cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
SU‐E‐T‐536: SRS Diode and Diamond Detector Signal Response Correction Factors in Small Diameter Stereotactic Radiosurgery Fields

Purpose: To evaluate the magnitude of correction factors that need to be applied to the response of a SRS diode and a diamond detector used to measure the relative output factor of the 5.0 mm diameter BrainLab stereotactic cone in conjunction with a Varian Trilogy accelerator. Method and Materials: Required accuracy and precision in dose delivery during SRS can be achieved only when the geometric and dosimetric characteristics of the small radiation fields are completely understood. We have previously reported a 3% difference between the relative output factor (ROF) for the 5.0mm diameter cone measured with uncompensated Scanditronix/IBA Si‐ diode and ROF calculated by Monte Carlo simulations using MCSIM code. However, the reported values for ROF did not account for differences in response of Si under conditions lacking lateral electronic equilibrium. A Si‐ response correction factor has been calculated using MCSIM code and was applied to the measured value for ROF. In addition PTW 60003 diamond detector was used to verify previous measurements. Corrections for dose rate dependence and volume averaging have been made using MC simulations. Results: ROF obtained for SRS diode (0.683±0.011) and diamond detector (0.685±0.008) are in excellent agreement (within 0.2%) with each other and within 1–1.3% of previously reported MC calculated value of ROF (0.692±0.011). Conclusions: We have performed an experimental and theoretical investigation of ROF for radiation field created by BrainLab 5.0 mm SRS cone in conjunction with a Trilogy accelerator equipped with SRS mode. Methods of obtaining ROF using Scanditronix/IBA Si‐diode and PTW Diamond 60003 detector have been outlined. Monte Carlo simulations were used to correct for various effects contributing to potential detector response errors. We conclude that corrections for detector signal response up to ±4% were needed for both SRS diode and diamond detectors.
A conjecture concerning the Hadamard product of inverses of M-matrices

Abstract We conjecture that for an n × n matrix A which is an inverse of an M -matrix, the Hadamard product A ∘ A is also an inverse of an M -matrix. We have checked this conjecture without failure on many many examples. But here we show that for quite a few well known classes of inverses of M -matrices, the conjecture is true. It is known that the more general conjecture, that when A and B are n × n inverses of M -matrices, then A ∘ B is also an inverse of an M -matrix, is false. However, here too we are able to display some classes of inverses of M -matrices which are closed under taking Hadamard products.
Cytoskeletal Interactions with the Leukocyte Integrin β2 Cytoplasmic Tail ACTIVATION-DEPENDENT REGULATION OF ASSOCIATIONS WITH TALIN AND α-ACTININ

Circulating leukocytes are nonadherent but bind tightly to endothelial cells following activation. The increased avidity of leukocyte integrins for endothelial ligands following activation is regulated, in part, by interaction of the β2 subunit cytoplasmic tail with the actin cytoskeleton. We propose a mechanism to explain how tethering of the actin cytoskeleton to leukocyte integrins is regulated. In resting leukocytes, β2 integrins are constitutively linked to the actin cytoskeleton via the protein talin. Activation of cells induces proteolysis of talin and dissociation from the β2 tail. This phase is transient, however, and is followed by reattachment of actin filaments to integrins that is mediated by the protein α-actinin. The association of α-actinin with integrins may stabilize the cytoskeleton and promote firm adhesion to and migration across the endothelium. Glutathione S-transferase-β2 tail fusion protein/mutagenesis experiments suggest that the affinity of α-actinin binding to the β2 tail is regulated by a change in the conformation of the tail that unmasks a cryptic α-actinin binding domain. Positive and inhibitory domains within the β2 tail regulate α-actinin binding: a single 11-amino acid region (residues 736–746) is necessary and sufficient for α-actinin binding, and a regulatory domain between residues 748–762 inhibits constitutive association of the β2 tail with α-actinin.
Outbreak of Varicella in a Newborn Intensive Care Nursery

\s=b\An outbreak of nosocomial varicella occurred in the neonatal intensive care unit of a west Texas hospital in 1982. Two health care workers and two infants were infected. The two infants acquired varicella following intimate exposures, although their mothers were shown to be seropositive. One of these infants had varicella-zoster antibody when exposed, received varicella-zoster immune globulin, and still had chickenpox develop. Thus, the presence of varicella-zoster antibody may not prevent infection in infants. (AJDC 1984;138:548-550)
Quantum dynamics of CO–H2 in full dimensionality

Accurate rate coefficients for molecular vibrational transitions due to collisions with H2, critical for interpreting infrared astronomical observations, are lacking for most molecules. Quantum calculations are the primary source of such data, but reliable values that consider all internal degrees of freedom of the collision complex have only been reported for H2-H2 due to the difficulty of the computations. Here we present essentially exact, full-dimensional dynamics computations for rovibrational quenching of CO due to H2 impact. Using a high-level six-dimensional potential surface, time-independent scattering calculations, within a full angular momentum coupling formulation, were performed for the de-excitation of vibrationally excited CO. Agreement with experimentally determined results confirms the accuracy of the potential and scattering computations, representing the largest of such calculations performed to date. This investigation advances computational quantum dynamical studies representing initial steps towards obtaining CO–H2 rovibrational quenching data needed for astrophysical modelling. Interpreting astronomical observations relies on accurate rate coefficients for molecular vibrational transitions caused by collisions with H2. Yang et al. exploit state-of-the-art inelastic quantum dynamic simulations to provide a full-dimensional computation for rovibrational quenching of CO by H2.
Modeling the Impact of Workload on Cloud Resource Scaling

Cloud computing offers the flexibility to dynamically size the infrastructure in response to changes in workload demand. While both horizontal and vertical scaling of infrastructure is supported by major cloud providers, these scaling options differ significantly in terms of their cost, provisioning time, and their impact on workload performance. Importantly, the efficacy of horizontal and vertical scaling critically depends on the workload characteristics, such as the workload's parallelizability and its core scalability. In today's cloud systems, the scaling decision is left to the users, requiring them to fully understand the tradeoffs associated with the different scaling options. In this paper, we present our solution for optimizing the resource scaling of cloud deployments via implementation in OpenStack. The key component of our solution is the modelling engine that characterizes the workload and then quantitatively evaluates different scaling options for that workload. Our modelling engine leverages Amdahl's Law to model service time scaling in scaleup environments and queueing-theoretic concepts to model performance scaling in scale-out environments. We further employ Kalman filtering to account for inaccuracies in the model-based methodology, and to dynamically track changes in the workload and cloud environment.
RATES OF REACTION OF SINGLET OXYGEN WITH SULFIDES

—Reaction rate constants for the reaction of singlet oxygen with a series of 24 sulfides in chloroform have been measured by inhibition of the self-sensitized photooxidation of rubrene. The reaction rate constant is sensitive to steric effects, decreasing as the carbons α- to sulfur become more highly substituted. Addition of a methyl group to each of the carbons α- to sulfur decreases the rate constant by about a factor of 10. From a series of p- and m-substituted thioanisoles, a ρ of -1.67 ± 0.09 was found. A much better correlation was found with σ than with σ+ indicating there is no resonance interaction with the reaction center. Typical rate constants are: di-n-butyl sulfide, 2.3 × 107M-1 s-1; CBZ-L-methionine methyl ester, 1.4 × 107; di-s-butyl sulfide, 1.8 × 106; di-t-butyl sulfide, 1.3 × 105; and thioanisole, 2.3 × 106.
WOLFE ET AL. RESPOND

Gamper et al. raise an important concern regarding our sample. As we noted in our limitations section, although individuals were randomly selected from the 5 districts of Botswana with the highest number of HIV infected individuals, we did not sample from the more remote districts of Botswana, limiting the generalizability of our results. It is important to note, however, that the outcome of greatest interest in our study is the one showing an association between HIV stigma and perceived access to antiretroviral therapy; if, as the letter writers suggest, HIV stigma is greater among people who live further from health services and therefore have reduced access to antiretroviral therapy, we would expect data from these remote areas to support, rather than diminish, this outcome. The cultural context, highlighted by Gamper et al., is an important consideration when evaluating responses to questions about stigmatizing attitudes. Interestingly, in a population-based study conducted across Botswana in 2001, a majority of respondents readily admitted that they held stigmatizing attitudes toward people living with HIV/AIDS.1 This finding suggests that existing cultural barriers were inadequate to prevent the expression of stigmatizing attitudes prior to the introduction of the national treatment program. Our concern was that norms might have shifted during the rollout of the national program, increasing the risk of social desirability bias in our results. It was for this reason that we used a measure of anticipated stigma, which allowed respondents to focus explicitly on attitudes in their community rather than to put forward their own personal beliefs. We agree with Gamper et al. that it would have been interesting to assess awareness of, and attitudes toward, the national treatment program in the general population. Nevertheless, our measure of perceived access to treatment subsumes multiple related factors, including awareness of the treatment program, its geographic penetration, and its perceived effectiveness in reducing barriers to treatment among the general population. Similarly, although qualitative methods to identify barriers to treatment access among vulnerable groups were beyond the scope of this population-based study, we did obtain qualitative data from structured interviews with a convenience sample drawn from support groups for people living with HIV/AIDS from Gaborone, Serowe, and the surrounding villages and rural areas. In these interviews, key barriers to treatment access cited by respondents included inadequate access to food and gender inequality in relationships.2 We welcome the comments from Gamper et al., which highlight the importance of further exploring the etiology and repercussions of HIV stigma in the ever-evolving African context.
Increased growth hormone response to clonidine in 6-hydroxydopamine-treated rats.

Alpha2-adrenergic receptors mediate adrenergic stimulation of gowth hormone (GH) secretion in the rat. The GH response to the alpha2-adrenergic agonist clonidine has thus been used as an index of alpha2-adrenergic receptor responsiveness. Pharmacologic manipulations known to upregulate alpha2-adrenergic receptor sensitivity would then be expected to result in an enhancement of the GH response to clonidine. To test this hypothesis, rats were injected in the lateral ventricle with either 6-hydroxydopamine or sterile saline. One month following the lesion, urethane-anesthetized rats from each group were administered clonidine or saline. Venous samples for plasma GH were drawn prior to or following the clonidine or saline administration. Rats administered clonidine had greater GH responses than those administered saline within either the lesioned or nonlesioned groups. The GH response to clonidine was significantly greater in the lesioned group than in the nonlesioned group. As 6-hydroxydopamine pretreatment upregulates alpha2-adrenergic receptors, these results support the validity of the use of the GH response to clinidine as an index of alpha2-adrenergic receptor responsiveness.
Acquired urethral obstruction in New World camelids: 34 cases (1995–2008)

Objective Document the clinical features, short- and long-term outcomes and prognostic factors in New World camelids with acquired urethral obstruction. Design Retrospective case study. Methods Case data from medical records of 34 New World camelids presenting with acquired urethral obstruction were collected and follow-up information on discharged patients was obtained. Associations with short- and long-term survival were evaluated using Wilcoxon rank-sum tests, exact-logistic regressions and Kaplan-Meier survival curves. Results Of the 34 New World camelids 23 were intact males and 11 were castrated; 4 animals were euthanased upon presentation, 7 were treated medically and 23 surgically, including urethrotomy, bladder marsupialisation, tube cystostomy alone or combined with urethrotomy, urethrostomy or penile reefing. Necrosis of the distal penis was found in 4 animals and all were short-term non-survivors. Short-term survival for surgical cases was 65%, and 57% for medical cases. Incomplete urethral obstruction at admission and surgical treatment were associated with increased odds of short-term survival. Of 14 records available for long-term follow-up, 6 animals were alive and 8 were dead (median follow-up 4.5 years, median survival time 2.5 years). Recurrence of urethral obstruction was associated with long-term non-survival. Conclusions Surgically treated New World camelids with incomplete urethral obstruction have the best odds of short-term survival and those with recurrence of urethral obstruction have a poor prognosis for long-term survival.
When “personhood” begins in the embryo: Avoiding a Syllabus of Errors

The following essay was delivered at the conference "Ontogeny and Human Life" at the Ponifical Athenaeum "Regina Apostolorum," November, 2007. Sponsored by the Legion of Christ, the Pontifical Academy for Life, and the John Templeton Foundation, the sessions focused on when the conceptus became a "person." My essay focused on the scientific conclusions that could aid such discussions. Moreover, after listening to the philosophical, legal, and theological discussions that ensued, I responded theologically as well. New concepts in modern embryology have made scientists revise their views concerning the autonomy of embryos and the mechanisms that generate such embryos. There are interactions between the sperm and the female reproductive tract and egg which had never been known until recently. There are also interactions between the developing organism and its environment that had been unsuspected a decade ago. Gut bacteria induce the development of the mammalian digestive system and immune system by changing the gene expression patterns in the mammalian intestine. Conversely, chemicals in our technological society can adversely affect the embryo, rendering it sterile or prone to tumors later in life. While there is no consensus among scientists as to when human life begins, both Church and science can become allies in persuading governments to regulate or ban the production and use of these fetotoxic chemicals. These new views of embryonic development change many of the stories told about human embryos and fetuses, and they have implications concerning the use of science as evidence for theological positions.
A data sharing tutorial

This tutorial is intended to acquaint the reader with the issues of DATA SHARING and to develop an understanding for the implications of such facilities in the topic of integrity, performance, and recovery. Some future concerns are also discussed.
Rationale for the proposed standard for a generic package of primitive functions for Ada

This paper supplements the "Proposed Standard for a Generic Package of Elementary Functions for Ada," written by the ISO-IEC/JTC1/SC22/WG9 (Ada) Numerics Rapporteur Group. Based on recommendations made jointly by the ACM SIGAda Numerics Working Group and the Ada-Europe Numerics Working Group, the proposed elementary functions standard is the first of several anticipated collateral standards to address the interrelated issues of portability, efficiency, and robustness of numerical software written in Ada. Organized as a series of questions and answers, this supplement outlines the reasoning by which the proposed standard came to acquire certain features and exclude others.
Alpha‐interferon combined with immunodulation in the treatment of chronic hepatitis B

Interferon has profound anti-viral, anti-proliferative and immunomodulatory effects. Future studies should be directed at observing how the immunomodulatory effects predict a response in certain groups of patients. Interferon is very useful in chronic hepatitis B but may require the addition of a steroid pulse. Individuals with low serum ALT appear to benefit most from a steroid pulse. Therapy should be given with a great deal of caution in patients with decompensated liver disease, as one may precipitate the untimely demise of the patient even though viral replication is decreased. One of the patients in the IFN study in fact did have decompensation after prednisone therapy, which subsequently led, a couple of months later, to a variceal haemorrhage. In summary, in treating hepatitis B viral infection, no single agent is totally effective and perhaps the combination of suppressing viral replication and augmenting the immune system is the optimal way to eradicate the virus. At present, an adequate response is found in only about 30-40% of patients even with 'optimal' therapy.
Perphenazine action on vestibular neurons.

Abstract The response of single, motion-sensitive neurons in the vestibular nuclei to systemic administration of perphenazine was studied in 18 cats. 14 of the 22 units examined showed depression of their activity. The extent of depression for a given dose varied from one neuron to another; it was independent of specific type of motion sensitivity and whether the animal was in motion or at rest. The other units tested, approximately one-third of the total, showed either an excitatory response, a biphasic depression-excitation or no response at all. These results suggest that the drug effect was not a simple, direct one. Since perphenazine is known to act on ascending systems of the brainstem reticular formation, presumably via adrenergic blockade, the interpretation is offered that response of the vestibular neurons to the drug could have been mediated, in part, through the reticular formation.
Biological conversion of poultry processing waste to single cell protein

Abstract In the processing of poultry for the production of prepared foods such as soups and frozen dinners, waste-water is generated containing significant quantities of fats, protein and starchy materials. These materials must be removed from the wastewater before it is discharged. Typical recovery consists of removing the solids through a combination of dissolved air flotation and filtration. The solids can then be rendered and utilized as poultry feed. This paper investigates an alternative to traditional processing in biologically producing valuable single cell protein from poultry processing waste. The results of fermentation experiments to produce single cell protein by both direct and indirect routes are presented.
Case-Control Study of Vitamin D, dickkopf homolog 1 (DKK1) Gene Methylation, VDR Gene Polymorphism and the Risk of Colon Adenoma in African Americans

Background There are sparse data on genetic, epigenetic and vitamin D exposure in African Americans (AA) with colon polyp. Consequently, we evaluated serum 25(OH) D levels, vitamin D receptor (VDR) polymorphisms and the methylation status of the tumor suppressor gene dickkopf homolog 1 (DKK1) as risk factors for colon polyp in this population. Methods The case-control study consisted of 93 patients with colon polyp (cases) and 187 healthy individuals (controls) at Howard University Hospital. Serum levels of 25(OH)D (including D3, D2, and total) were measured by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. DNA analysis focused on 49 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the VDR gene. Promoter methylation analysis of DKK1 was also performed. The resulting data were processed in unadjusted and multivariable logistic regression analyses. Results Cases and controls differed in vitamin D status (D3<50 nmol/L: Median of 35.5 in cases vs. 36.8 in controls nmol/L; P = 0.05). Low levels of 25(OH)D3 (<50 nmol/L) were observed in 86% of cases and 68% of controls and it was associated with higher risks of colon polyp (odds ratio of 2.7, 95% confidence interval 1.3–3.4). The SNP analysis showed no association between 46 VDR polymorphisms and colon polyp. The promoter of the DKK1 gene was unmethylated in 96% of the samples. Conclusion We found an inverse association between serum 25(OH)D3 and colon polyp in AAs. VDR SNPs and DKK1 methylation were not associated with colon polyp. Vitamin D levels may in part explain the higher incidence of polyp in AAs.
Effect of Moderate Diet-Induced Weight Loss and Weight Regain on Cardiovascular Structure and Function

Objectives The objective of this prospective, single-site, 2-year dietary intervention study was to evaluate the effects of moderate weight reduction and subsequent partial weight regain on cardiovascular structure and function. Background Obesity is associated with adverse cardiac and vascular structural and functional alterations. Methods Sixty obese subjects (age 46 ± 10 years, body mass index 37 ± 3 kg/m2) were evaluated during their participation in a weight loss study. Cardiac and vascular ultrasound studies were performed at baseline and at 3, 6, 12, and 24 months after start of intervention. Results Forty-seven subjects (78%) completed the entire 2-year follow-up. Average weight loss was 7.3 ± 4.0%, 9.2 ± 5.6%, 7.8 ± 6.6%, and 3.8 ± 7.9% at 3, 6, 12, and 24 months, respectively. Age- and sex-adjusted mixed linear models revealed that the follow-up time was significantly associated with decreases in weight (p Conclusions Diet-induced moderate weight loss in obese subjects is associated with beneficial changes in cardiovascular structure and function. Subsequent weight regain is associated with partial loss of these beneficial effects. (The Safety and Effectiveness of Low and High Carbohydrate Diets; NCT00079547)
Membrane currents carried by Ca, Sr, and Ba in barnacle muscle fiber during voltage clamp

Membrane currents associated with voltage clamp of the giant muscle fibers of a barnacle, Balanus nubilus, were analyzed in terms of currents of the Ca and K channels. Although the activation of the K channel occurs more slowly than that of the Ca channel, both currents show a significant temporal overlap. The currents carried by Ca(++), Sr(++), or Ba(++) through the Ca channel were compared under the conditions at which this overlap was the least. When only one divalent cation is present in the solution, Ba(++) carries more current than Ca(++) or Sr(++) and the sequence of the current is Ba > Sr approximately Ca. When the external solution contains a relatively high concentration of Co(++), which is a blocking agent for the Ca channel, inversion of the sequence occurs, to Ca > Sr > Ba. This is due to the fact that the blocking effect differs depending on which ion carries current through the Ca channel. The Ba current is most sensitive and the Ca current is least affected. Ba suppresses the current of the K channel, independently of its current-carrying function through the Ca channel.
Depressive Symptoms in Women Experiencing Intimate Partner Violence

The study was a cross-sectional examination of African American women positive for intimate partner violence (IPV) who presented to the medical or psychiatric emergency department (ED) for treatment. African American women with a recent history of IPV who presented following an attempted suicide (n = 100) were compared to demographically comparable African American women who were IPV positive who had not attempted suicide and presented for treatment of another condition(n= 100). Women completed face-to-face interviews on several measures, including demographics and the Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II). Overall, there were no demographic differences between cases and controls. Attempters reported statistically significant higher scores on all 21 BDI-II items than did nonattempters. Four BDI-II items had effect size values in the medium range: sadness, self-dislike, suicidal thoughts, and feelings of worthlessness. These four items can be used as a brief screen in the ED to detect female patients positive for IPV at increased risk for suicidal behavior.
Highly localized interactions between sensory neurons and sprouting sympathetic fibers observed in a transgenic tyrosine hydroxylase reporter mouse

Sprouting of sympathetic fibers into sensory ganglia occurs in many preclinical pain models, providing a possible anatomical substrate for sympathetically enhanced pain. However, the functional consequences of this sprouting have been controversial. We used a transgenic mouse in which sympathetic fibers expressed green fluorescent protein, observable in live tissue. Medium and large diameter lumbar sensory neurons with and without nearby sympathetic fibers were recorded in whole ganglion preparations using microelectrodes. After spinal nerve ligation, sympathetic sprouting was extensive by 3 days. Abnormal spontaneous activity increased to 15% and rheobase was reduced. Spontaneously active cells had Aαβ conduction velocities but were clustered near the medium/large cell boundary. Neurons with sympathetic basket formations had a dramatically higher incidence of spontaneous activity (71%) and had lower rheobase than cells with no sympathetic fibers nearby. Cells with lower density nearby fibers had intermediate phenotypes. Immunohistochemistry of sectioned ganglia showed that cells surrounded by sympathetic fibers were enriched in nociceptive markers TrkA, substance P, or CGRP. Spontaneous activity began before sympathetic sprouting was observed, but blocking sympathetic sprouting on day 3 by cutting the dorsal ramus in addition to the ventral ramus of the spinal nerve greatly reduced abnormal spontaneous activity. The data suggest that early sympathetic sprouting into the sensory ganglia may have highly localized, excitatory effects. Quantitatively, neurons with sympathetic basket formations may account for more than half of the observed spontaneous activity, despite being relatively rare. Spontaneous activity in sensory neurons and sympathetic sprouting may be mutually re-enforcing.
Centralized vs. distributed connection management schemes under different traffic patterns in wavelength-convertible optical networks

Centralized and distributed methods are two connection management schemes in wavelength convertible optical networks. In the earlier work, the centralized scheme is said to have lower network blocking probability than the distributed one. Hence, much of the previous work in connection management has focused on the comparison of different algorithms in only distributed scheme or in only centralized scheme. However, we believe that the network blocking probability of these two connection management schemes depends, to a great extent, on the network traffic patterns and reservation times. Our simulation results reveal that the performance improvement (in terms of blocking probability) of the centralized method over the distributed method is inversely proportional to the ratio of average connection inter-arrival time to reservation time. After that the ratio increases beyond a threshold, those two connection management schemes yield almost the same blocking probability under the same network load. In this paper, we review the working procedure of distributed and centralized schemes, discuss the tradeoff between them, compare these two methods under different network traffic patterns via simulation and give our conclusion based on the simulation data.
Transition to the Mixed State in Lead Films at 4.2°K

Type I and type II superconductors are distinguished by their qualitatively different behaviors in the presence of an applied magnetic field. For a flat plate geometry and perpendicularly applied magnetic fields, magnetic flux must penetrate a superconducting specimen at fields much lower than the critical field in perpendicular fields H T . For a type II superconductor the distribution of flux consists of singly quantized vortices in the “mixed state,” while for a type I superconductor the distribution is a much coarser arrangement of normal and superconducting domains referred to as the “intermediate state”. However, as pointed out by Tinkham,1 for sufficiently thin specimens even materials which are type I in the bulk should exhibit mixed-state rather than intermediate-state behavior. Theoretical and experimental work on thin superconducting films has been extensive and includes the detailed calculation of Lasher2 and the critical field measurements of Cody and Miller,3 whose publications include extensive references to many other papers relevant to the subject. Theory and experiment confirm the essential validity of Tinkham’s results but disagree in several details. No direct microscopic observation of the mixed-state structure in very thin films has been reported, although the intermediate-state structure in thicker films has been studied in some detail.4, 7
Diagnostics and rubrics for assessing learning across the computational science curriculum

Abstract We describe our experiences with learning assessment in a new computational science program. We report on the development and pilot testing of assessment tools in both core and cognate courses. Specifically, we detail a diagnostic assessment that predicted success in our introductory computational science course with reasonable reliability; we give an account of our use of an existing assessment tool to investigate how introducing computational thinking in a cognate course influences learning of the traditional course material; and we discuss rubric development for project evaluation.
A Sequence-specific Exopeptidase Activity Test (SSEAT) for “Functional” Biomarker Discovery

One form of functional proteomics entails profiling of genuine activities, as opposed to surrogates of activity or active “states,” in a complex biological matrix: for example, tracking enzyme-catalyzed changes, in real time, ranging from simple modifications to complex anabolic or catabolic reactions. Here we present a test to compare defined exoprotease activities within individual proteomes of two or more groups of biological samples. It tracks degradation of artificial substrates, under strictly controlled conditions, using semiautomated MALDI-TOF mass spectrometric analysis of the resulting patterns. Each fragment is quantitated by comparison with double labeled, non-degradable internal standards (all- d -amino acid peptides) spiked into the samples at the same time as the substrates to reflect adsorptive and processing-related losses. The full array of metabolites is then quantitated (coefficients of variation of 6.3–14.3% over five replicates) and subjected to multivariate statistical analysis. Using this approach, we tested serum samples of 48 metastatic thyroid cancer patients and 48 healthy controls, with selected peptide substrates taken from earlier standard peptidomics screens (i.e. the “discovery” phase), and obtained class predictions with 94% sensitivity and 90% specificity without prior feature selection (24 features). The test all but eliminates reproducibility problems related to sample collection, storage, and handling as well as to possible variability in endogenous peptide precursor levels because of hemostatic alterations in cancer patients.
Consumers' preferences for locally produced food: A study in southeast Missouri

A mail survey was used to gather information from the main food buyer in random households in southeast Missouri to analyze consumer preferences for locally grown food. A majority of shoppers in the region were not aware of the state's AgriMissouri promotion program. Consumers defined locally grown not as a statewide concept but as a narrower regional concept that could cross state boundaries. Most important when purchasing produce were quality and freshness, and most consumers perceived local produce at farmers' markets to be of higher quality and lower price. Farm households were not significantly different from other households in the region and did not show a preference or willingness to pay a price premium for local food products. Food buyers who were members of an environmental group had higher education and income and were more likely to purchase organic food and more willing to pay a higher price for local produce. Households in which someone was raised on a farm, or had parents who were raised on a farm, had a preference for locally grown food and were willing to pay a price premium for it. Marketing local products should stress quality, freshness, and price competitiveness, and appeal to environmentalists and those with a favorable attitude towards family farms.
New opportunities in vacuum electronics through the application of microfabrication technologies

Recent developments in microfabrication technologies have produced a portfolio of methods to batch fabricate three-dimensional, micro-scale structures. This has opened the door to new and exciting possibilities in vacuum electronics technology. Application of these modern microfabrication techniques to vacuum electronics now offers new prospects, including: (1) improved device efficiency by replacing thermionic cathodes with micro-fabricated field emitter cathodes, (2) reliable, precise fabrication of miniature millimeter and submillimeter wave circuits, (3) high yields and lower component costs due to batch fabrication, and (4) greater integration which can reduce piece parts assembly, increase yields, and decrease costs.
Adeno-Associated Virus Site-Specific Integration Is Mediated by Proteins of the Nonhomologous End-Joining Pathway

Adeno-associated virus type 2 (AAV 2) is the only eukaryotic virus capable of site-specific integration; the target site is at chromosome 19q13.4, a site termed AAVS1. The biology of AAV latency has been extensively studied in cell culture, yet the precise mechanism and the required cellular factors are not known. In this study, we assessed the relative frequencies of stable site-specific integration by characterization of cell clones containing integrated AAV vectors. By this assay, two proteins involved in nonhomologous end joining (NHEJ), DNAPKcs and ligase IV, exhibit differential effects on AAV site-specific integration. DNAPKcs is not required; its presence increases the frequency of junction formation indicative of site-specific integration, but seems to reduce the ratio of site-specific integration to random integration (i.e., the latter is even more enhanced). In contrast, site-specific integration is significantly reduced relative to random integration in cells deficient in ligase IV expression. Furthermore, we show that single-stranded AAV vectors are better substrates for site-specific integration than are self-complementary AAV vectors; the absence of DNAPKcs did not affect the targeted integration of these double-stranded AAV vectors. Together, these data suggest that NHEJ proteins participate in site-specific integration, and indicate a role for the single-stranded form of AAV DNA in targeted integration.
Wheezing and bronchial hyper-responsiveness in early childhood as predictors of newly diagnosed asthma in early adulthood: a longitudinal birth-cohort study.

Summary Background Incidence of asthma increases during early adulthood. We aimed to estimate the contributions of sex and early life factors to asthma diagnosed in young adults. Methods 1246 healthy newborn babies were enrolled in the Tucson Children's Respiratory Study. Parental characteristics, early-life wheezing phenotypes, airway function, and bronchial hyper-responsiveness to cold dry air and sensitisation to Alternaria alternata were determined before age 6 years. Physician-diagnosed asthma, both chronic and newly diagnosed, and airway function were recorded at age 22 years. Findings Of 1246 babies enrolled, 849 had follow-up data at 22 years. Average incidence of asthma at age 16–22 years was 12·6 per thousand person-years. 49 (27%) of all 181 cases of active asthma at 22 years were newly diagnosed, of which 35 (71%) were women. Asthma remittance by 22 years was higher in men than in women (multinomial odds ratio [M-OR] 2·0, 95% CI 1·2–3·2, p=0·008). Age at diagnosis was linearly associated with the ratio of forced expiratory volume at 1 s to forced vital capacity at age 22 years. Factors independently associated with chronic asthma at 22 years included onset at 6 years (7·4, 3·9–14·0) and persistent wheezing (14·0, 6·8–28·0) in early life, sensitisation to A alternata (3·6, 2·1–6·4), low airway function at age 6 years (2·1, 1·1–3·9), and bronchial hyper-responsiveness at 6 years (4·5, 1·9–10·0). Bronchial hyper-responsiveness (6·9, 2·3–21·0), low airway function at 6 years (2·8, 1·1–6·9), and late-onset (4·6, 1·7–12·0) and persistent wheezing (4·0, 1·2–14·0) predicted newly diagnosed asthma at age 22 years. Interpretation Asthma with onset in early adulthood has its origins in early childhood. Funding National Heart Lung and Blood Institute.
Adaptive query routing in peer web search

An unstructured peer network application was proposed to address the query forwarding problem of distributed search engines and scalability limitations of centralized search engines. Here we present novel techniques to improve local adaptive routing, showing they perform significantly better than a simple learning scheme driven by query response interactions among neighbors. We validate prototypes of our peer network application via simulations with 500 model users based on actual Web crawls. We finally compare the quality of the results with those obtained by centralized search engines, suggesting that our application can draw advantages from the context and coverage of the peer collective.
DOPAMINE-1 RECEPTOR G-PROTEIN COUPLING AND THE INVOLVEMENT OF PHOSPHOLIPASE A2 IN DOPAMINE-1 RECEPTOR MEDIATED CELLULAR SIGNALING MECHANISMS IN THE PROXIMAL TUBULES OF SHR

Dopamine-induced natriuretic response which results from the activation of tubular dopamine1 (DA1) receptors is diminished in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR). This may be a result of alterations occurring at the receptor level and within the cellular signaling pathway which ultimately causes inhibition of Na+,K+-ATPase. There have been reports showing that DA, receptor induced inhibition of Na+,K+-ATPase is abolished in SHR which is due to a decreased activation of PLC and PKC by dopamine. Of the mechanisms, adenylyl cyclase and phospholipase C are two known enzymes linked to DA1 receptors via G proteins. Furthermore, the involvement of phospholipase A2 (PLA2) has also been reported in this process. However, the site of defect in DA1 receptor signaling pathway in SHR is still not well understood. This report will (i) review the coupling of DA1 receptor with G proteins and their levels in Wistar Kyoto (WKY) rats and SHR and (ii) discuss studies dealing with the role of PLA2 in dopamine-induced inhibi...
Geochemistry and geochronology of the 1.3 Ga metatonalites from the Central Metasedimentary Belt boundary thrust zone in southern Ontario, Grenville Province, Canada

Studies of pre-Grenvillian (1.4–1.3 Ga) plutons offer insight into the dynamics of arc amalgamation and backarc rifting prior to continental collision during the Ottawan orogeny. The Central Metasedimentary Belt boundary thrust zone (CMBbtz) is a northeast-southwest–trending thrust zone consisting of metaplutonic thrust sheets enveloped in gneissic tectonites and calcitic-dolomitic marble. Tonalitic CMBbtz thrust sheets (Dysart and Redstone), located in the southern Ontario Grenville Province (Canada) are made up of upper amphibolite facies, foliation-concordant metatonalite (+ amphibole ± biotite ± accessory zircon and titanite) and amphibolite (± biotite ± clinopyroxene). These thrust sheets are thought to have formed and amalgamated onto the Laurentian margin prior to Ottawan orogeny. Major and trace element analyses show that the metatonalite rocks have calc-alkaline affinity and amphibolite rocks have both calc-alkaline and tholeiitic affinities, suggesting an arc environment. Laser ablation–inductively coupled plasma–mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) geochronology of zircon from the two thrust sheets yield igneous ages of ca. 1350–1300 Ma for diorite and granodiorite, ca. 1150–1100 Ma ages from Dysart tonalite interpreted to record metamorphic zircon growth, and a ca. 1086 Ma Ottawan metamorphic age from a Dysart amphibolite. The ca. 1150–1100 Ma metamorphic event has not been previously documented within these thrust sheets of the CMBbtz, but correlates well with thermal events in the allochthonous Parry Sound domain to the west, as do ca. 1350 Ma igneous ages of tonalite in both areas. These data support the hypothesis that the CMBbtz and Parry Sound domain may have been initially linked. Widespread ca. 1350 Ma crust along with distinct 1460–1400 Ma depleted mantle model ages (TDM) are also consistent with a shared genesis with the Dysart–Mount Holly suite in New York and Vermont, and support the correlation between the CMBbtz thrust sheets and the Adirondack Highlands–Mount Holly belt as a rifted arc. Alternatively, the CMBbtz thrust sheets and the Adirondack Highlands–Mount Holly belt may represent contemporaneous arc development at different parts of the convergent margin; however, we support the correlation between the CMBbtz thrust sheets and the Adirondack-Highlands–Mount Holly belt.
IRS Assumes Away Inconvenient Law in Reinsurance CCA

This article critiques IRS Chief Counsel Advice 201501011, in which the Internal Revenue Service asserted that a reinsurer could not claim an immediate deduction for the ceding commission paid in an indemnity retrocession transaction completed in connection with the acquisition of a life reinsurance business. As discussed in this article, this misguided conclusion should be rejected in view of its blatant disregard of sections 848(g) and 197(f)(5) of the Internal Revenue Code, the legislative history of section 197, the relevant provisions of the Treasury regulations under sections 197, 338, and 1060, and the prior analyses of the Internal Revenue Service.
Nakhleh RG, Ed. Error Reduction and Prevention in Surgical Pathology

RG Nakhleh, Ed. Error Reduction and Prevention in Surgical Pathology . New York, NY: Springer; 2015. $179 Since the publication of To Err Is Human , patient safety has been at the forefront of health care. That report, however, made only a couple of mentions of diagnostic errors. But things have changed since 2000. Attention to diagnostic errors has been championed by Mark Graber, founder of the Society to Improve Diagnosis in Medicine. The publication of this monograph is therefore timely and coincides with the College of American Pathologists’ and Association of Directors of Anatomic and Surgical Pathology’s recent white paper, “Interpretive Diagnostic Error Reduction in Surgical Pathology and Cytology.” Importantly, the Institute of Medicine, soon to be the National Academy of Medicine, released a report in the fall of 2015 on diagnostic error in health care, a much broader topic than encompassed by this publication but part of the same effort to improve patient care. Error Reduction and Prevention in Surgical Pathology has two objectives: (1) to systematically examine sources of error and (2) to summarize what has been learned to avoid these areas. The book is edited by Raouf Nakhleh, who has published extensively on topics related to error and quality management in surgical pathology. The book is written by a team of 15 surgical pathologists with backgrounds in medical error, quality assurance, and informatics in pathology. The team is …
The ideal moment of inertia for a baseball or softball bat

In selecting a baseball or a softball bat, both weight and weight distribution should be considered. However, these considerations must be individualized, because there is large variability in how different batters swing a bat and in how each batter swings different bats. Previous research has defined the ideal bat weight as that weight that maximizes the batted-ball speed based on measurements of individual swings, the concept of the coefficient of restitution, and the laws of conservation of momentum. In this paper, a method is given that extends this approach to recent bat designs where the moment of inertia can be specified. The data presented in this paper show that all of the players in our study would probably profit from using end-loaded bats.
From Religious Outsiders to Insiders: The Rise and Fall of Pacifism in the Churches of Christ

The Churches of Christ are exemplary religious insiders in the United States.1 Their 1,600,000 members and adherents concentrated mostly in the upper South, sponsor several colleges and claim best selling Christian author and Texas preacher Max Lucado whose sermon at the 1999 National Prayer Breakfast at President Clinton's invitation symbolizes the new cultural status of the tradition.2 With roots in the Cane Ridge revival, Barton Stone's Kentucky-and Tennessee-based Christian Movement, and Alexander Campbell's Virginia-based Disci ples, the Churches of Christ emerged from cultural obscurity at the outset of the twentieth century to become a significant religious force in the South at century's end.3 However such prominence was not al ways the case. The Churches of Christ started on the margins, virtually ignored and when noticed by those in power on the political front, they were reviled and ridiculed. The Churches of Christ were "a church of the disinherited" with a class-conscious membership that was deeply dis turbed by the materialism and hypocrisy it saw in more established
Sporting Relations: Diplomacy, Small States, and Germany’s Post-war Return to International Sport

ABSTRACTGermany’s post-war return to international sport was not uniform across all federations. The nature of each sport—summer versus winter, team versus individual—influenced the speed with which each international sport federation dealt with the issue of Germany’s return. Some federations allowed German participation even before they formally re-admitted the country to federation membership. However, sporting relations were not the only issue considered by international federations. The historical political relations between Germany and its smaller European neighbours were as important. The combination of the historical relationship amongst European states—especially memories of the Second World War—and internal sport federation dynamics affected state relations within the broader international system. The actions taken by the international sport federations provided examples—in areas that would not result in another world war or destroy Western alliances—of how Germany could return as a full member o...
Axial and conical parametric four-wave mixing in pure Na vapor

Typical parametric four-wave mixing (PFWM) processes are well documented in Na vapors.1 These processes in general involve emissions that are nonresonant in nature and must satisfy the phase matching conditions (Δk = 0, where Δk is the phase mismatch between the laser and generated photons) by adjusting the angles of the k vectors of the generated waves. This results in the production of conically emitted light about the axis of the pump laser and only in the direction of the laser photons.