cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Expression of mitochondrial genes MT-ND1, MT-ND6, MT-CYB, MT-COI, MT-ATP6, and 12S/MT-RNR1 in colorectal adenopolyps

Despite improvements in treatment strategies, colorectal cancer (CRC) still has high mortality rates. Most CRCs develop from adenopolyps via the adenoma-carcinoma sequence. A mechanism for inhibition of this sequence in individuals with a high risk of developing CRC is urgently needed. Differential studies of mitochondrial (mt) gene expressions in the progressive stages of CRC with villous architecture are warranted to reveal early risk assessments and new targets for chemoprevention of the disease. In the present study, reverse transcription-quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) was used to determine the relative amount of the transcripts of six mt genes [MT-RNR1, MT-ND1, MT-COI, MT-ATP6, MT-ND6, and MT-CYB (region 648–15887)] which are involved in the normal metabolism of mitochondria. A total of 42 pairs of tissue samples obtained from colorectal adenopolyps, adenocarcinomas, and their corresponding adjacent normal tissues were examined. Additionally, electron transport chain (ETC), complexes I (NADH: ubiquinone oxidoreductase) and III (CoQH2-cytochrome C reductase), and carbonyl protein group contents were analyzed. Results indicate that there were differential expressions of the six mt genes and elevated carbonyl protein contents among the colorectal adenopolyps compared to their paired adjacent normal tissues (p < 0.05). The levels of complexes I and III were higher in tumor tissues relative to adjacent normal tissues. Noticeably, the expression of MT-COI was overexpressed in late colorectal carcinomas among all studied transcripts. Our data suggest that increased expressions in certain mt genes and elevated levels of ROS may potentially play a critical role in the colorectal tumors evolving from adenopolyps to malignant lesions.
Radioiodinated estrogens and antiestrogens as potential imaging agents.

In an earlier chapter, Dr. William McGuire reviewed studies demonstrating that estradiol is selectively taken up by certain mammary tumors in addition to other target tissues such as uterus and pituitary. It has been our goal for the past ten years to synthesize an agent labelled with a gamma-emitting nuclide that would mimic estradiol in this selective uptake process. Theoretically, such an agent would be a useful diagnostic agent in Nuclear Medicine for the imaging of estrogen responsive tissues and tumors.
Directional emission from a microdisk resonator caused by a linear defect

A microdisk resonator with a linear defect at some distance away from the circumference is studied theoretically. We demonstrate that the presence of the defect leads to (i) enhancement of the output efficiency, and (ii) directionality of the outgoing light. The angular dependence of the far field is given by a Lorentzian with a width that has a sharp minimum for a certain optimal orientation of the defect line.
Electronic Transport in Granular Metal Films

Granular metals are composites consisting of a random mixture of nanometer-sized metal and insulator grains. As a function of metal volume fraction, the structure and electrical properties of the granular metals can be divided into two regimes, separated by the percolation threshold. In the metal-rich regime, metal grains form a connected network, and electrical conduction is by electron percolation through the metallic channels. The physical basis and formulation of an effective-medium theory are described for the calculation of this percolative aspect of the electrical transport. The role of microstructure in the effective medium property is particularly emphasized. In the insulator-rich regimes, metal grains are dispersed in the matrix of the insulator. Electrical conduction in this dielectric regime is via the hopping mechanism, which is a term coined to denote the combination of thermal activation and tunneling. A critical-path method is presented to show that activation and tunneling, nominally independent, can actually couple to give a -ln σ ∝ T-α type of temperature dependence for the conductivity σ. For granular metals, the widely observed -ln σ ∝ 1 / √T behavior is ascribed to be an interpolation between the high-temperature activated behavior and the low-temperature α = 1/4 behavior. The alternative mechanism of the correlation gap is also discussed.
Integrating Non-Technological and Technological Peripheral Biofeedback in Counseling

Neurocounseling, the integration of neurobiology into the practice of counseling, is gaining attention and empirical support within the counseling field. Clients and clinical mental health counselors appear eager for effective mind–body tools that are accessible during, between, and beyond sessions. Peripheral biofeedback encompasses a host of such interventions, including technological (e.g., heart rate variability feedback) and non-technological (e.g., observation) approaches. Non-technological approaches are cost-effective tools that can enhance the efficacy of other counseling approaches and may serve to improve client outcomes. Integrating non-technological and technological peripheral biofeedback is a promising direction for clinical practice. In this article, the authors provide an overview of the key components of the stress-response system, the neurobiology of breath and self-regulation, and the related elements of peripheral biofeedback. The authors describe a case example, identify gaps in the ...
Somatosensory Evoked Potentials During Temporary Arterial Occlusion for Intracranial Aneurysm Surgery: Predictive Value for Perioperative Stroke.

Background Temporary arterial occlusion (TAO) is valuable for minimizing intraoperative rupture risk during intracranial aneurysm microsurgery; however, it may be associated with ischemic injury. This study aims to identify surgical and intraoperative neurophysiologic monitoring factors that predict perioperative stroke risk after TAO. Methods We performed a retrospective chart review of 177 intracranial aneurysm surgeries at our institution in which TAO was performed before placement of a permanent clip under monitoring with somatosensory evoked potentials (SSEPs) and electroencephalography. Perioperative stroke was defined as a new-onset neurologic deficit that developed within 24 hours postoperatively that was correlated with hypodensity on postoperative computed tomography. Results Ten (6%) patients developed perioperative stroke in the vascular territory of TAO. SSEP changes were observed in 50% (5/10) of patients with perioperative stroke and in 14% (24/167) of patients without stroke (P = 0.003). Mean maximum single-episode TAO duration for patients who developed perioperative stroke was 12.6 minutes (95% confidence interval 8.1–17.1) and TAO duration for patients without stroke was 8.0 minutes (95% confidence interval 7.3–8.7; P = 0.026). In patients with SSEP changes, risk of stroke was particularly elevated with unruptured aneurysms (P = 0.013) compared with patients with ruptured aneurysms. Temporary clip location, number of occlusive episodes, onset and duration of intraoperative neurophysiologic monitoring changes, and rupture status were not predictive of perioperative stroke. Conclusions SSEP changes and increased single-episode TAO duration are independently associated with increased perioperative stroke risk. SSEP changes are most predictive for perioperative stroke in unruptured cases.
The relation between the continuous and the discrete: A note on the first principles of speech dynamics

Abstract The goal of this paper is to show how dynamical theories of phonetics and phonology bridge the dualistic gap between discrete phonological descriptions and continuous phonetic descriptions. By delving into the first principles of dynamics, it is shown that dynamical theories do not assume separate sets of principles to describe discrete and continuous aspects of a system. Rather, the discrete description is shown to predict the continuous one, using the concept of a differential equation, which is thoroughly explained. Linear and nonlinear differential equations are introduced using a discrete approximation, and then used to show how phonological contrast has been accounted for using dynamical systems analysis. A dynamical recurrent neural network model of word formation is then discussed to show how linguistic plans for words are serialized and coordinated into motoric word plans for different articulatory systems in the vocal tract. Furthermore, it is shown that many aspects of the discrete, time-invariant phonological description can be predicted from observed variable continuous phonetic functions, using the principle of least squares and recurrent neural networks.
Bassini Repair of Inguinal Hernia

The modified Bassini repair involves high ligation of the hernia sac and reconstruction of the inguinal floor. It is performed for direct and indirect inguinal hernias, but has a higher rate of recurrence as compared to the Lichtenstein/mesh repair of inguinal hernia. This chapter describes indications, essential steps, variations, and complications of this procedure. It provides a detailed template operative note for the procedure.
Active Control of Burn Conditions for the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor

Work involving the selection and burn stability control of near-ignited operating points f or the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) is described. Using simple volume-averaged ...
Abstract 1063: Benefit from combination cancer therapy arising from patient-to-patient variability rather than additive or synergistic drug action

Combination cancer therapy is an important means to increase rates and durability of drug response. Superior responses to combination therapies are commonly interpreted as evidence that individual tumors respond more strongly to a combination than to a monotherapy, and combinations are often developed based on pre-clinical observations of drug additivity or synergy. Here we explore an alternative hypothesis, namely that combination therapy can confer benefit simply by providing multiple chances of an above-average response to monotherapy. The benefit conferred by two-drug combination therapy in human clinical trials and PDX animals was compared with a model of independent drug action postulating that net response in each patient equals the better of two potential responses to drugs given individually with no benefit from the second agent. Data were derived from clinical trials of drug combinations in melanoma, ovarian, colorectal, pancreatic, and breast cancers treated with immunotherapies, chemotherapies and inhibitors of kinases, growth factor receptors, angiogenesis, and DNA repair enzymes; as well as analysis of 4,500 drug response measurements in patient-derived tumor xenografts, and a first-principles model of tumor kinetics and variability in drug response. A majority of approved combination cancer therapies analyzed confer benefits consistent with independent drug action. This benefit arises from high inter-subject variability, which can be assessed from clinical trials, and low correlation in responsiveness to different drugs, assessed from PDX studies. In a minority of cases responses exceed this expectation, sometimes dramatically, and are likely to represent true drug interaction. Therefore, independent drug action, without any assumption about additive or synergistic effects, provides a sufficient and more parsimonious explanation for the superiority of many clinically approved combination cancer therapies and changes how such data are interpreted mechanistically. Optimization of independent action also provides an alternative means for designing new drug combinations. Citation Format: Adam C. Palmer, Peter K. Sorger. Benefit from combination cancer therapy arising from patient-to-patient variability rather than additive or synergistic drug action [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2017; 2017 Apr 1-5; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2017;77(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 1063. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2017-1063
Avoided Deforestation Linked to Environmental Registration of Properties in the Brazilian Amazon

We quantified the avoided deforestation impacts of environmental land registration in Brazil's Amazonian states of Mato Grosso and Para between 2005 and 2014. We find that the program reduced deforestation on registered lands. The magnitude of the effect implies that deforestation in the two states would have been 10% higher in the absence of the program. The impacts of registration varied over time, likely due to multiple policies linking environmental registration to land use incentives. Our results also reveal that agriculturally suitable lands and those located in regions undergoing the most land-use change were more likely to be registered than those in less suitable, less dynamic regions. We conclude that environmental registration is an important first step to implement avoided deforestation policies targeting private landholders. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved
Identifying functionally informative evolutionary sequence profiles

Motivation Multiple sequence alignments (MSAs) can provide essential input to many bioinformatics applications, including protein structure prediction and functional annotation. However, the optimal selection of sequences to obtain biologically informative MSAs for such purposes is poorly explored, and has traditionally been performed manually. Results We present Selection of Alignment by Maximal Mutual Information (SAMMI), an automated, sequence-based approach to objectively select an optimal MSA from a large set of alternatives sampled from a general sequence database search. The hypothesis of this approach is that the mutual information among MSA columns will be maximal for those MSAs that contain the most diverse set possible of the most structurally and functionally homogeneous protein sequences. SAMMI was tested to select MSAs for functional site residue prediction by analysis of conservation patterns on a set of 435 proteins obtained from protein-ligand (peptides, nucleic acids and small substrates) and protein-protein interaction databases. Availability and implementation: A freely accessible program, including source code, implementing SAMMI is available at https://github.com/nelsongil92/SAMMI.git. Contact andras.fiser@einstein.yu.edu. Supplementary information Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Sinusoidal Steady State

In many of the engineering devices to be studied in this book, there are time-varying or moving magnetic fluxes. For continuous operation, a time variation must be periodic, and this means usually sinusoidal. Any departure from this ideal waveshape can be, if necessary, taken into account by the principle of the Fourier series. That is, periodic waveshapes must be composed of sinusoids, called fundamentals and harmonics, and the harmonics can be disregarded if they are small enough, or else they can be considered separately.
Moving Toward Genome-Scale Kinetic Models: The Mass Action Stoichiometric Simulation Approach

Kinetic models are used to describe cellular metabolism. Traditional models are based on enzymatic information obtained from in vitro experiments. In vitro data is inaccurate for in vivo modeling and is difficult to scale to large metabolic networks. Due to the impeding availability of metabolomic and fluxomic data types, we present an alternative kinetic modeling approach. Mass action stoichiometric simulation (MASS) models are scalable kinetic models that detail in vivo metabolic transformations. MASS formulation is a “middle-out” approach involving the use of a genome-scale metabolic network as a scaffold to map fluxomic and metabolomic measurements. Multiple binding states of enzymes can be explicitly added to account for regulatory effects. There are practical challenges with data completeness and quality of MASS models, but they do represent scalable kinetic models that exhibit biological properties such as time scale decomposition and account for regulation.
Local atomic structure of alpha-Pu

The local atomic structure of \ensuremath{\alpha}-Pu was investigated using x-ray absorption fine structure (XAFS) spectroscopy. XAFS spectra were obtained for a zone-refined \ensuremath{\alpha}-Pu and the results were compared to 32-year-old and Ce-doped (0.34 at. %) samples. X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns were also measured for the zone-refined and 32-year-old materials. The extent of the Bragg peaks showed that amorphization of the 32-year-old sample had not occurred despite the prolonged exposure to self-radiation. Analogous to metastable \ensuremath{\delta}-Pu alloys, the local atomic structure around Pu for the zone-refined material shows the possible presence of noncrystallographic Pu-Pu distances. Conversely, the Ce and the 32-year-old sample show no evidence for such noncrystallographic distances. Disorder in the Pu local environment was found to be impurity dependent. The Ce-doped sample presented a larger Pu-Pu nearest neighbor disorder than the aged sample, although the total amount of Am, U, and He impurities was actually higher in the aged sample. The local environment around U and Ce impurities is consistent with these elements being in substitutional lattice sites. In addition, U and Ce do not introduce significant lattice distortion to their nearest neighbors. This is consistent with disorder being more related to the perturbation of the coupling between the electronic and crystal structure, or the Peierls--Jahn-Teller distortion that generates the monoclinic \ensuremath{\alpha}-Pu structure, and less to strain fields produced in the vicinity of the impurities.
Environmental Refugees: The Growing Challenge

In a world of rapid change and political confrontation, what are the implications of ‘forced’ migrations and the flight from degraded ecosystems? Environmental and, in many cases, population pressures combine to make many regions of the planet both unproductive and uninhabitable, and the total number of conventional and environmental refugees is becoming a global problem. This chapter discusses the challenge of environmental refugees in the context of a typology that differentiates between 1) eco-metabolism or ecosystemic changes, including land degradation, soil exhaustion, desertification, and sea-level rise; 2) human-induced disasters, including industrial disasters, deforestation, deterioration of major watersheds, and effects of public projects; 3) eco-political upheavals, including revolutions, collapse of regimes, ‘Balkanization’, and shifting or fading frontiers; and 4) socio-economic dislocations, including collapse of expectations, shifts in the international economy, and inappropriate development strategies. Responses to this challenge involve integrated, proactive approaches, the promotion of sustainable development, guaranteeing security, and stabilizing the ecosystem to avoid further environmental deterioration.
Metals, Metalloids and Genetic Stability

Data obtained from epidemiological studies in humans and from experimental studies using animal models have demonstrated that some metal and metalloid compounds are carcinogenic. These studies stimulated investigations to determine the mechanism(s) by which metal and metalloid compounds are carcinogenic. As with any field of science, many mechanisms have been proposed. Over the years some have been disproven, and others have been modified, but we do not know the mechanisms by which metal and metalloid ions induce carcinogenesis. Initial studies in metal carcinogenesis focused on the genotoxic activity of the metal and metalloid compounds. While there are many studies demonstrating the genotoxic activity of many metal compounds, it has not been possible to establish a establish a causal relationship between the genotoxic activity of a metal or metalloid compound and carcinogenesis. There are many reasons why this has not been possible to establish this relationship. These reasons include the lack of appropriate animal models, the lack of techniques that possess the sensitivity and accuracy to demonstrate small by significant changes in cellular metabolism, a lack of knowledge concerning doseresponse effects of metal and metalloid ions in cells and a lack of knowledge concerning the effects of multiple exposures on multiple biological processes.
Simulation of three material partial volume averaging in a software breast phantom

A general case for simulation of partial volume (PV) averaging in software breast phantoms is presented. PV simulation could improve the quality of phantom images by reducing quantization artifacts near borders between different materials. The validity of phantom studies depends on the realism of simulated images, which is affected by the size of phantom voxels. Large voxels may cause notable quantization artifacts; small voxels, however, extend the generation time and increase the memory requirements. An improvement in image quality without reducing voxel size is achievable by the simulation of PV averaging in voxels containing more than one simulated tissue type; the linear x-ray attenuation coefficient of such voxels is represented by a combination of attenuation coefficients proportional to voxel subvolumes occupied by different tissues. In this paper, we present results of simulated PV in the general case of voxels containing up to three materials.
The national bureau of standards 4πβ-γ coincidence-counting and γ-ray intercomparator automatic sample changers

Abstract Instruments of very simple and somewhat novel design will be described. The 4 π β - gg changer holds from 1 to 30 carriers of sources, each of which can be counted for any present number, up to ten, of counting periods. The γ-ray changer accomodates from one to 24 source carriers. In comparing γ-ray source count rates, the detector-to-source distances for individual sources are carefully controlled.
Unrequited Toil: A History of United States Slavery

Written as a narrative history of slavery within the United States, Unrequited Toil details how an institution that seemed to be disappearing at the end of the American Revolution rose to become the most contested and valuable economic interest in the nation by 1850. Calvin Schermerhorn charts changes in the family lives of enslaved Americans, exploring the broader processes of nation-building in the United States, growth and intensification of national and international markets, the institutionalization of chattel slavery, and the growing relevance of race in the politics and society of the republic. In chapters organized chronologically, Schermerhorn argues that American economic development relied upon African Americans' social reproduction while simultaneously destroying their intergenerational cultural continuity. He explores the personal narratives of enslaved people and develops themes such as politics, economics, labor, literature, rebellion, and social conditions.
An easy-to-use method for preparing paint cross sections

ABSTRACTThe optimized method for preparing paint cross sections described here advances our understanding of the structure of multilayered modern and contemporary paintings. Conducted in micrometer...
Center of pressure metrics derived from spatially registered typically developing data.

Abstract Background Pedobarography is a commonly used testing procedure in clinical gait analysis, yet has limited roles in quantification for treatment planning, outcome assessment, and classification. Spatial registration between plantar pressure and motion capture data allows for accurate quantitative assessment and metric development based on a typically developing cohort. Research question This study assesses the validity of new center of pressure based metrics of anatomically registered pedobarography data by evaluating kinematic relationships over a broad spectrum of feet and by evaluating the sensitivity of these metrics to pathologies, interventions, and outcomes in two common clinical foot pathologies. Methods 3D trajectories from retroreflective markers were recorded to establish a single foot axis simultaneous with plantar pressure mat data spatially calibrated to a global coordinate system. Indices for clinical populations were determined as mediolateral (MLI, |MLI|, MFI) and anteroposterior (API, |API|) deviations of center of pressure excursions from typically developing feet. 198 feet were retrospectively identified to evaluate relationships between mediolateral (ML) indices and foot kinematics over a spectrum of foot pathologies. Additional feet from two broad pathologic foot types, planovalgus (PV) and cavovarus (CV), were assessed pre and post-surgery to determine sensitivity to pathology, surgical intervention, and outcomes. Results ML indices and supination were highly correlated (r2 > 0.5). Two mediolateral indices (MLI, MFI) and one anteroposterior index (|API|) demonstrated significant differences between typical and PV feet, with the MFI index also exhibiting significant improvement with surgery. All three mediolateral indices and |API| demonstrated differences between typical and cavovarus feet, with |API| significantly improving with surgery. Changes in API also correlated with patient goals. Significance Spatial registration between plantar pressure center of pressure and motion capture data allows calculation of indices that reflect foot function and are sensitive to foot pathologies and treatment outcomes.
Sources of Separated Isotopes for Nuclear Targetry

The use of enriched isotopes in all branches of nuclear research, including physics, chemistry, medicine, and engineering, has continued to develop and expand since they first became available. The specific benefit derived from the use of separated isotopes is, obviously, dependent on the nature of the experiment and on the particular effect under investigation. Enumeration of the varied applications of enriched stable and long-lived radioisotopes is beyond the scope of this article. However, in a broad sense, enriched isotopes increase the “signal-to-noise” ratio in many investigations and, in the case of isotopes with very small natural abundances, may be the only practical way of performing a meaningful experiment or obtaining a radioisotope with a high specific activity.
Computed Tomography Imaging of BioComposite Interference Screw After ACL Reconstruction With Bone-Patellar Tendon-Bone Graft.

Background:Bioabsorbable interference screws tend to have high resorption rates after anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction; however, no studies have examined screws composed of 30% bipha...
Youth suicide risk screening in an outpatient child abuse clinic

PROBLEM Child abuse is an important independent risk factor for suicide. The purpose of the project was to evaluate the implementation of a universal suicide risk screening and assessment tool in an outpatient child abuse evaluation clinic. METHODS Participants consisted of all patients between the ages of 10 and 18 years who received services at the study site within a 3-month period (n = 162). The study site implemented a tool created for the sole purpose of detecting suicide risk, the Ask Suicide-Screening Questions (ASQ) tool. Data was retrospectively collected using electronic health records; rates of compliance with screening and screen positive rates were calculated. FINDINGS Suicide risk screening with the ASQ was conducted on 90.7% (147) of the patients. Forty-three (29.2%) patients screened positive for suicide risk. This is a significant increase in detection rates compared to baseline preimplementation data. Of the 67 preteens, 10-12 years of age, that were screened, 14.9% (10/67) screened positive for suicide risk, making up 23% of the positive screens. CONCLUSIONS Implementing a universal suicide risk screening tool was a successful strategy for detecting suicide risk. A quarter of the youth who screened positive on the ASQ were preteens, highlighting the importance of screening the 10- to 12-year olds for suicide risk.
Cell Type Specific Control of Basolateral Amygdala Plasticity Via Entorhinal Cortex Driven Feedforward Inhibition

The basolateral amygdala (BLA) plays a vital role in associating sensory stimuli with salient valence information. Excitatory principal neurons (PNs) undergo plastic changes to encode this association; however, local BLA inhibitory interneurons (INs) gate PN plasticity via feedforward inhibition (FFI). Despite literature implicating parvalbumin expressing (PV+) INs in FFI in cortex and hippocampus, prior anatomical experiments in BLA implicate somatostatin expressing (Sst+) INs. The lateral entorhinal cortex (LEC), a brain region carrying olfactory information, projects to BLA where it drives FFI. In the present study, we asked whether LEC input mediates plasticity in BLA and explored the role of interneurons in this circuit. We combined patch clamp electrophysiology, chemogenetics, unsupervised cluster analysis, and predictive modeling and found that a previously unreported subpopulation of fast-spiking Sst+ INs mediate LEC→BLA FFI and gate plasticity. Our study raises the question whether this circuit is involved in plasticity in olfactory learning.
Risk‐Based Decision Making for Reoccupation of Contaminated Areas Following a Wide‐Area Anthrax Release

This article presents an analysis of postattack response strategies to mitigate the risks of reoccupying contaminated areas following a release of Bacillus anthracis spores (the bacterium responsible for causing anthrax) in an urban setting. The analysis is based on a hypothetical attack scenario in which individuals are exposed to B. anthracis spores during an initial aerosol release and then placed on prophylactic antibiotics that successfully protect them against the initial aerosol exposure. The risk from reoccupying buildings contaminated with spores due to their reaerosolization and inhalation is then evaluated. The response options considered include: decontamination of the buildings, vaccination of individuals reoccupying the buildings, extended evacuation of individuals from the contaminated buildings, and combinations of these options. The study uses a decision tree to estimate the costs and benefits of alternative response strategies across a range of exposure risks. Results for best estimates of model inputs suggest that the most cost-effective response for high-risk scenarios (individual chance of infection exceeding 11%) consists of evacuation and building decontamination. For infection risks between 4% and 11%, the preferred option is to evacuate for a short period, vaccinate, and then reoccupy once the vaccine has taken effect. For risks between 0.003% and 4%, the preferred option is to vaccinate only. For risks below 0.003%, none of the mitigation actions have positive expected monetary benefits. A sensitivity analysis indicates that for high-infection-likelihood scenarios, vaccination is recommended in the case where decontamination efficacy is less than 99.99%.
Control of Expression of the l-Arabinose Operon in Temperature-Sensitive Mutants of Gene araC in Escherichia coli B/r

Expression of the l-arabinose operon in Escherichia coli B/r is dependent on the temperature of growth of the araC mutants reported in this paper. Analysis of these temperature-sensitive regulatory mutants indicates that both repressor and activator activities are thermolabile. The simplest model to explain the manner in which the operon is controlled is one suggesting that the regulatory gene, araC, codes for a protein which upon synthesis acts as a repressor molecule and prevents operon function. When inducer is added, the repressor undergoes a conformational shift and becomes an activator which switches on enzyme synthesis, provided the repressor concentration is reduced to a sufficiently low level in the cell. These data lend strong support to the model that both activities are the result of the same gene product.
Global Leadership in a Changing World

The world is changing around organizations on a daily basis. Innovations in technology, new ways of doing business, emerging markets, globalization, and more are increasing the need for leaders to deal with change directly. Change within organizations is difficult enough without the added dimension of a global context. Issues such as culture, language and geographical context are just a few of the many obstacles that can be faced by leaders when attempting to affect change globally. This paper will deal directly with the issue of leading change in a global context. Examining the cultural and contextual factors involved in global leadership will allow for a deeper understanding of both the similarities and differences that exist between global and domestic change. In order to examine this topic, literature will be reviewed from both global leadership and change leadership theorists. Finally, this paper will examine the change model proposed by Black and Gregersen (2008) within the context of the Eastern European country of Ukraine.
A rapid method for the measurement of sulfur hexafluoride (SF6), trifluoromethyl sulfur pentafluoride (SF5CF3), and Halon 1211 (CF2ClBr) in hydrologic tracer studies

A rapid headspace method for the simultaneous laboratory determination of intentionally introduced hydrologic tracers, sulfur hexafluoride (SF6), trifluoromethyl sulfur pentafluoride (SF5CF3), Halon 1211 (CF2ClBr), and other halocarbons in water and gases is described. The high sensitivity of the procedure allows for introduction of minimal tracer mass (a few grams) into hydrologic systems with a large dynamic range of analytical detection (dilutions to 1:108). Analysis times by gas chromatography with electron capture detector are less than 1 min for SF6; about 2 min for SF6 and SF5CF3; and 4 min for SF6, SF5CF3, and Halon 1211. Many samples can be rapidly collected, preserved in stoppered septum bottles, and analyzed at a later time in the laboratory. Examples are provided showing the effectiveness of the gas tracer test studies in varied hydrogeological settings.
Generic equivalence of dermatologic products. How equivalent is equivalent

More and more pharmaceutical products are becoming available under the generic designation as patents for their brand-name counterparts expire. Although some generic products are exact duplicates of the brand-name drug, others may vary with regard to their inactive ingredients or in other ways. Sometimes these allowable variations in product formulation are clinically significant for certain individuals. Therefore it is important for both the prescriber and the dispenser of medication to recognize potential differences in marketed products so that a truly equivalent preparation can be provided when a generic substitution is made. This article chronicles a case in which miscommunication and noncommunication led to the suboptimal treatment of a skin disease with a generic "equivalent." Suggestions are made for improving interprofessional communication so that the patient's needs are served to the maximum degree. (J Am Acad Dermatol 1987;16:1068-70.)
It's time employees had more say in evaluating their supervisors

Purpose – This paper aims to advance the view that employees should be allowed to evaluate their supervisors, with a review of these evaluations by the next level of management.Design/methodology/approach – Draws on reflections from a workshop in which members of the workforce shared their concerns about the arbitrariness of supervisors in judging their performance, and these employees' lack of power and influence to critique the supervisor's performance in return.Findings – Shows that, even in workplaces that claim to have initiated mechanisms for employees to evaluate their supervisors, these often fall short, either because employees have to place their names on their evaluations or because supervisors hand pick the employees who take part.Practical implications – Contends that reciprocal reviews would improve the performance of supervisors.Originality/value – Details a useful role for HR in the reciprocal‐review process.
IRESC: Reservoir Characterization

Reservoir characterization plays a crucial role in modern reservoir management. It helps to make sound reservoir decisions and improves the asset value of the oil and gas companies. It maximizes integration of multi-disciplinary data and knowledge and improves the reliability of the reservoir predictions. The ultimate product is a reservoir model with realistic tolerance for imprecision and uncertainty. Soft computing aims to exploit such a tolerance for solving practical problems. In reservoir characterization, these intelligent techniques can be used for uncertainty analysis, risk assessment, data fusion and data mining which are applicable to feature extraction from seismic attributes, well logging, reservoir mapping and engineering. The main goal is to integrate soft data such as geological data with hard data such as 3D seismic and production data to build a reservoir and stratigraphic model. While some individual methodologies (esp. neurocomputing) have gained much popularity during the past few years, the true benefit of soft computing lies on the integration of its constituent methodologies rather than use in isolation.
Moving the Goalposts

They call the convention facility in St. Louis "America's Center." Anything near the Mis? sissippi River counts, I suppose, as lying near the middle of the country. When I stepped outside the convention center during a break in the American Physical Society meeting this past March, I felt myself occupying a different center, a midpoint in time. Directly across the street stood the boarded-up remains of the old Statler-Hilton Hotel, a site that lives in my personal scrapbook. I presented my first scientific paper there in March 1963, as a graduate student attending the same an? nual meeting of the same society. Now, as I mused on my past, the present and the future were being spelled out inside the center?a present and fu? ture that look less inviting than they once did for physics and for all science. Conferences like the March Meeting of the American Physical Society represent the future in a field of science. They are where the next gen? eration, those who are about to receive their de? grees or who have just done so, seek work. The March Meeting brings together thousands of physicists who study solid and liquid matter, the largest subgroup in physics. Traditionally it is at? tended by hordes of graduate students, many of whom present a paper, as I did in 1963, and then begin the search for a position and a career. In 1963, of course, memories of the 1957 Soviet Sputnik launch and the 1961 space ride by Yuri Gagarin were fresh. Science was a national priori? ty, and young scientists and engineers felt favored. That motivated us as we slogged toward a degree, for we could confidently expect to earn a living while doing what we loved. The dream of a re? warding life in science has had its ups and downs since then, but projections always showed that the economy needed scientifically trained people. Now in 1996 it is unclear how much science, and how many scientists, society really needs. In physics, we produce annually twice as many new Ph.D/s?about 1,400?as there are openings. Tenure-track positions are lacking; technically ori
Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease Review: Diagnosis, Treatment, and Outcomes

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the most common cause of abnormal serum aminotransferase levels in both developed and developing countries. Patients with nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), a subset of NAFLD, are at risk for progressive liver disease and in need of effective treatment options. A practical approach may be pursued by identifying patients with NAFLD with the highest likelihood for histologic evidence of NASH. Despite decades of clinical trials, no single treatment can be recommended to all patients with NASH. Importantly, there is no evidence that pioglitazone or vitamin E improves fibrosis. Bariatric surgeries may improve hepatic histology in morbidly obese patients with NASH, although randomized clinical trials are lacking. Currently, NASH is the second leading etiology of liver disease among adults awaiting liver transplantation in the United States. The primary and secondary prevention of NAFLD may require aggressive strategies for managing obesity, diabetes, and metabolic syndrome.
The Saccharomyces cerevisiae SPR1 gene encodes a sporulation-specific exo-1,3-beta-glucanase which contributes to ascospore thermoresistance.

Abstract A number of genes have been shown to be transcribed specifically during sporulation in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, yet their developmental function is unknown. The SPR1 gene is transcribed during only the late stages of sporulation. We have sequenced the SPR1 gene and found that it has extensive DNA and protein sequence homology to the S. cerevisiae EXG1 gene which encodes an exo-1,3-beta-glucanase expressed during vegetative growth (C. R. Vasquez de Aldana, J. Correa, P. San Segundo, A. Bueno, A. R. Nebrada, E. Mendez, and F. del Ray, Gene 97:173-182, 1991). We show that spr1 mutant cells do not hydrolyze p-nitrophenyl-beta-D-glucoside or laminarin in a whole-cell assay for exo-1,3-beta-glucanases. In addition to the absence of this enzymatic activity, spr1 mutant spores exhibit reduced thermoresistance relative to isogenic wild-type spores. These observations are consistent with the notion that SPR1 encodes a sporulation-specific exo-1,3-beta-glucanase.
Isotopic signature of nitrate in river waters of the lower Mississippi and its distributary, the Atchafalaya

Periodic summer hypoxia occurring in the Northern Gulf of Mexico has been attributed to large nutrient inputs, especially nitrate-nitrogen, from the Mississippi–Atchafalaya River system. The 2008 Gulf Hypoxia Action Plan calls for river corridor wetland restoration to reduce nitrate loads, but it is largely unknown how effective riverine wetland systems in the lower Mississippi River are for nitrate removal. We carried out an intensive isotope study to address this question by comparing nitrate isotopic signatures of the well-channelized Mississippi River with those of the Atchafalaya River, which has extensive floodplains and backwater swamps. We investigated changes in δ15NNO3 and δ18ONO3 for water samples collected biweekly to monthly over a 2-year period at the Atchafalaya River outlets (Morgan City and Wax Lake) and on the Mississippi River at Baton Rouge. In addition, in situ water quality parameters including temperature, dissolved oxygen and pH were recorded for each sampling date. Waters from both rivers showed moderately high nitrate concentration (>1 mg l−1) and undetectable (< 0.01 mg l−1) nitrite throughout the study period. The Mississippi River had slightly, but significantly higher (p=0.01) mean nitrate concentrations (1.5 mg l−1) and higher δ15NNO3 (7.7‰) than the Atchafalaya (1.1 mg l−1, 7.0‰); while no difference in δ18ONO3 (4.6‰) was found between the rivers. Flux-weighted mean isotope values were overall lower than mean values for both the Mississippi and Atchafalaya Rivers, with a greater difference between the two rivers (7.4‰ versus 6.5‰, respectively). River flooding and hurricane storm surge also appeared to affect nitrate isotopic values. The lack of large difference in isotopic values between the Atchafalaya and Mississippi Rivers suggests that the majority of nitrate is transported through the Atchafalaya River with relatively little processing, and that riverine floodplains and wetlands are not effective sinks for nitrate, as previously assumed, because of insufficient residence time and well-oxygenated river waters. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Use and Duration of Chemotherapy in Patients With Metastatic Breast Cancer According to Tumor Subtype and Line of Therapy

Benefits of chemotherapy vary in patients with metastatic breast cancer (MBC). This article describes the impact of tumor subtype and the line of therapy on the duration of chemotherapy. Clinicopathologic characteristics were extracted from the medical records of 199 consecutive patients with MBC at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and analyzed according to subtype. Tumor subtypes were classified as hormone receptor (HR)-positive, triple-negative (TNBC), or HER2-amplified breast cancer. Duration of chemotherapy of each line was defined as the start of a chemotherapy regimen to the start of the next line of therapy as a result of progression or toxicity. There were 96, 44, and 59 patients with HR(+), TNBC, and HER2-amplified breast cancer, respectively. Median age at MBC diagnosis was 53 years. Median overall survivals were 32 and 54 months for HER2-amplified disease, 36 months for HR(+) breast cancer, and 17 months for TNBC (P<.0001). Patients with HER2-amplified disease received the most lines (median, 4; P=.032) and the longest duration of chemotherapy for every line. The median duration of chemotherapy in HER2-amplified patients remained at more than 4 months even out to sixth-line therapy. Patients with TNBC tended to receive the shortest duration of chemotherapy for every line of therapy. Tumor subtypes influence the number of lines, duration of chemotherapy, and survival. Among patients with HR(+) and HER2-amplified disease who undergo chemotherapy beyond the third line, substantial rates of prolonged therapies suggest clinical benefit. The role of advanced (greater than third) chemotherapy lines in improving survival of all patients with MBC warrants further study.
The Health Security Partnership: A Federal-State Universal Insurance and Cost-Containment Program

The Health Security Partnership attempts to assure (1) that all Americans have insurance coverage for a set of comprehensive health care benefits, (2) that cost-containment issues are addressed in a manner that does not impinge negatively on the quality of care, and (3) that provider freedom to deliver appropriate clinical care is strengthened. It assigns important responsibilities to the federal government (eg, specification of benefits, review of proposed state health care budgets), while permitting states to select, develop, and administer specific program design features they deem appropriate (eg, states could build on and expand the existing health system infrastructure, including private insurance, and/or extend the role of tax-supported programs). It is estimated that in its first year the program would add about 5% to America's health expenditures, but within a few years, cost-containment efforts and administrative efficiencies would reduce overall expenditures below what they otherwise would be. (JAMA. 1991;265:2555-2558)