cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Sequencing, Assembling, and Finishing Complete Bacteriophage Genomes

Next-generation DNA sequencing (NGS) technologies have made generating genomic sequence for organisms of interest affordable and commonplace. However, NGS platforms and analysis software are generally tuned to be used on large and complex genomes or metagenomic samples. Determining the complete genome sequence of a single bacteriophage requires a somewhat different perspective, workflow, and sensitivity to the nature of phages. Because phage genomes consist of mostly coding regions (see Pope/Jacobs-Sera chapter), a very high standard should be adopted when completing these genomes so that the subsequent steps of annotation and analysis are not sabotaged by sequencing errors. While read quality and assembly algorithms have continued to improve, achieving this standard still requires a significant amount of human oversight and expertise. This chapter describes our workflow for sequencing, assembling, and finishing phage genomes to a high standard by the NGS platforms Illumina, Ion Torrent, and 454.
Actin, cofilin and cognition.

Patients with Williams syndrome have defects in visuo-spatial cognition (a failure to integrate parts into a whole) that are linked to deletion of the gene that encodes LIM kinase-1 (LIMK-1). The reasons for this are becoming clearer with the identification of a molecular target for LIMK-1. It turns out that this enzyme phosphorylates cofilin, which is essential for the turnover of actin filaments. Such turnover may be implicated in axon guidance, and could explain why high levels of LIMK-1 are found in neurons.
Abstract 17425: Physical Activity and Incident Heart Failure in High-Risk Subgroups

Background: While physical activity (PA) is crucial for coronary heart disease (CHD) prevention, it is unclear if PA prevents the onset of HF after CHD is already established. In contrast, PA may be more effective for HF prevention in other subgroups defined as high risk for HF (obesity, diabetes, hypertension and the metabolic syndrome). Hypothesis: We hypothesized that PA is less strongly associated with reduced HF risk among those with prevalent CHD than in other subgroups at high risk for HF. Methods: We followed 12,269 ARIC participants (mean age 55 yrs; 55% female; 23% black) who were free of HF at baseline (Visit 1; 1987-89). Exercise PA was assessed using a modified Baecke questionnaire and categorized according to AHA guidelines as recommended, intermediate or poor. Prevalent CHD was self-reported at baseline. We constructed Cox models to estimate the association of each high-risk subgroup with incident HF, and to estimate the associations between higher PA and incident HF within each high-risk subgroup. We performed likelihood ratio tests to test for interactions between each high-risk subgroup and PA on the outcome of incident HF. Results: Over a median 24 years of follow-up, there were 2,073 HF events. Each high-risk subgroup was strongly associated with incident HF (HRs ranging from 2.19 to 3.30). Compared to poor activity, recommended activity was associated with lower HF risk among participants with obesity, diabetes, hypertension, and the metabolic syndrome, but not among those with prevalent CHD (Table; HR 1.02 [95% CI: 0.71-1.46]). A significant interaction was seen between prevalent CHD and PA on HF risk (p Conclusion: PA may be less strongly associated with decreased HF risk among those with existing CHD than in other high-risk subgroups. CHD prevention should be emphasized, and further work is needed to refine strategies for reducing HF risk among CHD patients.
Molecular Biology and Pathology of Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors

Gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) are mesenchymal tumors of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract with characteristic histologic and molecular features. These tumors are KIT or PDFGRA mutation-driven mesenchymal tumors of the gastrointestinal tract originating from the interstitial cells of Cajal (ICC) or their precursors, and they generally express CKIT protein. GISTs are the most common malignant mesenchymal tumors of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract and about 5,000 new cases are diagnosed each year in the United States.
Instructional Variables in Text Processing

This paper explores five techniques for increasing the novice's understanding of scientific prose. Novices are defined as readers who have little or no prior experience with the subject matter in the passage. Understanding is defined in terms of the reader's ability to use information from the passage to solve transfer problems. The five techniques reviewed are: (1) organizing the passage around familiar principles, (2) using concrete advance organizers, (3) providing pretraining in prerequisite knowledge, (4) encouraging use of elaboration strategies, (5) inserting meaningful adjunct questions within the passage.
Spectral Characteristics of Systems Which Undergo a Reversible Two-State Reaction

Many fluorophores undergo reactions in the excited state. Typical reactions include excimer and exciplex formation, protonation or deprotonation, and energy transfer. Absorption of a photon creates an altered electronic distribution in the fluorophore, which frequently changes its chemical or physical properties and may induce reactions with other components of the solution. In many cases the excited state process can be described by a simple two-state reaction scheme. In this chapter we describe in detail the spectral properties of this model. These properties provide a basis with which to compare the experimental data, and if appropriate, the theory for this model can be used to determine the kinetic and spectral constants of the system.
Adaptive Lossless Data Compression over a Noisy Channel

With dynamic communication a sender and receiver work in a “lock-step” cooperation to maintain identical copies of a dictionary D (which is constantly changing). A key application of dynamic communication is adaptive data compression. A potential drawback of dynamic communication is error propagation (that causes the sender and receiver dictionaries to diverge and possibly corrupt all data to follow). Protocols that require the receiver to request re-transmission from the sender when an error is detected can be impractical for many applications where such two way communication is not possible or self-defeating (e.g., with data compression, re-transmission is tantamount to losing the data that could have been transmitted in the mean time). We present a new model of error resilient communication where even though errors may not be detected, there are strong guarantees that their effects will not propagate.
Higher-order and length-scale statistics from DNS of a decelerated planar wall-bounded turbulent flow

Abstract A DNS database is presented to document third- and fourth-order moments and their budgets for fully developed plane-channel flow and for strained plane-channel flow. The effect of straining has a similar effect on statistics, such as the skewness and flatness of velocities, as in an adverse-pressure-gradient (APG) boundary layer. In addition to higher-order statistics, some modeling implications are also described, including issues related to decomposition of the velocity–pressure gradient correlations, the assumption of dissipation isotropy and a fourth-order turbulence time scale. An analysis of two-point correlations along the inhomogeneous direction is made to include the effects of APG straining. This reveals the advantage of a one-point length-scale based on wall-normal velocity fluctuations as an alternative to the traditionally used length-scale based on turbulence kinetic energy. The present study should prove to be useful for turbulence modelers in need of data to develop and assess higher-than-second-order Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes closure models.
Probability of collision between space objects including model uncertainty

Abstract An adaptive Collision Risk Assessment Tool (CRATER) is introduced in order to analyze conjunctions featuring non Gaussian distributions, long encounter times, and considerable model uncertainty. The algorithm makes use of the Fokker Planck equation to quantify the error in various assumptions, refine approximations of the propagated probability density functions (PDFs), and assess the need for external validation in some scenarios. A Local Gaussian approximation of the non-Gaussian propagated PDFs is introduced and shown to be comparable to Gaussian Mixture methods (GMM) in terms of accuracy, while exhibiting superior performance in terms of speed. The algorithm is made adaptive through the use of a non linearity index, which is used to determine the number of mixture components needed in a GMM or the spacing of local Gaussians when approximating the propagated PDFs. Coppola's method for calculating the probability of collision (PC) between space objects is modified to considering parametric model uncertainty. The PC integral is then incorporated into CRATER. CRATER is then used to compute the PC for 8 different test cases and is compared to Monte Carlo results.
Wedge-direct sums of table algebras and applications to association schemes, I

In the remarkable paper (Blau, J. Algebr. 396:220–271, 2013) on fusion rings, Blau introduced a very important operation on two table algebras (the Blau-construction). It is very difficult to descr...
GLOS: GLOve for Speech Recognition

Technological advancements in the field of Biomedical Engineering have allowed impaired individuals to use assistive devices in order to improve their quality of life. In the case of deafblind subjects, who experience both visual and auditory loss, the majority of available assistive devices are invasive (e.g. cochlear implants). Non-invasive technological improvements are extremely limited, in part due to the lack of scientific research interest in dual sensory loss [1]. In this paper we aim to present GLOS, a low-cost and non-invasive device that will allow the deafblind individuals to comprehend speeches in real-time. The proposed wearable device uses off-the-shelf components such as a Raspberry Pi 3 board, a simple microphone, and haptic feedback vibrating disks. The recorded speech from the microphone is processed by the board and encoded into 5 haptic vibrating modules attached to a glove. Each haptic vibrating module is placed on a different finger of the right hand. The current available non-invasive solutions do not use speech and therefore they do not allow for live communication (e.g. MyVox [2], Sparsha [3] and Mobile Lorm Glove [4]) or require long procedures to convert the messages (e.g. Finger Braille Teaching System [5]). This new biomedical device aims at overcoming these limitations. The authors tested the device in a preliminary testing and it was shown that GLOS has an average accuracy of 91.67% when tested for the recognition of twenty encoded sentences. The authors were deprived of both visual and hearing inputs and were trained for half hour per day for a period of 30 days.
kSHREC ‘Delta’ reflects the shape of kinetochore rather than intrakinetochore tension

Abstract Distance between fluorescent spots formed by various kinetochore proteins (‘Delta’) is proposed to reflect the level of intrakinetochore tension (IKT). However, larger-scale changes in the kinetochore architecture may also affect Delta. To test this possibility, we measure Delta in long kinetochores of Indian muntjac (IM) whose shape, size, and orientation are discernable in conventional light microscopy. We find that architecture of IM kinetochores and the value of Delta change minimally when microtubule-mediated forces are suppressed by Taxol. In contrast, large decreases of Delta observed in Taxol-treated human cells coincide with prominent changes in length and shape of the kinetochore. We also find that inner and outer kinetochore proteins intermix within a common spatial compartment instead of forming separate thin layers. These observations, supported by computational modelling, suggest that changes in Delta reflect changes in the kinetochore shape rather than the level of IKT.
Circuit Models for the Inductance of Eight-Terminal Decoupling Capacitors

The series inductance associated with decoupling capacitors can contribute significantly to the impedance of the power distribution network. The eight-terminal capacitors considered in this article have a lower self-inductance than two-terminal capacitors and are commonly used in IC packages. Manufacturers typically specify the inductance of the capacitor using some type of equivalent series inductance (ESL), but this ESL may not accurately predict the inductance seen during use because it does not account for the coupling between the capacitor and nearby structures like the return plane. To adequately determine the inductance associated with an eight-terminal capacitor, models of typical eight-terminal capacitors were developed in Dassault Systemes CST Studio Suite. The partial element equivalent circuit (PEEC) method was used to construct simple models that can be simulated in SPICE. PEEC provides analytic insight into the source of inductance. Modeling the electrode stack as a solid block rather than a multilayer structure was shown to only change the computed inductance by 3% (~1 pH) and to substantially reduce the compute time. CST and PEEC models agreed within 9% (~3 pH), demonstrating the adequacy of the simpler PEEC models. Studies of the impact of the design parameters demonstrate that the distance between the capacitor and the reference plane has the greatest influence on inductance and that the placement of vias within the pads is important.
Importance of resection for locoregional disease control in Masaoka stage IVA thymic neoplasms

Background and objectives It is unclear if a specific strategy for simultaneous treatment of primary thymic neoplasms and pleural metastases confers benefit for Masaoka stage IVA disease. We reviewed our experience with thymic neoplasms with concurrent pleural metastases to identify factors influencing outcomes. Methods Records of patients who presented with stage IVA thymic neoplasms from 2000 to 2018 were assessed. Multivariate Cox proportional hazards analyses were completed to determine predictors of progression-free and overall survival. Results Forty-eight patients were identified, including 34 (71%) who underwent surgery. Median overall and progression-free survival were 123 and 21 months, respectively. The extent of resection varied, and was most commonly thymectomy plus partial pleurectomy (22, 65%). Median progression-free survival for patients who underwent surgical resection versus those who had not was 24 versus 12 months (P = .018). Following surgical resection, mediastinal recurrence was uncommon (2, 6%, vs 7, 50% nonoperatively). Five-year survival rates in these groups were suggestive of possible benefit to surgery (87% vs 68%). Conclusions Thymic neoplasms with pleural dissemination represents a treatment challenge. As part of a multidisciplinary approach, surgery appears to be associated with more favorable long-term results, although selection bias may account for some of the survival differences observed.
Development of a Preoperative Risk Calculator for Reinfection Following Revision Surgery for Periprosthetic Joint Infection.

Abstract Background A recent systematic review demonstrated that reinfection rates following eradication of hip and knee periprosthetic joint infection (PJI) may be as high as 29%. This study aimed to develop a preoperative risk calculator for assessing patient’s individual risk associated with reinfection following treatment of PJI in total joint arthroplasty (TJA). Methods A total of 1081 consecutive patients who underwent revision TJA for PJI were evaluated. In total, 293 patients were diagnosed with TJA reinfection. A total of 56 risk factors, including patient characteristics and surgical variables, were evaluated with multivariate regression analysis. Analysis of the area under the receiver operating characteristics curve was performed to evaluate the strength of the predictive model. Results Of the 56 risk factors studied, 19 were found to have a significant effect as risk factor for TJA reinfection. The strongest predictors for TJA reinfection included previous PJI treatment techniques such as irrigation and debridement, the number of previous surgical interventions, medical comorbidities such as obesity, drug abuse, depression and smoking, as well as microbiology including the presence of Enterococcus species. The combined area under the receiver operating characteristics curve of the risk calculator for periprosthetic hip and knee joint reinfection was 0.75. Conclusions The study findings demonstrate that surgical factors, including previous PJI surgical treatment techniques as well as the number of previous surgeries, alongside microbiology including the presence of Enterococcus species have the strongest effect on the risk for periprosthetic THA and TKA joint reinfection, suggesting the limited applicability of the existing risk calculators for the development of PJI following primary TJA in predicting the risk of periprosthetic joint reinfection.
Should we remain hopeful? The key 8 weeks: spatiotemporal epidemic characteristics of COVID-19 in Sichuan Province and its comparative analysis with other provinces in China and global epidemic trends.

The COVID-19 spread worldwide quickly. Exploring the epidemiological characteristics could provide a basis for responding to imported cases abroad and to formulate prevention and control strategies in areas where COVID-19 is still spreading rapidly. The number of confirmed cases, daily growth, incidence and length of time from the first reported case to the end of the local cases (i.e., non-overseas imported cases) were compared by spatial (geographical) and temporal classification and visualization of the development and changes of the epidemic situation by layers through maps. In the first wave, a total of 539 cases were reported in Sichuan, with an incidence rate of 0.6462/100,000. The closer to Hubei the population centres were, the more pronounced the epidemic was. The peak in Sichuan Province occurred in the second week. Eight weeks after the Wuhan lockdown, the health crisis had eased. The longest epidemic length at the city level in China (except Wuhan, Taiwan, and Hong Kong) was 53 days, with a median of 23 days. Spatial autocorrelation analysis of China showed positive spatial correlation (Moran’s Index > 0, p < 0.05). Most countries outside China began to experience a rapid rise in infection rates 4 weeks after their first case. Some European countries experienced that rise earlier than the USA. The pandemic in Germany, Spain, Italy, and China took 28, 29, 34, and 18 days, respectively, to reach the peak of daily infections, after their daily increase of up to 20 cases. During this time, countries in the African region and Southeast Asian region were at an early stage of infections, those in the Eastern Mediterranean region and region of the Americas were in a rapid growth phase. After the closure of the outbreak city, appropriate isolation and control measures in the next 8 weeks were key to control the outbreak, which reduced the peak value and length of the outbreak. Some countries with improved epidemic situations need to develop a continuous “local strategy at entry checkpoints” to to fend off imported COVID-19.
Promotion and Mobility in the Academic Accounting Career

We examine a number of characteristics of the academic accounting career. On average, an assistant professor is promoted to associate rank after 6.46 years as an assistant, and 5.62 years at her current school. An assistant professor moves just under 1 times before promotion to associate. An associate professor is promoted to full in 7.14 years, after being at her current school for 9.27 years (including years spent as an assistant). Faculty that move from a tenure-track rank to non-tenure-track do so after 6.73 years in a tenure-track rank. Faculty starting at assistant rank stay at their current school for an average of 7.79 years; faculty starting at associate rank stay for 9.61 years, faculty starting at full professor rank stay for 8.28 years. Faculty starting at a non-tenure-track rank stay for 6.11 years. For career length, faculty retiring as assistants have a career length of 19.36 years; faculty retiring as associates have a career length of 21.72 years, and faulty retiring as full have a career length of 23.00 years. We also examine faculty mobility, by year, from 1976 to 2016, and the proportion of faculty promoted from assistant to associate and from associate to full.
A Review of Color Atlas of Tumor Histopathology

This is an excellent color atlas of tumor histopathology and represents a valuable addition to any general pathologist's reference library. Perhaps the utility is limited for the pure practice of forensic pathology, but many of us have a combined general and forensic pathology practice. Therefore this concise collection and description of common and rare neoplasms is useful. Even someone practicing strictly forensic pathology would encounter neoplasms unexpectedly and in cases of possible therapeutic misadventure. Forensic Pathology by G. Austin Gresham, published by Yearbook in the Color Atlas series in 1975, is, generally speaking, much more useful to the forensic pathologist. This addition to the Yearbook Color Atlas series is designed for “medical students, surgeons, radiotherapists and clinical oncologists.” The hematoxylin and eosin stained sections are of superior quality and the photomicrographs are clear with good choice of magnification to illustrate the salient features utilized in diagnosis. The use of gross photographs is limited but adequate. Only one radiograph is included, however, and this may be a deficiency when considering bone tumors. Pertinent electron micrographs and special stains are well chosen for certain distinctive neoplasms. The accompanying legends are concise and informative and include minimal appropriate clinical material. The neoplasms of carcinoid types arising from the foregut, midgut, and hindgut are especially well presented and include such rarities as the goblet cell and spindle cell variants of the appendiceal carcinoid. The list of carcinoid tumors includes those arising in the breast, bronchus, ovary, rectum, small intestine, stomach, testis, and thymus as well as the more commonly encountered appendiceal carcinoids.
BRITISH WOMEN AND THE BAPTIST WORLD ALLIANCE

This article explores the involvement of British women in the BWA from 1905 to 1923 and highlights the way J.H. Shakespeare encouraged the ministry of women.
Ideas out of context and the contextualization of ideas: The transference of Jane Jacobs to São Paulo

Abstract The mobility and contextualization of urban policies between localities have received significant attention in recent literature. A number of mechanisms have been identified, including “best practices,” “policy tourism,” multinational firms, and conferences have been identified. This article identifies a new mechanism: the translation and publication of seminal theses into additional languages. Using citations analysis and interviews in Sao Paulo, this mechanism is confirmed as an additional mode of transference and identified as being responsible for the growth in interest in Jane Jacobs in Sao Paulo. However, this article finds that despite the increase in accessibility to her ideals, her emphasis on contextuality was overlooked in that case. This, in turn, calls attention to larger issues of the use of so-called ‘universally-good’ examples of urbanism.
Outcomes of extremely premature infants admitted to a children's hospital depends on referring hospital

Objective: The outcome of premature infants is negatively impacted by transport, and in Central Ohio every effort is made to transport the mother prior to preterm delivery. Our neonatal intensive care unit is an all referral unit, thus all babies are transported and the referral hospitals include those without neonatology coverage, and those with neonatology coverage. We tested the hypothesis that the outcomes of extremely premature infants (<27 weeks gestational age) admitted to our NICU would be better when the infant was referred from a hospital with neonatology coverage. Patients and methods: We collected data from 227 patients admitted from December, 2004 to August, 2008; 192 patients were from hospitals with neonatology coverage. Results: The survival rate was greater for those babies referred from hospitals with neonatology coverage than in those referred from hospitals without neonatology coverage (82% vs. 60%, p= 0.007), as was the combined outcome of survival without Grade 3/4 IVH (68% vs. 43%, p< 0.01). When limited to only those patients admitted at <3 days of life, survival was better for infants referred from hospitals with neonatology coverage than those referred from hospitals without it (77% vs. 63%; p< 0.05). Conclusion: These results suggest that for infants born at <27 weeks admitted to an all referral unit delivery in a hospital with neonatology coverage leads to better survival.
Where does all the PIP2 come from

Despite its very low concentration in the plasma membrane, PIP2 is the precursor for the important second messenger InsP3 and, independently, is a key modulator of membrane signalling molecules such as ion channels. However, it has been difficult to determine the spatial and temporal characteristics of PIP2 and InsP3 during a cell signalling event. Our laboratory used bradykinin stimulation of N1E-115 neuroblastoma cells to infer the InsP3 dynamics from calcium imaging studies, biochemical analysis and InsP3 uncaging. We have used computational modelling with Virtual Cell to help analyse and interpret experimental data on the details of the calcium release process as well as to build a comprehensive image-based model of agonist-induced calcium release in a neuronal cell. These data provided a constraint for the further investigation of how low levels of cellular PIP2 could provide sufficient InsP3 for calcium release. Using biochemical assays, quantitative imaging of GFP-based probe translocation and computational analysis, it was shown that PIP2 synthesis is stimulated concomitant with its hydrolysis. This mechanism should be important not just for consideration of PIP2 as a precursor of InsP3, but for any pathway that can be directly or indirectly modulated by PIP2.
The Determinants of the Incidence of Intergovernmenta l Grants: A Survey of the International Experience

Abstract Although the presence of objective formula-based grants is an important component of a stable, equitable and efficient system of intergovernmental fiscal relations, the final incidence of grants is not always according to what is stated in the formula because there are other intervening institutional factors. Furthermore, the intergovernmental grant mechanism itself is often a function of the same interests or forces that ultimately drive the incidence of grant resources. This paper relates the horizontal allocation of intergovernmental grants directly to their potential underlying determinants, including normative policy issues, voter choice arguments and political considerations. An international comparison of empirical incidence studies reveals that besides local expenditure needs and local fiscal capacity, other factors including political influence and a jurisdiction’s size play important and consistent roles in determining the horizontal allocation of per capita intergovernmental grants
Twenty Questions (and Answers) About Environmental Law School Clinics

With law schools and universities looking to government and corporations for support, it can seem out of step with institutional priorities for clinics to represent ordinary citizens suing government or corporations to protect the environment. In this context, this short article reviews common questions about environmental law school clinics, and corresponding answers.
Imaging the expression of transfected genes in vivo.

Abstract Imaging the expression of successful gene transduction has been demonstrated in vivo for the first time by using an appropriate combination of “marker gene” and “marker substrate” in an experimental animal model. The herpes simplex virus 1 thymidine kinase ( HSV1-tk ) gene was selected as an example of a marker gene, and the recombinant STK retrovirus containing HSV1-tk was used to transduce RG2 glioma cells in vitro and in vivo . RG2TK + cell lines expressing the HSV1-tk gene and three potential marker substrates for the HSV1-TK enzyme were evaluated. Radiolabeled 5-iodo-2′-fluoro-2′deoxy-1-β-d-arabinofuranosyluracil (FIAU) was shown to be a substantially better marker substrate for the HSV1-TK enzyme than 5-iodo-2′-deoxyuridine or ganciclovir. The magnitude of FIAU accumulation in different RG2TK + clones corresponded to their sensitivity to ganciclovir and to the level of HSV1-tk mRNA expression. Imaging the expression of HSV1-tk in transduced RG2 tumor cells was demonstrated in animals using quantitative autoradiography; 2-[ 14 C]FIAU accumulation was shown to be high in RG2TK + brain tumors growing in one hemisphere and very low in nontransduced RG2 tumors in the contralateral hemisphere. Transduction of RG2 tumor cells with the HSV-tk gene in vivo resulted in tumors which accumuiated FIAU to high levels and produced clearly defined images. Given the level of FIAU accumulation in the transduced tumors, it is likely that a clinically applicable method for imaging HSV1-tk gene expression can be implemented using existing clinical imaging techniques.
IgE induced blood coagulation alterations in the rabbit: consumption of coagulation factors XII, XI, and IX in vivo

Intravenous administration of BSA into 3-month-old rabbits producing detectable anti-BSA antibody only of the IgE class of immunoglobulin induced a variety of intravascular blood coagulation alterations observed in the plasma 15 min after antigen challenge included: a) the intravascular consumption of intrinsic blood coagulation factors XII, XI, and IX and possibly the reduction in clottable fibrinogen; b) a significant prolongation of the activated partial thromboplastin time but not the prothrombin time; and c) the production of an inhibitor affecting the last stage of blood coagulation. The observed blood coagulation alterations were not caused by the manipulative procedures utilized, the presence of anti-BSA, IgG or IgM antibody, histamine-induced alterations in the vascular endothelium or the development of hypotensive shock. It is proposed that specific IgE antibody can induce directly or indirectly the activation of intrinsic blood coagulation in vivo.
The Collision Manifold of the Collinear One-Bumper Two-Body Problem

We present a special model which is a caricature of the collinear three-body problem. Near triple-collision behavior for the model is governed by the collision manifold. We study the bifurcations of the dynamics on this manifold as we vary the ratio of masses. Both analytic and numerical results are presented.
Rationale and methodology for a multicentre randomised trial of fibrinolysis for pulmonary embolism that includes quality of life outcomes.

Background Submassive pulmonary embolism (PE) has a low mortality rate but can degrade functional capacity. Objective The present study aims to provide rationale, methodology, and initial findings of a multicentre, randomised trial of fibrinolysis for PE that used a composite end-point, including quality of life measures. Methods This investigator-initiated study was funded by a contract between a corporate partner and the investigator's hospital (the prime site). The investigator was the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) sponsor. The prime site subcontracted, indemnified, and trained consortia members. Consenting, normotensive patients with PE and right ventricular strain (by echocardiography or biomarkers) received low-molecular-weight heparin and random assignment to a single bolus of tenecteplase or placebo in double-blinded fashion. The outcomes were: (i) in-hospital rate of intubation, vasopressor support, and major haemorrhage, or (ii) at 90 days, death, recurrent PE, or composite that defined poor quality of life (echocardiography, 6 min walk test and surveys). The planned sample size was n = 200. Results Eight sites enrolled 87 patients over 5 years. The ratio of patients screened for each enrolled was 7.4 to 1, equating to 11 h screening time per patient enrolled. Primary barrier to enrolment was the cost of screening. Two patients died (2.5%, 95%CI [0–8%]), one developed shock, but 18 (22%, 95%CI: [13–30%]) had a poor quality of life. Conclusions An investigator-initiated, FDA-regulated, multicentre trial of fibrinolysis for submassive PE was conducted, but was limited by screening costs and a low mortality rate. Quality of life measurements might represent a more important patient-centred end-point.
Impulse generator spectrum amplitude measurement techniques

Various techniques that have been used to calibrate impulse generators and to measure spectrum amplitude are surveyed. A summary of experiments comparing the various techniques is included. The NBS measurement service for calibrating impulse generators is described.
Surface-charge-density relaxation of Ni(113).

Symmetric in-plane and extremely asymmetric out-of-plane Ne-diffraction rainbows obtained from Ni(113) along [332\ifmmode\bar\else\textasciimacron\fi{}] show that the close-packed (111) facets are more strongly corrugated than the more open (100) ones, in surprising contrast to expectation. Surface-charge-density calculations with overlapping atomic densities indicate that surface bonding causes appreciable electronic charge flow from the (111) to the (100) facets, filling up the fourfold hollows completely.
Heat transfer enhancement in a serpentine channel

Forced-convection heat transfer rates and pressure drops were measured in the thermally fully developed region of a serpentine channel over Reynolds numbers ranging from 250 to 10000. The wall geometry was similar to # 17.8-3/8W of Kays and London [Compact Heat Exchangers (3rd Edn), p. 204. McGraw-Hill, New York (1984)], but carefully designed to minimize the extent of flow separation. The spatially-periodic wall impingement currents and high shear stresses combined to make a more uniform streamwise variation in local heat flux compared with corrugated surfaces. On an equal-Re basis, the heated surface of the serpentine channel outperformed the baseline parallel-plate channel by about a factor of 9 in air and 14 in water. Thus wavy-walled channels may prove effective for enhancing heat transfer in laminar and transitional flow regimes.
Contributions of Ca2+ to galectin-1-induced exposure of phosphatidylserine on activated neutrophils.

Apoptotic cells redistribute phosphatidylserine (PS) to the cell surface by both Ca2+-dependent and -independent mechanisms. Binding of dimeric galectin-1 (dGal-1) to glycoconjugates on N-formyl-Met-Leu-Phe (fMLP)-activated neutrophils exposes PS and facilitates neutrophil phagocytosis by macrophages, yet it does not initiate apoptosis. We asked whether dGal-1 initiated Ca2+ fluxes that are required to redistribute PS to the surface of activated neutrophils. Prolonged occupancy by dGal-1 was required to maximally mobilize PS to the surfaces of fMLP-activated neutrophils. Like fMLP, dGal-1 rapidly elevated cytosolic Ca2+ levels in Fluo-4-loaded neutrophils. An initial Ca2+ mobilization from intracellular stores was followed by movement of extracellular Ca2+ to the cytosolic compartment, with return to basal Ca2+ levels within 10 min. Chelation of extracellular Ca2+ did not prevent PS mobilization. Chelation of intracellular Ca2+ revealed that fMLP and dGal-1 independently release Ca2+ from intracellular stores that cooperate to induce optimal redistribution of PS. Ca2+ mobilization by ionomycin did not permit dGal-1 to mobilize PS, indicating that fMLP initiated both Ca2+-dependent and -independent signals that facilitated dGal-1-induced exposure of PS. dGal-1 elevated cytosolic Ca2+ and mobilized PS through a pathway that required action of Src kinases and phospholipase Cγ. These results demonstrate that transient Ca2+ fluxes contribute to a sustained redistribution of PS on neutrophils activated with fMLP and dGal-1.
The effect of methlyprednisolone on pain, trismus, and swelling after removal of third molars

Abstract Thirty-one healthy patients whose third molars needed to be removed were randomly placed into two groups. Before sedation the control group (n = 16) received normal saline solution and the experimental group (n = 15) received 125 mg of methylprednisolone intravenously. Swelling was measured by photographic and face-bow techniques, trismus was determined by measuring maximal interincisal opening, and pain was evaluated by asking the patients to report the number of pain pills they used and assess the severity of their pal, daily. The swelling and pain, but not the trismus, that developed after third molar removal were significantly reduced by a single dose of methylprednisolone.
Aggregating goods and pollutants

Abstract The mathematical assumptions underlying the aggregation of goods and of pollutants in a class of environmental models are given some possible economic interpretations. The procedures for aggregation are illustrated graphically and with numerical examples. This paper was motivated by the definitive article of Forster ( J. Environ. Econ. Manage. 8 , 118–133 (1981)) and is intended to complement that article.
Geometric Morphometrics and Finite Element Analysis: First Results from a Joint Formalism for Modeling Strain

Abstract Finite element analysis (FEA) is a robust and widely exploited 20th-century approach to the computational approximation of partial differential equations, particularly for continuum mechanics. Geometric morphometrics (GMM), a more recent methodology, blends tools from computer vision and multivariate statistics in a toolkit for pattern analysis of shape variation that has been applied extensively in conjunction with deformable-template methods since 1990, especially within organismal biology and medical imaging. In the absence of any canonical statistical method for finite-element studies, the possibility of a bridge between GMM and FEA is becoming a focus of active concern in several contemporary biosciences. The two existing traditions agree on the centrality of the biharmonic equation but differ in representations of the geometry of space, in many details of boundary condition specification, in the role of the uniform (affine) strains, and in the constraints linking changes of multiple coordinates. This speculative essay reviews some preliminary issues arising in the course of attempts to construct a preliminary synthesis along these lines for application to data sets comprising multiple instances of the same design or Bauplan that can be characterized by variation of a shorter or longer vector of scalar parameters. An approach to this goal is demonstrated according to which the GMM toolkit is represented by a nonstandard version of its sufficient scalar statistic, Procrustes distance, while the FEA domain is represented by a less-familiar summary statistic, the net strain energy stored in the deformed configuration. The approaches are compared by recourse to an ancient example, the Euler–Bernoulli analysis of a cantilevered beam, for which the net strain energy can be computed by a simple geometric analysis of the same parameters that specify the strain being simulated. The finding is rather surprising: for simulations involving constant load at the end of the beam, strain energy and Procrustes distance are exactly proportional. This simplicity argues for the centrality of this pair of scalar summaries over any more extensive multivariate vector representation of the deformations being studied. A concluding comment sketches extensions to other biomathematically relevant scenarios for which analytic solutions can be approximated from the technical literature.
Catalytic and adsorption studies for the hydrogenation of CO2 to methane

Abstract CO2 methanation has been evaluated as a means of storing intermittent renewable energy in the form of synthetic natural gas. A range of process parameters suitable for the target application (4720 h−1 to 84,000 h−1 and from 160 °C to 320 °C) have been investigated at 1 bar and H2/CO2 = 4 over a 10% Ru/γ-Al2O3 catalyst. Thermodynamic equilibrium was reached at T ≈ 280 °C at a GHSV of 4720 h−1. Cyclic and thermal stability tests specific to a renewable energy storage application have also been conducted. The catalyst showed no sign of deactivation after 8 start-up/shut-down cycles (from 217 °C to RT) and for total time on stream of 72 h, respectively. In addition, TGA-DSC was employed to investigate adsorption of reactants and suggest implications on the mechanism of reaction. Cyclic TGA-DSC studies at 265 °C in CO2 and H2, being introduced consecutively, suggest a high degree of short term stability of the Ru catalyst, although it was found that CO2 chemisorption and hydrogenation activity was lowered by a magnitude of 40% after the first cycle. Stable performance was achieved for the following 19 cycles. The CO2 uptake after the first cycle was mostly restored when using a H2-pre-treatment at 320 °C between each cycle, which indicated that the previous drop in performance was not linked to an irreversible form of deactivation (sintering, permanent poisoning, etc.). CO chemisorption on powder Ru/γ-Al2O3 was used to identify metal sintering as a mechanism of deactivation at temperatures higher than 320 °C. A 10% Ru/γ-Al2O3//monolith has been investigated as a model for the design of a catalytic heat exchanger. Excellent selectivity to methane and CO2 conversions under low space-velocity conditions were achieved at low hydrogenation temperatures (T = 240 °C). The use of monoliths demonstrates the possibility for new reactor designs using wash-coated heat exchangers to manage the exotherm and prevent deactivation due to high temperatures.
A review of ‘green’ strategies to prevent or mitigate microbiologically influenced corrosion

Two approaches to control microbiologically influenced corrosion (MIC) have been developed that do not require the use of biocides. These strategies include the following: i) use of biofilms to inhibit or prevent corrosion, and ii) manipulation (removal or addition) of an electron acceptor, (e.g. oxygen, sulphate or nitrate) to influence the microbial population. In both approaches the composition of the microbial community is affected by small perturbations in the environment (e.g. temperature, nutrient concentration and flow) and the response of microorganisms cannot be predicted with certainty. The following sections will review the literature on the effectiveness of these environmentally friendly, "green," strategies for controlling MIC.
Ovariohysterectomy of cats

SIR, — I was interested in the recent paper by [Coe and others (2006)][1] comparing flank and midline approaches to the ovariohysterectomy of cats. I was surprised that a 2·5 cm incision was used for the flank approach. I would regard a 1 cm incision as more usual; one advantage of the technique
Intracranial hemorrhage following incidental durotomy during spinal surgery : A report of four patients

Unintentional durotomy is a frequent complication of spinal surgical procedures, with a rate as high as 17%1-5. With appropriate management, the long-term outcomes for patients who had an unintended durotomy were no different from those for patients who underwent a similar surgery without complications6,7. A small percentage of patients with unintentional durotomy sustain intracranial hemorrhage, likely due to an alteration in intradural hydrostatic dynamics caused by cerebrospinal fluid hypovolemia3,4,8,9. Despite the gravity of this complication, to our knowledge, only six cases have been previously documented3,8-11. All neurosurgeons and orthopaedic surgeons at a large tertiary care center associated with a major university were solicited to identify cases of intracranial hemorrhage following incidental durotomy that occurred during the period of 1996 to 2006. The purpose of this report is to describe the four identified patients who sustained intracranial hemorrhage following an unintentional durotomy during posterior thora-columbar spinal surgery and to discuss the importance of our findings. The patients were informed that data concerning the case would be submitted for publication, and they consented. CASE 1. A seventy-seven-year-old man with a history of ankylosing spondylitis and a daily intake of 325 mg of aspirin presented with a thoracic kyphosis of 110° that impaired his ability to perform activities of daily living. He was brought to the operating room for posterior arthrodesis and instrumentation from T11 to S1 as well as L2 pedicle subtraction osteotomy. During posterior dissection, a dural tear was made, resulting in a substantial loss of cerebrospinal fluid. The dura was absent at the apex of the deformity and was friable elsewhere. After an intraoperative neurosurgical consultation was obtained, the dural rent was covered with DuraGen (Integra LifeSciences, Plainsboro, …
Drosophila glial architecture and development: analysis using a collection of new cell-specific markers

Monoclonal antibodies and enhancer trap insertions that mark subsets of neurons have been valuable tools in the study of Drosophila neuronal development. Similarly, glial specific cell markers could prove to be valuable in investigating the development and function of glia. Here we characterize the architecture and development of distinct sets of Drosophila embryonic glia, using a reporter gene driven by fushi tarazu homeodomain binding sites. Reporter expresssion in glia is dependent on the orientation and spacing of the homeodomain binding sites, revealing potential differences in glial determination. These studies suggest that the use of transcription factor binding sites to drive reporter gene expression may prove to be a generally useful means of generating additional cell type-specific markers.
EFFECTS OF VITAMIN SUPPLEMENTATION ON THE OCCURRENCE OF NEURAL TUBE DEFECTS IN THE RAT

Clinical studies have indicated that the incidence of neural tube defects (NTD) is lower in a population of women given supplemental vitamin therapy than in the control population of women (both groups having previously delivered an infant with a NTD), To further investigate the possible protective effects of vitamin supplementation during gestation, pregnant rats were initially injected, subcutaneously, with MVI-12, a multi-vitamin preparation or the vehicle prepartion on the morning of the 8th day of gestation. One hour later, the rats were anethesized and a laparotomy performed to confirm the number of embryonic sites. At this time, sheep anti-rat yolk sac serum (100 mg/kg) was administered intraperitoneally. This dose produces a 100% incidence of congenital malformations, including NTD. The incision was closed arid the pregnancy allowed to continue to term. Vitamins continued to be administered over a period of three days to maintain high levels of vitamins in the rats. NTD were observed in 100% of the term offspring in both the vitamin-supplemented group and the control group. In addition, no reduction in embryolethality was found in the vitamin-supplemented group. These results suggest that viatmin supplementation, at least at the doses used, does not afford protection against the teratogenic effects of yolk-sac antiserum in rat embryos. It has been hypothesized that NTD have multiple etiologies and, therefore, no single treatment will be likely to prevent these defects. These results do not refute that hypothesis. (Supported by NIH)
Membrane glycoproteins and recognition phenomena

Abstract Information encoded in specific sugar residues o f membrane glycoproteins exerts a profound effect on cellular reactivity.