cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Hemangioblastoma diagnosis and surveillance in von Hippel-Lindau disease: a consensus statement

Objective Hemangioblastomas are a frequent underlying cause of neurological morbidity and death in patients with von Hippel-Lindau disease (VHL). Although these benign tumors can cause significant neurological debility when undetected and untreated, unified evidence-based surveillance recommendations for VHL patients have not been established. To develop consensus recommendations, the VHL Alliance established an expert committee, named the International VHL Surveillance Guidelines Consortium, to define surveillance recommendations. Methods The Central Nervous System (CNS) Hemangioblastoma Subcommittee of the Guidelines Consortium was formed as a multidisciplinary team of experts in the diagnosis and management of hemangioblastomas. Recommendations were formulated using the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) and National Comprehensive Cancer Network Categories of Evidence and Consensus categorization after a comprehensive literature review. Results Published studies (n = 49) that discussed age at onset, MRI frequency, natural history of VHL, and the risks and benefits of surveillance were analyzed. Based on this analysis, the authors recommend that clinical evaluation (yearly) be used as the primary screening tool for hemangioblastomas in VHL. The subcommittee suggests that screening be performed between the ages of 11 and 65 years, or with the onset of symptoms, for synchronicity with other testing regimens in VHL. The subcommittee also recommends that baseline MRI be first performed at the age of 11 years (suggested 2B, level of evidence D) or after identification of neurological symptoms or signs (if earlier) and continue every 2 years (recommended 2A, level of evidence A). Conclusions The CNS Hemangioblastoma Subcommittee of the International VHL Surveillance Guidelines Consortium here proposes guidelines that aim to increase the early detection of VHL-associated hemangioblastomas to reduce their morbidity and mortality.
Potential Financial Implications of Substituting Cognitive Medicine for Technical Radiation Oncology Billing Services.

Abstract Respected authors recommend broadening the radiation oncology (RO) scope-of-practice by taking more responsibility for the general medical care of our patients, directing the delivery of systemic cancer treatments that avoid the high toxicity of cytotoxic chemotherapy, managing palliative care, and supervising inpatient services for brachytherapy cases and problems related to radiation toxicity. The purpose of these changes is to increase RO involvement in clinical decision making, and to avoiding becoming pigeon-holed as technicians instead of oncologists. There are no data estimating the financial implications of substituting traditional radiation oncology practice with that of an expanded clinical role. We sought to fill this void with a general proof-of-principle analysis based on current benchmark data. To determine the RVUs of a blended radiation oncology practice, we selected the specialties of general internal medicine, hospital medicine, and palliative care as these fields most closely match the scope of the broadened clinical roles which supporters of a more diversified radiation oncology practice typically advocate. To estimate the financial implications of a blended radiation oncology practice, we retrieved salary data by specialty and academic rank from the Clinical Practice Solutions Center report of annual RVU generation and the American Association of Medical Colleges annual faculty salary survey. For an assistant professor, this simulation estimates an 11 to 15% decrease in RVU generation for the median assistant professor operating with a 20% blended practice which, in turn, translates to a 7 to 9% decrease in total salary. The calculations for full professor demonstrate a similar decrease in total salary of approximately 8 to 9%.
The B12-independent glycerol dehydratase activating enzyme from Clostridium butyricum cleaves SAM to produce 5'-deoxyadenosine and not 5'-deoxy-5'-(methylthio)adenosine.

Abstract Glycerol dehydratase activating enzyme (GD-AE) is a radical S-adenosyl- l -methionine (SAM) enzyme that installs a catalytically essential amino acid backbone radical onto glycerol dehydratase in bacteria under anaerobic conditions. Although GD-AE is closely homologous to other radical SAM activases that have been shown to cleave the S-C(5′) bond of SAM to produce 5′-deoxyadenosine (5’-dAdoH) and methionine, GD-AE from Clostridium butyricum has been reported to instead cleave the S-C(γ) bond of SAM to yield 5′-deoxy-5′-(methylthio)adenosine (MTA). Here we re-investigate the SAM cleavage reaction catalyzed by GD-AE and show that it produces the widely observed 5’-dAdoH, and not the less conventional product MTA.
Adipocyte activation of cancer stem cell signaling in breast cancer

Signaling within the tumor microenvironment has a critical role in cancer initiation and progression. Adipocytes, one of the major components of the breast microenvironment, have been shown to provide pro-tumorigenic signals that promote cancer cell proliferation and invasiveness in vitro and tumorigenicity in vivo. Adipocyte secreted factors such as leptin and interleukin-6 (IL-6) have a paracrine effect on breast cancer cells. In adipocyte-adjacent breast cancer cells, the leptin and IL-6 signaling pathways activate janus kinase 2/signal transducer and activator of transcription 5, promoting the epithelial-mesenchymal transition, and upregulating stemness regulators such as Notch, Wnt and the Sex determining region Y-box 2/octamer binding transcription factor 4/Nanog signaling axis. In this review we will summarize the major signaling pathways that regulate cancer stem cells in breast cancer and describe the effects that adipocyte secreted IL-6 and leptin have on breast cancer stem cell signaling. Finally we will introduce a new potential treatment paradigm of inhibiting the adipocyte-breast cancer cell signaling via targeting the IL-6 or leptin pathways.
Waste Not, Want Not: Economic and Legal Challenges of Regulation-Induced Changes in Waste Technology and Management

Beginning in the early 1990s, stricter government regulation to protect public health and the environment led to radical changes in waste technology and management in the United States. More stringent regulation induced wholly new technologies, including the lining of landfills, the control of their gas emissions, and changes in the economic scale and geographic location of operation. Economic integration of waste management transformed “the local dump” into a nationwide and modernized industry. These changes led to unprecedented intervention by local government in attempts to control price, quantity, and location-specific attributes of the $40 billion waste market. Regulatory-induced changes in markets have long been a topic of academic and policy interest, but unique in this case was the emergence of legal challenges - under the dormant commerce clause - concerning public governance and the private sector. This paper reviews the regulation-induced changes in the market, its subnational governmental interventions, and protection of interstate commerce when new technology restructures a local service into a national business.
The Tetrahymena Conjugation Junction

Those who study ciliates have struggled over the years to establish a place in the pantheon of model organisms.1 Eukaryotic cell biologists have turned profitably to yeast models for the powerful genetic tools at their disposal, while developmental biologists have cultivated a gallery of metazoan embryos with contributions from the plant and fungal worlds. Yet ciliates continue to contribute to fundamental aspects of both cell biology and development, often by extreme example, and among the ciliates, Tetrahymena has emerged as one of the stars.
An analysis of coordinated and non-coordinated medium access control protocols under channel noise

In this paper, we present an analysis of the effects of channel noise on the performance of coordinated and non-coordinated MAC protocols. In order to observe the degradation in the performance of a coordinated MAC protocol (MH-TRACE) with increasing BER level, we created an analytical model to estimate MH-TRACE'S performance. This analytical model is validated through simulation experiments. Our results show that despite its higher level of vulnerability, the coordinated MAC protocol's performance loss is comparable to the performance loss of the non-coordinated MAC protocol (IEEE 802.11) for low to mid BER levels (i.e., BER <10-4). On the other hand, for extremely high BER levels (i.e., BER ges10-4) the performance loss of the coordinated MAC protocol is comparatively higher than the performance loss of the non-coordinated MAC protocol due to its dependence on control traffic, which is also affected by the BER level
ECOME: a simple model for an evolving consumption web

ECOME is an interactive, graph-based model for simulating an evolving, closed consumption web. It demonstrates the fundamental behavior of a global ecosystem over evolutionary time using well-established ecological/evolutionary principles. Nodes in the graph send biomass along weighted, directed edges. New nodes evolve by speciation and disappear when biomass (i.e. population) shrinks to zero. Consumption rates, predator/prey relationships, and speciation rates are user-defined, following theoretic-distributions. The output shows the biomass and biodiversity over time for up to five trophic levels. Using this simple system, we demonstrate that closed ecosystems are inherently unstable in the absence of evolution or in the presence of a single, hyper-changing species, but are dynamically stable and robust to perturbations when the evolution rates for all species follow a normal distribution. Our new application provides provocative lessons for biology students during a time of mass extinction.
How to Cut the Cheese: Homonymous Names of Registered Geographic Indicators of Foodstuffs in Regulation 510/2006

Since the 15th century, European states have sought to protect certain foodstuffs originating from a designated geographic location. When multilateral and bilateral agreements failed to establish sufficient protection amongst the European Community member states, the European Community sought to establish uniform standards of protection by adopting Regulation 2081/92 in 1992. While an important step in the harmonization of varying European state practices, Regulation 2081/92 failed to address the problem of names that are homonymous to registered, protected names. In 2006, the European Community attempted to address this issue in Regulation 510/2006. This Note explores the issue of “homonymous names” and how the European Court of Justice has struggled to define the term. The author concludes that Regulation 510/2006 fails to provide a clear standard regarding homonymous names and should be amended to avoid the very problem the European Community sought to address in enacting uniform standards of protection: varying state practices which result in increased litigation.
A review of Strobopagurus Lemaitre, 1989 (Crustacea: Decapoda: Paguroidea: Parapaguridae), with description of a new species

Species of the parapagurid genus Strobopagurus Lemaitre, 1989 are reviewed based primarily on abundant specimens obtained during French campaigns across the Indo-Pacific region. A new species, S.breviacus, is described. The genus contains two other species, S. gracilipes (A. Milne-Edwards, 1891), the type of the genus, and S.sibogae (de Saint Laurent, 1972). One taxon, Parapagurus kilburni Kensley, 1973, originally described from off eastern Africa, has been found to be a junior synonym of S.sibogae. An updated diagnosis of the genus, and diagnoses and comparative illustrations of all three species, are presented together with a key to aid in their identification. Information on live coloration is provided for S.gracilipes and S. sibogae; live coloration of S. breviacus is not known.
Utility in hint generation: Selection of hints from a corpus of student work

We have developed a tool for generating hints within computer-aided instructional tools based on a corpus of student work. This tool allows us to select source problem solutions that match the current user solution and generate hints based on next problem steps that are most likely to lead to a successful solution. However, within such a tool it is possible to generate hints that did not turn out to be useful in the source problem solution. Therefore, we have proposed a metric to measure and integrate a “utility” function to choose source material for hint generation. In this paper we present our metric and an experiment to investigate its use on real data from a logic proof tutorial.
Global-scale near infrared variability on Mars: Analysis of 2003 Mars opposition observations from HST/NICMOS

Abstract We have used HST/NICMOS to observe approximately 57% of the martian surface in 7 narrow band filters (0.97, 1.08, 1.13, 1.66, 1.90, 2.12, and 2.15 μm) during the 2003 opposition ( L s ∼ 250 ° ) and at a resolution of ∼12 km/pixel. Principal components analysis (PCA) of the dataset has identified regional variability on scales of hundreds of kilometers associated with differences in the near-infrared spectrum of Mars. Visualization of the data in principal component space has allowed us to identify spectral endmembers associated with the south polar cap, the classic bright terrains, northern Syrtis Major, southern Syrtis Major, Tyrrhena Terra, and Acidalia Planitia. The two Syrtis Major endmembers and the Tyrrhena Terra endmember differ in their absolute reflectivities but have the same spectral shape at wavelengths longer than 1.6 μm. The Acidalia endmember is distinct from the other dark terrain endmembers because it exhibits a strong negative near-IR spectral slope. Comparisons with spectral library measurements cannot provide unique constraints on the surface mineralogy for these sparsely-sampled spectral data. However, the observed spectral variations between Tyrrhena Terra and Syrtis Major are consistent with variations in iron- and sulfur-bearing minerals, and the relatively strong negative spectral slope in the spectrum of Acidalia is consistent with the presence of hydrated alteration products. Additional comparison with previous NICMOS observations taken in 1997 at L s ∼ 150 ° indicate that the average near-IR spectral slope of the Acidalia region is more negative during the late northern fall than during the mid northern summer. This may indicate seasonal variations in the presence of either adsorbed water or re-hydrated minerals in the regolith of Acidalia.
Atomic force microscopy captures folded ribosome bound nascent chains.

Direct visualization of co-translational folding of nascent polypeptide chains is challenging. Here we present, for the first time, AFM images of large protein constructs based on the membrane binding domain of ankyrin-R, complexed with the ribosome. The characteristic “horse-shoe” shape of ankyrin-R emerging from the ribosome was captured.
Aging and corticosterone injections affect spatial learning in Fischer-344 X Brown norway rats.

Abstract The hippocampus is one of the first brain structures to show age-related changes. Moreover, hippocampal neurons are endangered by prolonged exposure to high circulating levels of corticosterone with stress or aging. We examined the effects of aging and high corticosterone levels on spatial learning, a key hippocampal function. Young (4–6 months), old (23–25 months), and very old (31 months) male Fischer-344×Brown Norway (F-344×BN) rats received six pre-testing days in the Morris water task to determine baseline spatial learning performance. Next, half the animals in each group were given daily corticosterone injections for 15 days. During the last six injection days, all animals underwent post-testing in the Morris water task with the environment and goal location changed. Baseline, peak, and clearance plasma corticosterone levels were determined. During pre-testing, old animals swam as directly to the goal as the young, but very old animals were significantly impaired. During post-testing, both old and very old non-injected animals had significantly greater directional heading errors and flatter learning curves than the young. Among injected animals, the very old performed as well as the young, but the old did not. Old animals who did not show improvement during the first three pre-testing days were responsible for the old impairment during post-testing. Thus, only very old F-344×BN rats are impaired when initially exposed to a spatial learning task, but half the old and all very old animals are impaired when the environment is changed. Very old F-344×BN rats, however, demonstrate enhanced spatial learning when exposed to corticosterone injections.
Hydrothermal synthesis and electrochemistry of a manganese vanadium oxide, γ-MnV2O5

Abstract A new manganese vanadium oxide MnV 2 O 5 has been synthesized using a mild hydrothermal reaction. MnV 2 O 5 crystallizes in the orthorhombic system, space group Pnma , a =9.7585(2) A, b =3.5825(1) A, c =11.2653(2) A. It is isostructural to γ-LiV 2 O 5 . It reacts readily and reversibly with lithium, with a stable capacity but with a large polarization.
X10-enabled MapReduce

The MapReduce framework has become a popular and powerful tool to process large datasets in parallel over a cluster of computing nodes [1]. Currently, there are many flavors of implementations of MapReduce, among which the most popular is the Hadoop implementation in Java [5]. However, these implementations either rely on third-party file systems for across-computer-node communication or are difficult to implement with socket programming or communication libraries such as MPI. To address these challenges, we investigated utilizing the X10 language to implement MapReduce and tested it with the word-count use case. The key performance factor in implementing MapReduce is data moving across different computer nodes. Since X10 has built-in functions for across-node communication such as distributed arrays [2], a major challenge with MapReduce implementations is easily solved. We tested two main implementations: the first utilizes the HashMap data structure and the second a Rail with elements consisting of a string and integer pair. The performance of these two implementations are analyzed and discussed.
Deep neural network acoustic modeling for native and non-native Mandarin speech recognition

Recently, Context-Dependent Deep Neural Network Hidden Markov Models (CD-DNN-HMMs) proved to be a great success in improving the speech recognition accuracy over traditional Gaussian Mixture Model (GMM)-HMMs. In this paper, we applied CD-DNN-HMMs to an automatic Spoken Chinese Test (SCT) and improved the speech recognition performance significantly. We experimented on a large amount of native and non-native data collected for SCT and evaluated the effect of using different network activation functions: sigmoid and Rectified Linear Unit (ReLU) for acoustic modeling. We investigated accent adaptation on a Linear Input Network (LIN) - ReLU DNN network structure to enhance the non-native speech recognition accuracy. Furthermore, the feature-space Discriminative Linear Regression fDLR based accent adaptation was applied at the bottom of the system and was evaluated. In our task, we observed that applying prior probabilities was critical; pre-training did not help improve the performance; the performance using ReLU DNNs or sigmoid DNNs was similar. Overall, CD-DNN-HMM acoustic models made a relative 20% improvement on our non-native task, and a relative 47% improvement on the native task over traditional GMM-HMM models. The accent adaptation additionally contributed a 2.7% relative gain on the non-native task.
The effects of psilocybin on a test of after-image perception.

It is demonstrated in double-blind conditions that Psilocybin significantly changes an objective measure of after-image perception and that the occurrence of these changes is highly correlated with reports of altered visual experience. A hypothesis of how this effect and the findings of others can be explained on the basis of decreased inhibitory function in visual mechanisms involved in the perception of color and detail is presented with the caution that other explanations are possible. This study, and others, indicate the importance of knowing the nature of any subjective visual disturbance at the time that objective visual functions are performed to facilitate understanding of the mechanisms involved in hallucinogenic effect.
Leakage through a permeable capillary tube into a poroelastic tumor interstitium

Abstract Fluid flow through a permeable circular tube embedded in an infinite poroelastic ambient medium is studied as a model of blood flow through the vasculature of a solid tumor. The flow through the interstitium is described by Darcy's law for an isotropic porous medium with a pressure-dependent permeability, the flow along the tube is described by Poiseuille's law, and the extravasation flux across the tube surface is described by Starling's law involving the transmural pressure. Kirchhoff's transformation is applied to derive Laplace's equation for a modified interstitial pressure. Given the arterial, venous, and ambient pressures, the problem is formulated in terms of a coupled system of integral, differential, and algebraic equations for the vascular and interstitial pressures. The overall hydrodynamics is described in terms of hydraulic conductivity coefficients for the arterial, venous, and extravasation flow rates. Solutions obtained by a boundary-element method confirm that interstitium dilatation promotes the rate of extravasation.
Review of research into the concept of the microblowing technique for turbulent skin friction reduction

Abstract A new technology for reducing turbulent skin friction, called the Microblowing Technique (MBT), is presented. Results from proof-of-concept experiments show that this technology could potentially reduce turbulent skin friction by more than 50% of the skin friction of a solid flat plate for subsonic and supersonic flow conditions. The primary purpose of this review paper is to provide readers with information on the turbulent skin friction reduction obtained from many experiments using the MBT. Although the MBT has a penalty for obtaining the microblowing air associated with it, some combinations of the MBT with suction boundary layer control methods are an attractive alternative for a real application. Several computational simulations to understand the flow physics of the MBT are also included. More experiments and computational fluid dynamic (CFD) computations are needed for the understanding of the unsteady flow nature of the MBT and the optimization of this new technology.
The effect of rotenone on the urinary ethanol cycle in rats fed ethanol intragastrically

Chronic ethanol ingestion alters mitochondrial function in the liver including inhibition of complex I of the electron transport chain. This leads to a shift in the NAD/NADH ratio to the reduced state when blood ethanol levels are high. Rotenone also inhibits complex I and induces a reduced state. The combination of ethanol feeding and rotenone toxicity should amplify the reduced state and block the cyclic increase and decrease in the rate of metabolism in the liver. The change in the redox state occurs during the urinary ethanol cycle in the intragastric tube feeding rat model of alcoholic liver disease. To test this hypothesis, rats were fed ethanol with rotenone and the 24-h urinary ethanol levels were measured daily. When ethanol was fed alone, the urinary ethanol cycle occurred. However, when ethanol was fed with rotenone the cycle was prevented and the urinary ethanol levels remained at the 200-mg% range. The rats fed ethanol or fed ethanol plus rotenone had the same increase in the pathology score and ALT elevations in the blood. Rotenone fed alone had the same normal values as the dextrose pair fed control rats. The results indicate that the UAL cycle is driven by fluctuation in the NAD/NADH ratio. When this fluctuation is blocked by rotenone, the cycle does not occur. It is concluded that the urinary ethanol cycle is dependent on cyclic fluctuation of the NAD/NADH ratio, which regulates the rate of ethanol elimination.
Proxies' Decisions About Clinical Research Participation for Their Charges

OBJECTIVE: To examine the process by which proxies decide about their charges' participation in clinical research. DESIGN: Using eight hypothetical research studies encompassing a variety of risks and benefits, we interviewed 315 competent persons > 65 years old (charges) and, separately, the individuals who would be designated as their proxies if the charges were to become incompetent. The proxies were asked what they thought their charges would decide and what decisions they would make for their charges and for their own participation. SETTINGS: A medical house-call program, two apartment complexes, and three nursing homes. PARTICIPANTS: Charges > 65 years old and their proxies. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Comparison of decisions made by charges and by proxies for their charges. RESULTS: The agreement between the proxies' and charges' decisions was not significantly different from random agreement (range of kappa statistics, 0.05–0.15). Rather, proxies' decisions for their charges were significantly related to the proxies' decisions for themselves (kappas, 0.52–0.86). When the paired proxies' and charges' decisions differed, the proxies were protective, more frequently refusing their charges' participation in the perceived riskier research studies. CONCLUSIONS: Proxies did not know what their charges would decide. Their choices for the charges related more to the proxies' decisions about their own participation (which they knew) than to the decisions of their charges (which they didn't know). This is similar to the process of a reasonable person making the decision, a characteristic of decisions made in the best interests of the patient.
Computational identification of slow conformational fluctuations in proteins.

Conformational flexibility of proteins has been linked to their designated functions. Slow conformational fluctuations occurring at the microsecond to millisecond time scale, in particular, have recently attracted considerable interest in connection to the mechanism of enzyme catalysis. Computational methods are providing valuable insights into the connection between protein structure, flexibility, and function. In this report, we present studies on identification and characterization of microsecond flexibility of ubiquitin, based on quasi-harmonic analysis (QHA) and normal-mode analysis (NMA). The results indicate that the slowest 10 QHA modes, computed from the 0.5 μs molecular dynamics ensemble, contribute over 78% of all motions. The identified slow movements show over 75% similarity with the conformational fluctuations observed in nuclear magnetic resonance ensemble and also agree with displacements in the set of X-ray structures. The slowest modes show high flexibility in the β1−β2, α1−β3, and β3−β4...
040 Can Systems for Rating Evidence Quality and Recommendation Strength be Harmonised

Background In 2011 the IOM recommended that every guideline recommendation should be accompanied by an indication of Evidence Quality and Recommendation Strength and called for strategies to encourage harmonisation of development processes. Objectives To characterise the differences in systems for rating Evidence Quality and Recommendation Strength as a prelude to possible standardisation. Methods We examined 17 international, English-language guideline development systems to identify rating parameters and applied descriptive statistics. We also searched for conceptual linkages in the rating system descriptions and identified systems where Strength of Recommendation was stated as an Evidence Quality parameter. Results Rating systems were remarkably inconsistent in their application of category indicators—using letters, Arabic and Roman numerals and combinations. The modal and median number of Evidence Quality categories was 3 (range 0 to 10) and Recommendation Strength categories was 4 (range 0 to 6). 13/17 used randomised trials as indicators of highest quality evidence. 7 systems used “expert opinion,” 6 used “case reports” or “case series,” and 4 described “reasoning from first principles” to define lowest evidence quality. Definitions of intermediate levels varied considerably. 7 systems judged benefits and harms in deriving Recommendation Strength. In 7 rating systems, Strength of Recommendation was described entirely in terms of Evidence Quality. Implication There is considerable disagreement about the requisite granularity and definition of categories of Evidence Quality and Recommendation Strength. Application of the concept of Recommendation Strength consonant with the IOM standard is limited. A straightforward mapping of rating systems to one another is elusive.
Comparison of EOG and search coil techniques in long-term measurements of eye position in alert monkey and cat

In cat and monkey a comparison was made of simultaneous records of eye movements obtained by the electro-oculographic and the magnetic search coil techniques. The major drawback of the electro-oculographic method is the slow d.c. drift, still present despite careful preparation of the electrodes. The d.c. level varies considerably with lighting conditions over long periods of time. In addition, the EOG picks up blink artifacts in monkey and other movement artifacts which are described in detail. The objective of this study was to document and evaluate the relative importance of these technical problems. Because of its simplicity and convenience the EOG method still has some applications in neurophysiological experiments. Its use requires the possibility of making frequent calibrations of gain and d.c. level.
The brain: a family of cooperating, competing and sometimes conflicting systems – Part II

Neuroscience in a Nutshell is designed to help readers with relatively little knowledge of neuroscience to learn more about the relevance of the brain to eating disorders. The central idea underpinning these papers is to challenge the notion of the monolithic self – the overwhelming impression that each of us is a single identity – thinking, acting and speaking. Many players, sub-systems, make up the family of the self and its brain. The self is a final common expression of cooperating, competing and sometimes conflicting systems within the brain, each asking for that system's unique perspective to be given voice. This information lays the foundation for a ‘family therapy’ or systemic approach to the self. In this paper, I deal with a number of systems: (a) executive, (b) communication, (c) attachment, (d) reward and motivational, (e) social and moral sensitivity, and (f) meaning from memory. Each of these is presented with a special emphasis on the way the ‘family of the self’ function changes in eating ...
High-resolution ultra-shallow subsurface imaging by integrating near-surface seismic reflection and ground-penetrating radar data in the depth domain

Abstract This study presents the integration of complementary near-surface geophysical methods for high-resolution ultra-shallow imaging of the subsurface. Shallow-seismic reflection (SSR) and ground-penetrating radar (GPR) data of approximately the same wavelength were collected along a coincident survey line. The top of the saturated zone was successfully imaged using both techniques, but no significant reflectors were imaged above the water table using SSR or below the water table using GPR. The SSR and GPR data sets were depth converted and merged into a single data set, resulting in a more complete image of the subsurface than either method can provide alone. Instead of having two sections representing depths of ∼ 0–5 m (GPR) and ∼ 4–30 m (SSR), the combined section includes the near-surface stratigraphy, water table, and bedrock, among other geologic features. It is important to note that this method of data merging is intended only for qualitative interpretation of layers of differing electrical and elastic properties. In the case shown here, the two geophysical methods image comparable features in depth, but they respond to different physical properties.
Rational shape engineering of the filamentous protein γ prefoldin through incremental gene truncation

An enticing possibility in nanotechnology is to use proteins as templates for the positioning of molecules in regular patterns with nanometer precision over large surface areas. However, the ability to redesign protein quaternary structure to construct new shapes remains underdeveloped. In the present work, we have engineered the dimensions of a filamentous protein, the gamma prefoldin (gamma PFD) from the hyperthermophile Methanocaldococcus jannaschii, and have achieved controllable attachment of filaments in a specific orientation on a carbon surface. Four different constructs of gamma PFD were generated in which the coiled coils extending from the association domain are progressively truncated. Three of the truncation constructs form well-defined filaments with predictable dimensions according to transmission electron microscopy. Two of these constructs had 2D persistence lengths similar to that of gamma PFD at 300-740 nm. In contrast, the 2D persistence length of the shortest truncation mutant was 3500 nm, indicating that the filament adsorbs along a different axis than the other constructs with its two rows of coiled coils facing out from the surface. The elastic moduli of the filaments range from 0.7-2.1 GPa, similar to rigid plastics and within the lower limit for proteins whose primary intermolecular interaction is hydrogen bonding. These results demonstrate a versatile approach for controlling the overall dimensions and surface orientation of protein filaments, and expand the toolbox by which to tune two overall dimensions in protein space for the creation of templated materials over a wide variety of conditions. (c) 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Biopolymers 91: 496-503, 2009.
Influence of sedimentary factors on the distribution of benthic amphipods of Fishers Island Sound, Connecticut

Abstract Benthic grab samples were taken in August, 1972, and January–February, 1973, from bottoms ranging from very fine sand to sandy gravel. Gammarid amphipods collected were identified to species, feeding type, and life style. Cluster analysis and principal coordinates analysis were used to examine sample and species distribution similarities. Two methods were used to analyse correlation between measured sedimentary factors and faunal distributions. Summer species distribution was interpreted as being primarily a response to feeding considerations; gravel content being the most important sedimentary factor. Between-habitat faunal changes in summer were primarily clinal, following a gradual change in sediment texture. A strong correlation between the Shannon-Weaver diversity and sediment texture existed in summer, with diversity increasing due to decreasing species dominance and, most importantly, increasing species richness as sediments became coarser. The diversity of life styles was similarly higher in the coarser sediments. Winter species distribution primarily reflected the distribution of life styles, with gravel again being the most important sedimentary factor. This is interpreted as indicating a correlation between faunal distribution and increased sediment instability caused by winter storms. This decreased sediment stability resulted in a marked diversity decrease in several medium and coarse textured samples, relative faunal homogeneity of the medium and coarse textured samples and observable changes in faunal distribution.
A Novel Approach for Screening the Proteome for Changes in Protein Conformation

Changes in surface hydrophobicity are generally considered as a sensitive indicator for monitoring the structural alterations of proteins that are often associated with changes in function. Currently, no technique has been developed to screen a complex mixture of proteins for changes in the conformation of specific proteins. In this study, we adapted a UV photolabeling approach, using an apolar fluorescent probe, 4,4'-dianilino-1,1'-binaphthyl-5,5'-disulfonic acid (BisANS), to monitor changes in surface hydrophobic domains in either purified rhodanese or skeletal muscle cytosolic proteins by urea-induced unfolding or in response to in vitro metal-catalyzed oxidation. Using two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (2D PAGE), we identified two specific proteins in skeletal muscle cytosol that exhibited a marked loss of incorporation of BisANS after exposure to in vitro oxidative stress: creatine kinase (CK) and glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH). We found that the activities of both enzymes were also reduced significantly in response to oxidative stress. We then determined if this method could detect changes in surface hydrophobicity in specific proteins arising from oxidative stress generated in vivo by muscle denervation. A loss in surface hydrophobic domains in CK and GAPDH was again observed as measured by the BisANS photoincorporation approach. In addition, the CK and GAPDH activity in denervated muscle was markedly reduced. These data demonstrate for the first time that this assay can screen a complex mixture of proteins for alterations in surface hydrophobic domains of individual proteins.
Trigeminal neuroma: analysis of surgical experience with 73 cases.

Objective We reviewed the clinical and radiological features of 73 cases of trigeminal neuromas treated with radical surgery. Methods The records for 73 patients with trigeminal neuromas who were surgically treated in the neurosurgery department of King Edward VII Memorial Hospital and Seth Gordhandas Sunderdas Medical College (Mumbai, India), between 1989 and 2001, were retrospectively analyzed. The appropriateness of the selected surgical route was studied. The postoperative and follow-up data for the patients were analyzed, to determine the outcomes of radical surgery. Results In addition to the other presenting features of trigeminal neuromas, nine patients presented with the rarely reported symptom of pathological laughter. Three approaches were observed to be appropriate for treatment of these tumors, i.e., the infratemporal fossa interdural approach, the lateral basal subtemporal approach, and the retrosigmoid approach. In 51 cases (70%), total tumor excision was achieved. Two patients died during the postoperative period. With an average follow-up period of 38 months, there has been a recurrence in 1 case and 71 patients are leading independent and active lives. Conclusion Radical surgery is associated with excellent clinical outcomes and long-term tumor control. A majority of tumors, even those that are large and multicompartmental, can be removed in a single surgical stage and exposure.
A PROJECTION FRAMEWORK FOR STATE PLANNING

The subtitle might be " the agonies of a state planning consul tant ," a tale of delayed funding, changes in administrat ion of the sponsoring agency, restrictions on publication, and, most relevant , the elusive meanings of the word "opera t iona l . " This tale will not be told explicitly but will lurk implicity behind the entire paper. The first section of the paper spells out the original s tudy design concept. Because only a ve ry small amount of work has actually been carried out in accord with this design so far , the second par t shifts focus to a nar row segment of empirical research results dealing with inters tate migrat ion of population cohorts.
Protein secondary structure from deep-UV resonance Raman spectroscopy†

Raman spectra of proteins that are obtained with deep ultraviolet excitation contain resonance-enhanced amide bands of the polypeptide backbone, as well as aromatic side chain bands. The amide bands are sensitive to conformation, and can be used to estimate the backbone secondary structure. UV Raman spectra are reported at 206.5 and 197 nm, for a set of 12 proteins with varied secondary structure content, and are used to establish quantitative signatures of secondary structure via least-squares fitting. Amide band enhancement is greater at 197 nm, where basis spectra are established for β-turn, as well as α-helix, β-sheet and unordered structures; the lower signal strength at 206.5 nm does not provide a reliable spectrum for the first of these. Application of these basis spectra is illustrated for the melting of apo-myoglobin. The amide band positions and cross sections are discussed. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Groups and Goblins: The Social and Civic Impact of an Online Game

A 1-month panel study of an immersive online video game investigated its social and civic impact. The data revealed mixed effects: Although the game led to an improved global outlook and some online community improvements, some kinds of existing friendships eroded and the most social players became more insular. Family interactions were unaffected. News media use was unaffected, but entertainment media were displaced. A decline in face-to-face interactions was detected and described as "cocooning." The results are discussed, along with their implications for theory and for the study of both video games and the Internet more broadly.
Nymphoides peltata (Gmel.) O. Kuntze (Menyanthaceae) as a food plant for Cataclysta lemnata (L.) (Lepidoptera, pyralidae)

Abstract During 1978 and 1979, damage to the floating leaves of Nymphoides peltata (Gmel.) O. Kuntze, caused by caterpillars of Cataclysta lemnata (L.) in the hydrophobous stage, was observed in two concrete tanks situated on the area of the University of Nijmegen (The Netherlands). Fresh and decaying parts of them were consumed and used for the building of cases. Previously, N. peltata was not recorded as a food plant for C. lemnata; this species normally feeds on Lemna minor L.
Tacrolimus/"low-dose" mycophenolate mofetil versus microemulsion cyclosporine/"low-dose" mycophenolate mofetil after kidney transplantation--1-year follow-up of a prospective, randomized clinical trial.

INCE its introduction, cyclosporine, a macrolide molecule that inhibits expression of interleukin-2 by lymphocytes, when administered prophylactically in combination with corticosteroids and/or azathioprine, has dramatically improved results of solid organ transplantation. 1 Recently, microemulsion formulation of cyclosporine (Neoral), when compared with CsA, was found to provide better immunosuppression, primarily due to improvement in drug bioavailability. 2 In a multicenter clinical trial, tacrolimus (FK 506), another macrolide molecule with mode of action similar to CsA, was found to be more effective than CsA in the prevention of rejection in renal transplant recipients. 3 Mycophenolate mofetil (MMF), the morpholinoethylester of mycophenolic acid, is an uncompetitive, reversible inhibitor of eukaryotic inosine monophosphate dehydrogenase, a key enzyme in the de novo pathway of purine synthesis during lymphocyte proliferation. 4 In European, tricontinental, and American multicenter clinical trials, MMF in 2- and 3-g doses, when compared with azathioprine/placebo, significantly reduced the incidence of acute rejection in renal transplant recipients. 5‐7
Reasoning about equality

This note contains a set of six theorems that can be used to assess the ability of a theorem-proving system to reason about equality. The six theorems are graduated in terms of difficulty: they range from fairly trivial to quite difficult. They do not cover all aspects of equality reasoning, but they have proved useful to us in developing our system.
Pseudospectral methods on a semi-infinite interval with application to the Hydrogen atom: a comparison of the mapped Fourier-sine method with Laguerre series and rational Chebyshev expansions

The Fourier-sine-with-mapping pseudospectral algorithm of Fattal et al. [Phys. Rev. E 53 (1996) 1217] has been applied in several quantum physics problems. Here, we compare it with pseudospectral methods using Laguerre functions and rational Chebyshev functions. We show that Laguerre and Chebyshev expansions are better suited for solving problems in the interval r ∈ [0, ∞] (for example, the Coulomb-Schrodinger equation), than the Fourier-sinemapping scheme. All three methods give similar accuracy for the hydrogen atom when the scaling parameter L is optimum, but the Laguerre and Chebyshev methods are less sensitive to variations in L. We introduce a new variant of rational Chebyshev functions which has a more uniform spacing of grid points for large r, and gives somewhat better results than the rational Chebyshev functions of Boyd [J. Comp. Phys. 70 (1987) 63].
A stochastic learning algorithm for generalization problems

Summary form only given, as follows. Neural networks have traditionally been applied to recognition problems, and most learning algorithms are tailored to those problems. The authors discuss the requirements of learning for generalization, which is NP-complete and cannot be approached by traditional methods based on gradient descent. They present a stochastic learning algorithm based on simulated annealing in weight space. The authors verify the convergence properties and feasibility of the algorithm. >
Doubly charged ion mass spectra. 7—acetylenes

Doubly charged ion mass spectra of 20 aliphatic and 3 aromatic acetylenic compounds have been measured using a double focusing Hitachi RMU-7L mass spectrometer. Spectra were obtained using 100 eV ionizing electron energy and 3.2 kV ion accelerating voltage. In general, the spectra of aliphatic type acetylenic compounds were dominated by fragment ions formed by extensive H loss from doubly charged molecular ions. Intense molecular ions were observed in the doubly charged ion spectra of phenyl-substituted acetylenes. Total product ion intensities for doubly charged ion spectra of acetylenic compounds were found to be smaller, in general, than the total product ion intensity observed in the benzene doubly charged ion mass spectrum. Measured appearance energies of intense product ions ranged from 24 to 47 eV. A geometry optimized quantum mechanical self-consistent field molecular orbital treatment was employed to compute energies and structural parameters of prominent ions in the doubly charged ion mass spectra of acetylenic compounds.