. Another is associated with spring flood, modified by intense water consumption and storage in this period. High average river discharge in late May—early June strengthened the summer pycnocline which inhibits vertical mixing in the estuaries and coastal waters. Owing to a slow summer circulation, the rate of natural purification of the entire coastal system has been reduced. This coupled with the increased nutrient, organic and pollutant transport, decreased the dissolved-oxygen concentration and led to anoxic events and mass mortalities of marine organisms in the previously productive regions. These effects have primarily plagued the benthic communities along the entire western coast of the NWS since 1973. Winter convective overturn in the Black Sea reaches its maximum depth at the southern boundary of the NWS. Thus, the NWS waters descend beneath the seasonal and main thermoclines in the open sea and are spread by the prevailing currents across the entire sea in the cold intermediate layer (CIL). By this dynamic mechanism the projected man-made modifications in the riverine-estuarine systems of the NWS will affect and change the large-scale thermohaline structure and marine life of the Black Sea.
Attomole Detection of 3H in Biological Samples Using Accelerator Mass Spectrometry: Application in Low-Dose, Dual-Isotope Tracer Studies in Conjunction with 14C Accelerator Mass Spectrometry

This is the first demonstration of the use of accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) as a tool for the measurement of 3H with attomole (10-18 mol) sensitivity in a biological study. AMS is an analytical technique for quantifying rare isotopes with high sensitivity and precision and has been most commonly used to measure 14C in both the geosciences and more recently in biomedical research. AMS measurement of serially diluted samples containing a 3H-labeled tracer showed a strong correlation with liquid scintillation counting. The mean coefficient of variation of 3H AMS based upon the analysis of separately prepared aliquots of these samples was 12%. The sensitivity for 3H detection in tissue, protein, and DNA was approximately 2−4 amol/mg of sample. This high sensitivity is comparable to detection limits for 14C-labeled carcinogens using 14C AMS and demonstrates the feasibility of 3H AMS for biomedical studies. One application of this technique is in low-dose, dual-isotope studies in conjunction with 14C AMS....
Direct decompositions in free commutative monoids

Abstract Let N be the positive integers; let C be a subset closed under taking divisors; and let A and B be subsets of C such that every member of AB (= {ab: a ϵ A, b ϵ B) is uniquely representable in the form ab, and also AB contains C. Given C, all such pairs (A, B) are found. The result is obtained in a slightly more general setting, and the pairs are replaced by arbitrarily large families.
SIMULATED ANNEALING AND PARALLEL PROCESSING: AN IMPLEMENTATION FOR CONSTRAINED GLOBAL DESIGN OPTIMIZATION

Global optimization becomes important as more and more complex designs are evaluated and optimized for superior performance. Often parametric designs are highly constrained, adding complexity to the design problem. In this work simulated annealing (SA), a stochastic global optimization technique, is implemented by augmenting it with a feasibility improvement scheme (FIS) that makes it possible to formulate and solve a constrained optimization problem without resorting to artificially modifying the objective function. The FIS is also found to help recover from the infeasible design space rapidly. The effectiveness of the improved algorithm is demonstrated by solving a welded beam design problem and a two part stamping optimization problem. Large scale practical design problems may prohibit the efficient use of computationally intensive iterative algorithms such as SA. Hence the FIS augmented SA algorithm is implemented on an Intel iPSC/860 parallel super-computer using a data parallel structure of the algo...
A sense sublime: Visual sociology as a fine art

(1995). A sense sublime: Visual sociology as a fine art. Visual Sociology: Vol. 10, Ten Years of Visual Sociology, pp. 61-84.
Hypervalent iodine oxidation of 5-substituted and 4,5-disubstituted pyrazol-3(2H)-ones: A facile synthesis of methyl-2-alkynoates and methyl 2,3-alkadienoates

Abstract Hypervalent iodine oxidation of various 5-substituted pyrazol-3(2H)-ones (1a-h) with iodobenzene diacetate or iodosobenzene in methanol results in fragmentative loss of molecular dinitrogen to yield methyl 2-alkynoates (2a-h). However, 5-methyl-4-substituted pyrazol-3(2H)-ones (3a-d) under similar conditions yield methyl 2,3-allenic esters (4a-d). Methyl 2,3-cycloalkadienoates (6a-e) are obtained by the oxidative cleavage of 4,5-polymethylene pyrazol-3(2H)-ones (5c-e) using iodobenzene diacetate or iodosobenzene in methanol. 5-Methyl-4,4-disubstituted pyrazol-3(2H)-ones (7a-b) were found not to undergo reaction under similar conditions. The scope and mechanism of these reactions are discussed.
Carcinoma in situ of the primate uterus: Comparative observations on the cervix of the crab-eating monkey, Macaca fascicularis, the endometrium of the chimpanzee, Pan troglodytes, and on similar lesions in the human patient☆

Abstract Two examples of preinvasive carcinoma of the nonhuman primate uterus are described and illustrated—an adenocarcinoma in situ of the endometrium in an aging chimpanzee ( Pan troglodytes ) and a squamous cell carcinoma in situ of the cervix in an aging crab-eating macaque ( Macaca fascicularis ). Both lesions are comparable in their morphology to those occurring in the human uterus. A review of the literature regarding these simian and human neoplasms is presented.
Fission of Uranium Nuclei in Flight at Relativistic Energies

The charge, mass, and energy spectra of clean binary fission events of /sup 238/U projectiles at energies up to 1 GeV/nucleon are presented. The inelastic interaction cross section and the cross section for the production of binary fission (50% of all interactions) are found to be constant over the entire energy range.
Preservation of biomolecules in breast cancer tissue by a formalin-free histology system

The potential problems associated with the use of formalin in histology, such as health hazards, degradation of RNA and cross-linking of proteins are well recognized. We describe the utilization of a formalin-free fixation and processing system for tissue detection of two important biopredictors in breast cancer – estrogen receptor and HER2 – at the RNA and protein levels. Parallel sections of 62 cases of breast cancer were fixed in an alcohol-based molecular fixative and in formalin. Molecular fixative samples were processed by a novel formalin-free microwave-assisted processing system that preserves DNA, RNA and proteins. Formalin-fixed samples were processed using the conventional method. Estrogen receptor was assessed by immunohistochemistry and real-time PCR. HER2 was assessed by immunohistochemistry, FISH, CISH and real-time PCR. The immunohistochemical reaction for estrogen receptor was similar in molecular- and formalin-fixed samples (Spearman Rank R = 0.83, p < 0.05). Also HER2 result was similar to that of formalin-fixed counterparts after elimination of antigen retrieval step (Spearman Rank R = 0.84, p < 0.05). The result of HER2 amplification by FISH and CISH was identical in the molecular fixative and formalin-fixed samples; although a shorter digestion step was required when using the former fixative. Real-time PCR for both estrogen receptor and HER2 were successful in all of the molecular fixative specimens. The formalin-free tissue fixation and processing system is a practical platform for evaluation of biomolecular markers in breast cancer and it allows reliable DNA and RNA and protein studies.