cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Endoscopic bile duct brushing of malignant pancreatic biliary strictures: retrospective study with comparison of conventional smear and ThinPrep techniques.

Endoscopic bile duct brushing (EBDB) is carried out to differentiate benign from malignant biliary strictures in patients who have pancreaticobiliary disease. The sensitivity of this method for the diagnosis of malignancy is relatively low. The aim of this study is to analyze the cytomorphologic features that are helpful in increasing the sensitivity of detecting these lesions on cytologic samples. These features are compared with slides prepared with the ThinPrep technique. The study included 142 patients with bile duct obstruction or pancreatic mass who underwent EBDB and follow-up surgery or biopsy between 1997 to 2000. Twenty-five (18%) of these cases were positive for malignancy in both EBDB and follow-up surgical biopsy; 20 of these cases were used as positive controls (PC). Sixty-one (43%) were negative in both EBDB and follow-up surgical biopsy specimens, and 21 of those cases were used as negative controls (NC). Fifty-six (39%) cases were negative/atypical in EBDB cytology but were suspicious or positive in the surgical or biopsy specimens (false-negative). We identified the cytologic criteria that were helpful in differentiating our positive and negative control groups and applied these criteria to our false-negative group to see whether our sensitivity could be increased, using well-defined cytologic criteria alone. Of the 56 false-negative cases, 9 (16%) were upgraded to suspicious/positive based on the presence of the following features: three-dimensional (3D) micropapillae (95% PC vs 19% NC, P < 0.0001), anisonucleosis (90% PC vs 5% NC, P < 0.0001), high nuclear-to-cytoplasmic (N/C) ratio (95% PC vs 9% NC, P < 0.0001), nuclear contour irregularity (65% PC vs 24% NC, P = 0.0079), and prominent nucleoli (70% PC vs 38% NC, P = 0.0406). Cytomorphologic features which were not helpful in distinguishing positive and negative cases were: single naked nuclei (50% PC vs 28% NC, P = 0.1597), chromatin granularity (50% PC vs 62% NC, P = 0.54), and necrosis (10% PC vs 5% NC, P = 0.5197). Improvement in diagnostic sensitivity for carcinoma of pancreaticobiliary tract in EBDB samples may be achieved by identifying the key malignant cytomorphologic features: 3D micropapillae, anisonucleosis, nuclear contour irregularity, prominent nucleoli, and high N/C ratio. The sensitivity in detecting malignant biliary strictures increased from 31% to 42% based on these criteria in our current study.
Detection and quantification of chemical plumes using a portable underwater membrane introduction mass spectrometer

Application of in situ membrane introduction mass spectrometry (MIMS) to quantification of aqueous chemicals was evaluated in the laboratory and the field. Laboratory experiments were performed to examine the influence of sampling parameters on mass-resolved time-series data. Results were applied to field data to quantify concentrations in a chemical plume.
What is the optimal approach for ablation of paroxysmal atrial fibrillation

The optimal approach for catheter ablation of paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (PAF) is the subject of some controversy. Recent guidelines define PAF as recurrent AF that terminates spontaneously within seven days. For patients with PAF, the three most commonly employed approaches for ablation include, (1) segmental ostial or antral pulmonary vein isolation (PVI), (2) circumferential pulmonary vein ablation (CPVA) alone or in combination with additional left atrial linear ablation (LALA), and (3) complex fractionated atrial electrograms (CFAE) ablation alone or in combination with segmental PVI or CPVA (with or without additional LALA). Each of these approaches will be described in detail in this article. Overall evidence suggests that segmental antral PVI may be as effective as CPVA with or without LALA in prevention of AF recurrence, but that CPVA with or without LALA may be associated with a higher incidence of atypical atrial flutter recurrence.
Dream bizarreness as the cognitive correlate of altered neuronal behavior in rem sleep

Bizarreness is a cognitive feature common to REM sleep dreams, which can be easily measured. Because bizarreness is highly specific to dreaming, we propose that it is most likely brought about by changes in neuronal activity that are specific to REM sleep. At the level of the dream plot, bizarreness can be defined as either discontinuity or incongruity. In addition, the dreamer's thoughts about the plot may be logically deficient. We propose that dream bizarreness is the cognitive concomitant of two kinds of changes in neuronal dynamics during REM sleep. One is the disinhibition of forebrain networks caused by the withdrawal of the modulatory influences of norepinephrine (NE) and serotonin (5HT) in REM sleep, secondary to cessation of firing of locus coeruleus and dorsal raphe neurons. This aminergic demodulation can be mathematically modeled as a shift toward increased error at the outputs from neural networks, and these errors might be represented cognitively as incongruities and/or discontinuities. We also consider the possibility that discontinuities are the cognitive concomitant of sudden bifurcations or “jumps” in the responses of forebrain neuronal networks. These bifurcations are caused by phasic discharge of pontogeniculooccipital (PGO) neurons during REM sleep, providing a source of cholinergic modulation to the forebrain which could evoke unpredictable network responses. When phasic PGO activity stops, the resultant activity in the brain may be wholly unrelated to patterns of activity dominant before such phasic stimulation began. Mathematically such sudden shifts from one pattern of activity to a second, unrelated one is called a bifurcation. We propose that the neuronal bifurcations brought about by PGO activity might be represented cognitively as bizarre discontinuities of dream plot. We regard these proposals as preliminary attempts to model the relationship between dream cognition and REM sleep neurophysiology. This neurophysiological model of dream bizarreness may also prove useful in understanding the contributions of REM sleep to the developmental and experiential plasticity of the cerebral cortex.
An investigation of the neutron detection efficiency of a plastic scintillation detector in the energy range 6 to 41 MeV

Abstract Measurements of ±3% accuracy are reported of the detection efficiency of a 15.2 cm thick NE102A plastic scintillation detector in the energy range 6 to 41 MeV, for thresholds of 1.0 and 4.2 MeV. The results are compared with the predictions of two computer codes, and significant discrepancies of up to 20% are observed. The variation of efficiency across the face of the detector has been measured and differences of about 10% (relative) observed between centre and edge of 7.1 cm diameter cylinder.
Mechanism of taste; electrochemistry, receptors and signal transduction

Abstract This report describes a novel mechanistic approach based on electrochemistry, receptors and signal transduction. Part A presents limited correlation between dipole moments and associated electrostatic fields (EFs), and taste. For Part B, binding of the tastant to the receptor results in interaction of the ligand EF with those of the protein receptor. Part C addresses passage of the message by the altered EF to the gustatory neurons, involving electrical effects and signal transduction. Insight is gained from external electrical stimulus. Part D represents the final step in which the electrical signal is converted to perceived taste in the brain.
Use of isooctyl thioglycolate for the separation of tin and antimony

The extraction characteristics of isooctyl thioglycolate (IOTG), a chelating agent, in various diluents has been studied with respect to the metal ions, tin(IV) and antimony(III), in hydrochloric acid medium. It is concluded that antimony(III) can be separated from tin(IV) with 85% yield and with a decontamination factor of at least 1·105 using IOTG diluted with petroleum ether and 3M HCl medium. Tin(IV) can be separated conveniently from antimony(III) in 2M HCl with 95% yield and with a decontamination factor greater than 7·105 using IOTG diluted with carbon tetrachloride.
Organization of ribosomal protein genes rp123, rp12, rps19, rp122 and rps3 on the Euglena gracilis chloroplast genome

The nucleotide sequence (4,814 bp) was determined for a cluster of five ribosomal protein genes and their DNA flanking regions from the chloroplast genome of Euglena gracilis. The genes are organized as rp123 — 150 by spacer — rpl2 — 59 by spacer —rps19 — 110 by spacer — rp122 — 630 by spacer — rps3. The genes are all of the same polarity and reside 148 bp downstream from an operon for two genes of photosystem I and four genes of photosystem II. The Euglena ribosomal protein gene cluster resembles the S-10 ribosomal protein operon of Escherichia coli in gene organization and follows the exact linear order of the analogous genes in the tobacco and liverwort chloroplast genomes. The number and positions of introns in the Euglena ribosomal protein loci are different from their higher plant counterparts. The Euglena rp123, rps19 and rps3 loci are unique in that they contain three, two and two introns, respectively, whereas rp12 and rp122 lack introns. The introns found in rpl23 (106, 99 and 103 bp), rps19 (103 and 97 bp) and rps3 intron 2 (102 bp) appear to represent either a new class of chloroplast intron found only in constitutively expressed genes, or possibly a degenerate version of Euglena chloroplast group II introns. They are deficient in bases C and G and extremely rich in base T, with a base composition of 53–76% T, 25–34% A, 3–10% G and 2–7% C in the mRNA-like strand. These six introns show minimal resemblance to group IT chloroplast introns. They have a degenerate version of the group II intron conserved boundary sequences at their 5′ and 3′ ends. No conserved internal secondary structures are apparent. By contrast, rps3 intron 1 (409 bp) has a potential group II core secondary structure. The five genes, rpl23 (101 codons), rpl2 (278 codons), rpsl9 (95 codons), rpl22 (114 codons) and rps3 (220 codons) encode lysine-rich polypeptides with predicted molecular weights of 12,152, 31,029, 10,880, 12,819, and 25,238, respectively. The Euglena gene products are 18–50%, and 29–58% identical in primary structure to their E. coli and higher plant counterparts, respectively. Oligonucleotide sequences corresponding to Euglena chloroplast ribosome binding sites are not apparent in the intergenic regions. Inverted repeat sequences are found in the upstream flanking region of rp123 and downstream from rps3.
The effects of parole officers' perceptions of the organizational control structure and satisfaction with management on their attitudes toward policy change

Research on the organizational control structure in prison suggests that correctional officers' perceptions of reduced control negatively affected work-related attitudes. This study seeks to extend the literature by examining the impact that perceptions regarding the organizational control structure have on parole officers' attitudes toward policy change. The Ohio Adult Parole Authority Progressive Sanction Grid was implemented to increase uniformity when officers impose sanctions for offenders' violations of their release conditions. Using data collected via a statewide survey of parole officers concerning the implementation of a graduated sanctioning policy, this study examines the relationships between officers' perceptions of the organizational control structure, their satisfaction with upper-level management, and their attitudes toward policy change. Results indicate that perceptions of control impact satisfaction with upper management, which in turn, affects attitudes regarding the legitimacy of a r...
Five-branes, seven-branes and five-dimensional E n field theories

We generalize the (p,q) 5-brane web construction of five-dimensional field theories by introducing (p,q) 7-branes, and apply this construction to theories with a one-dimensional Coulomb branch. The 7-branes render the exceptional global symmetry of these theories manifest. Additionally, 7-branes allow the construction of all En theories up to n = 8, previously not possible in 5-brane configurations. The exceptional global symmetry in the field theory is a subalgebra of an affine symmetry on the 7-branes, which is necessary for the existence of the system. We explicitly determine the quantum numbers of the BPS states of all En theories using two simple geometrical constraints.
POWER-SPECTRUM ANALYSIS OVER LARGE RANGES OF FREQUENCY

Abstract It is shown that a spectrum covering a large range of frequencies can be found by superposing estimates of spectra of means over periods of different lengths. The method is illustrated by the power spectrum of temperature at University Park, Pennsylvania, covering periods from 2 to 7300 days. The spectrum is characterized by a major peak at four days and several minor ones, the reality of which is uncertain.
HS−:O2Oxidoreductase Activity of Cu,Zn Superoxide Dismutase

Cu,Zn-Superoxide dismutase (SOD, EC 1.15.1.1) catalyzes HS−oxidation according to the reaction: HS−+ H++ O2→ S0+ H2O2. At pH 7.8, 20°C, 280 μMO2, and 100 μMHS−, the rate of HS−oxidation is 0.2 mol min−1(mol SOD)−1. The affinities of the enzyme for HS−and O2are consistent with previous measurements for these substrates in connection with other enzymic reactions. The rate of HS−oxidation by SOD is slower than that provided by other cellular mechanisms, and it is unlikely to be of physiological significance. However, using ≤1 μMSOD the rate of HS−oxidation gradually accelerates so that after 1 h it can be 600 times faster than the initial rate. This is caused by a nonenzymic oxidative chain reaction that is not self-sustaining, but requires “seeding” from the enzymic reaction.
Energetics and structural characterization of C 60 polymerization in BN and carbon nanopeapods

As in the case of carbon nanotubes, also boron nitride nanotubes may host arrays of ${\mathrm{C}}_{60}$ molecules and form a nanopeapod (NPP). The observed separation between ${\mathrm{C}}_{60}$ molecules in BN NPP's is consistently shorter than in carbon NPP's, which influences their electronic properties. Here we report on total-energy pseudopotential density functional theory (DFT) calculations for polymerized and nonpolymerized ${\mathrm{C}}_{60}$ chains, and optimize their atomic structures to provide a description of their energetic landscape. A fully polymerized ${\mathrm{C}}_{60}$ chain and a ${\mathrm{C}}_{60}$ dimer are found to be more stable than nonpolymerized ${\mathrm{C}}_{60}$, respectively, by 0.89 and $0.38\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}\mathrm{eV}∕{\mathrm{C}}_{60}$. The geometry and energetics of an encapsulated ${\mathrm{C}}_{60}$ chain is not significantly different with respect to the isolated molecule. Encapsulation energies in BN and carbon NPP's are, respectively, 1.56 and $1.67\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}\mathrm{eV}∕{\mathrm{C}}_{60}$, which are significantly larger than the calculated activation energy for ${\mathrm{C}}_{60}$ polymerization, supporting the hypothesis that encapsulated ${\mathrm{C}}_{60}$'s in NPP's are partially polymerized. Band structure analysis show that polymerization does not affect the gap width of the ${\mathrm{C}}_{60}$ chain. BN NPP's are semiconductors with a gap width determined by the ${\mathrm{C}}_{60}$. The lowest unoccupied ${\mathrm{C}}_{60}$ states lie just above the Fermi level in metallic carbon NPP's and charge transfert could take place, affecting the ${\mathrm{C}}_{60}$ geometry.
An Experimental Investigation of the Thermal Relations of Energy of Magnetisation

THIS note is a first report of experiments undertaken for the purpose of determining the mechanism of the degradation of energy which accompanies magnetisation in ferromagnetic substances. The present experimental method consists in observing the change in temperature of a test specimen produced by a change in the magnetising force at consecutive intervals in a single cycle of magnetisation.
Community finding within the community set space

Community finding algorithms strive to find communities that have a higher connectivity within the communities than between them. Recently a framework called the community set space was introduced which provided a way to measure the quality of community sets. We present a new community finding algorithm, CHI, designed to minimize the violations defined by this framework. It will be shown that the CHI algorithm has similarities to kmeans. It is flexible and fast and can also be tuned to find certain types of communities. It is optimized for the community set framework and results so that it performs better than other algorithms within that framework.
In numbers we trust

Scientists go to great lengths to ensure that data are collected and analysed properly, so why, asks Eve Marder, do they apply different standards to data about the number of times research papers have been cited and viewed?
Bacterial differentiation and phage infection

Abstract Caulobacter crescentus undergoes two morphological stages during each cell division cycle. Analysis of the early steps in the infection of this bacterium by the DNA bacteriophage ∅CbK revealed that the phage infects only the free swarmer cell or a predivisional form with swarmer cell characteristics. The kinetics of adsorption and phage DNA injection in both stalked and swarmer populations of wild-type and mutant host cells showed that the selective step in phage infection was DNA injection. The injection of radioactively labeled phage DNA at specific times in the cell cycle was then shown to be an efficient technique to measure cellular differentiation in synchronized populations.
Benefits of a primary care clinic co-located and integrated in a mental health setting for veterans with serious mental illness.

Introduction Efficacy trials have shown that primary care co-located in the mental health setting improves the receipt of high-quality medical care among people with serious mental illness. We tested whether implementation of such a program affected health service use and cardiovascular risk factor control among veterans with serious mental illness who had previously demonstrated limited primary care engagement. Methods We performed a cohort study of veterans enrolled in a co-located, integrated primary care clinic in the mental health outpatient unit through targeted chart review. Two successive 6-month periods in the year before and in the year following enrollment in the co-located primary care clinic were examined for primary care and emergency department use and for goal attainment of blood pressure, fasting blood lipids, body mass index (BMI), and, among patients with diabetes, hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c). We used repeated-measures logistic regression to analyze goal attainment and repeated measures Poisson regression to analyze service use. Results Compared with the period before enrollment, the 97 veterans enrolled in the clinic had significantly more primary care visits during 6 months and significantly improved goal attainment for blood pressure, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, triglycerides, and BMI. Changes with regard to goal attainment for high-density lipoprotein cholesterol and HbA1c were not significant. Conclusion Enrollment in a co-located, integrated clinic was associated with increased primary care use and improved attainment of some cardiovascular risk goals among veterans with serious mental illness. Such a clinic can be implemented effectively in the mental health setting.
The versatile autogenous rib graft in septorhinoplasty.

In the graft depleted revision rhinoplasty patient and the patient with major tissue needs, alternatives to septal and conchal cartilage grafts are needed. The costal cartilage graft and rib bone/c...
Design and characterization of a ferromagnetic, air gapped magneto-optic Faraday rotator

A method has been developed to modulate the plane of polarized light through the use of a high permeability ferrite core design. A proof-of-principal, optical Faraday effect device has been constructed and tested. Magnetic fields were generated to provide up to 1 deg of rotation at frequencies of direct current up to 10 kHz using a terbium gallium garnet crystal rod.
Directional atherectomy with the omnicath™: A unique new catheter system

Omnicath™ is a directional atherectomy catheter that employs deflecting nontraumatizing wires to anchor the cutting window at the atherectomy site. This anchoring system regulates the depth of cut and provides directional control and distal perfusion. The system continuously removes debris through a suction port from the operative site. To demonstrate the performance of the device, the Omnicath™ was tested in the external iliac arteries of ten atherosclerotic Hanford miniature swine in which concentric and eccentric lesions were induced. Five animals were sacrificed 3 days after atherectomy; the remaining five animals were sacrificed 6 weeks after the procedure. The acute histology demonstrates depth of cuts varying from partial plaque removal to near full thickness removal of the arterial wall. Histologic sections of the 6 week follow-up group demonstrated minimal healing response. The anchoring wires did not induce either acute injury or neointimal proliferation in the 6 week follow-up period. In conclusion, the Omnicath™ permits effective and safe atherectomy in this investigative model.
Whole-Foods, Plant-Based Diet Alleviates the Symptoms of Osteoarthritis

Objective. To evaluate the effectiveness of a whole-foods, plant-based diet (WFPB) to reduce symptoms of osteoarthritis. Methods. Six-week, prospective randomized open-label study of patients aged 19–70 with osteoarthritis. Participants were randomized to a WFPB (intervention) or continuing current diet (control). Outcomes were assessed by mixed models analysis of participant self-assessed weekly SF-36v2 domain t scores, weekly Patient Global Impression of Change (PGIC) scales, and mean weekly Visual Analog Scale (VAS) pain assessment. Mixed models analysis also evaluated pre-post change from baseline level for standard clinical measures: weight, BMI, body temperature, pulse, and blood pressure. Results. Forty participants were randomized. Thirty-seven of them, 18 control and 19 intervention, completed the study. The intervention group reported a significantly greater improvement than the control group in SF-36v2 energy/vitality, physical functioning, role physical, and the physical component summary scale. The differences between the intervention and control PGIC scales were statistically significant over time. Intervention group improvement in VAS weekly mean was also significantly greater than that of the control group from week 2 onward. Conclusion. Study results suggest that a whole-foods, plant-based diet significantly improves self-assessed measures of functional status among osteoarthritis patients.
Aerosol delivery of virus-like particles to the genital tract induces local and systemic antibody responses

The induction of mucosal immune responses in the genital tract may be important for increasing the effectiveness of vaccines for sexually transmitted infections (STIs). In this study, we asked whether direct immunization of the mouse genital tract with a non-replicating virus-like particle (VLP)-based vaccine could induce local mucosal as well as systemic antibody responses. Using VLPs derived from two bacteriophages, Qβ and PP7, and from a mammalian virus that normally infects the genital tract, human papillomavirus (HPV), we show that intravaginal aerosol administration of VLPs can induce high titer IgG and IgA antibodies in the female genital tract as well as IgG in the sera. Using a mouse model for HPV infection, we show that intravaginal immunization with either HPV type 16 VLPs or with PP7 bacteriophage VLPs displaying a peptide derived from the HPV minor capsid protein L2 could protect mice from genital infection with an HPV16 pseudovirus. These results provide a general method for inducing genital mucosal and systemic antibody responses using VLP-based immunogens.
The gradient approximation to the exchange-correlation energy functional: A generalization that works

Abstract A complete wave vector analysis has been made of the 2nd order gradient expansion of the exchange-correlation energy for a non-uniform electronic system. When applied to a typical surface, the method shows that the gradient expansion disagrees markedly with the exact small k form, and that the substantial contribution to it comes from the universal region where the wavelength is much longer than the surface healing length. This verifies the substantial correctness of Rasolt and Geldart's RPA calculation for the gradient coefficient. However, it also shows beyond any doubt that the gradient expansion itself is incorrect for a metallic surface. We propose an approximate method, based on an “average gradient” rather than the “local gradient”. When applied to a surface, we find rough agreement with our earlier cruder interpolation scheme, and good agreement with exact results where they exist.
Reprint of Crosstalk between inflammation and thrombosis

Abstract Inflammation shifts the hemostatic mechanisms in favor of thrombosis. Multiple mechanisms are at play including up regulation of tissue factor leading to the initiation of clotting, amplification of the clotting process by augmenting exposure of cellular coagulant phospholipids, inhibition of fibrinolysis by elevating plasminogen activator inhibitor 1 (PAI-1) and decreases in natural anticoagulant pathways, particularly targeted toward down regulation of the protein C anticoagulant pathway through multiple mechanisms. The decreased function of the natural anticoagulant pathways may be particularly problematic because these appear to play a role in dampening inflammatory responses. The protein C anticoagulant pathway provides a useful model for the impact of inflammation on coagulation. This pathway plays a major role in preventing microvascular thrombosis. The pathway is initiated when thrombin binds to thrombomodulin (TM) on the surface of the endothelium. An endothelial cell protein C receptor (EPCR) augments protein C activation by the thrombin–TM complex more than 10-fold in vivo. EPCR is shed from the endothelium by inflammatory mediators and thrombin. EPCR binds to activated neutrophils in a process that involves proteinase 3 and Mac-1 and appears to inhibit leukocyte extravisation. EPCR can undergo translocation from the plasma membrane to the nucleus where it redirects gene expression. During translocation it can carry activated protein C (APC) to the nucleus, possibly accounting for the ability of APC to modulate inflammatory mediator responses in the endothelium. TNF ∝ and other inflammatory mediators can down-regulate EPCR and TM and IL-6 can depress levels of protein S in experimental animals. Inhibition of protein C pathway function increases cytokine elaboration, endothelial cell injury and leukocyte extravisation in response to endotoxin, processes that are decreased by infusion of APC. In vitro, APC inhibits TNF ∝ elaboration from monocytes and to block leukocyte adhesion to selectins. Since thrombin can elicit many inflammatory responses in microvascular endothelium, loss of control of microvascular thrombin generation due to impaired protein C pathway function probably contributes to microvascular dysfunction in sepsis.
Method of predicting reference condition biota affects the performance and interpretation of ecological indices

Summary 1. The statistical rigour and interpretability of ecological assessments is strongly affected by how well we predict the biological assemblages expected to occur in the absence of human-caused stress, i.e. the reference condition. In this study, we examined how the specific method used to predict the reference condition affected the performance of two commonly used types of ecological index: RIVPACS-based O/E indices and multimetric indices (MMIs). 2. These two types of index have generally relied on different approaches to predicting the reference condition. For MMIs, some type of regionalisation is typically used to describe the range of metric values among reference sites and hence the expected range at assessed sites. For O/E indices, continuous modelling is used to predict how the biota varies among sites both among and within regions. Because the prediction method differs for these two types of index, it has been impossible to judge if differences in index performance (accuracy, precision, responsiveness and sensitivity) are caused by differences in the way reference condition biota are predicted or by differences in what the indices measure. 3. We used a common data set of 94 reference sites and 255 managed sites and the same potential set of predictor variables to compare the performance of five different MMIs and three O/E indices that were derived from different prediction methods: null models, multiple linear regression (MLR), classification and regression trees, Random Forests (RF) and linear discriminant functions models (LDM). We then calculated values of these indices for samples collected from the managed catchments as well as samples collected from 13 reference sites that were progressively altered in known ways by a simulation programme. 4. Both the type of predictor used and the type of index affected overall index performance. Modelled indices generally had the greatest sensitivity in assessing managed sites as biologically different from reference. Index sensitivity was determined by both an aspect of index precision (10th percentile of reference condition values) and responsiveness. The O/E indices showed the best scope of response to known biological alteration. All three O/E indices decreased linearly in response to simulated alteration in both overall assemblage structure (Bray-Curtis dissimilarity) and taxa loss. The MMIs declined linearly from low to intermediate levels of assemblage alteration but were less responsive between intermediate and high levels of biological alteration. 5. Insights gained from simulations can aid in testing assumptions regarding index response to stress and help ensure that we select indices that are ecologically interpretable and most useful to resource managers.
Changing the Conversation: Can the Phone Hacking Scandal Lead to a New Covenant on Media Responsibilities?

This article examines the implications of the 2011 phone hacking scandal for press freedom in the United Kingdom. Specifically, it argues that the language of rights has too long dominated public discourse, which has led to discussion of media responsibilities being evaded. The article argues that there is now an opportunity for a radical restructuring of the relationship between the press, the public, and the political system that restores the media to their rightful role as a watchdog on government and steward of the people. It points to the need for independent regulation of the press and a statutory right of reply as means through which the relationship between media and citizen can be recast on the grounds of obligation and responsibility but argues that it is only when we move away from a framework grounded in rights to one grounded in responsibilities that meaningful change can flourish.
Automating the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee

American industry rushed to adopt the personal computer during the 1980s, but it is not clear that they were wise in doing so. As that decade ended, economists were perplexed to discover that the information age had not brought with it any discernible increase in productivity (David 1990; Roach 1987; Bailey and Gordon 1988). The expectation that computers would save time, money, and paper had been largely unfulfilled. In a maxim attributed to Robert Solow of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, "We see computers everywhere but in the productivity statistics" (Harrison 1996). During the early 1990s, the privatization of the Internet and the inception of the World Wide Web (Web) have taken place. Why has there been so much excitement and hyperbole surrounding these 2 developments? Perhaps because computers are finally beginning to fulfill earlier expectations. Although final judgments about productivity are premature, these 2 developments are already allowing a large number of workers to benefit from computer applications in a very direct and visible way. This article examines ways in which an institutional animal care and use committee (IACUC) might use electronic mail (e-mail) and the Web to enhance productivity.
Radio-wave diagnostics of plane layered dielectrics using the inverse problem

We have developed a method for the radio-wave nondestructive testing of exfoliations in a dielectric layer. The method is based on the multifrequency sounding in 5-mm wavelength range and the solution of the inverse problem with determining the thicknesses of separate layers of a dielectric structure. We have also determined experimentally the precision and resolution of this method.
Numerical solutions of the random paris-erdogan equation

Abstract We outline here a numerical technique for calculating the probability density function (pdf) of the solution to the random Paris-Erdogan equation, which describes the random growth of fatigue cracks. The technique is best suited to the case in which the Paris-Erdogan equation contains no stochastic component, with the parameters appearing in the equation being random constants. When used in conjunction with data fits to the so-called Virkler data set, the technique yields results which are in excellent agreement with experimental data for longer crack lengths.
Mechanisms of recombination between diverged sequences in wild-type and BLM-deficient mouse and human cells.

Double-strand breaks (DSBs) are particularly deleterious DNA lesions for which cells have developed multiple mechanisms of repair. One major mechanism of DSB repair in mammalian cells is homologous recombination (HR), whereby a homologous donor sequence is used as a template for repair. For this reason, HR repair of DSBs is also being exploited for gene modification in possible therapeutic approaches. HR is sensitive to sequence divergence, such that the cell has developed ways to suppress recombination between diverged (“homeologous”) sequences. In this report, we have examined several aspects of HR between homeologous sequences in mouse and human cells. We found that gene conversion tracts are similar for mouse and human cells and are generally ≤100 bp, even in Msh2−/− cells which fail to suppress homeologous recombination. Gene conversion tracts are mostly unidirectional, with no observed mutations. Additionally, no alterations were observed in the donor sequences. While both mouse and human cells suppress homeologous recombination, the suppression is substantially less in the transformed human cells, despite similarities in the gene conversion tracts. BLM-deficient mouse and human cells suppress homeologous recombination to a similar extent as wild-type cells, unlike Sgs1-deficient Saccharomyces cerevisiae.
Light scattering spectroscopy of the squid axon membrane

Abstract Light scattering studies on the giant squid axon were done using the technique of optical mixing spectroscopy. This experimental approach is based on the use of laser light to detect the fluctuations of membrane macromolecules which are associated with conductance fluctuations. The light scattering spectra were similar to the Lorentzian-like behavior of conductance fluctuations, possibly reflecting an underlying conformational change in the specific membrane sites responsible for the potassium ion conductance. The amplitude of the spectra measured, increased when the membrane was depolarized and decreased on hyperpolarization. The spectra were fit to the sum of two terms, a (1/ f component and a simple Lorentzian term. Spectra from deteriorating axons did not show sensitivity to membrane potential changes. It is shown theoretically that fluctuations due to the voltage-dependent variable, n , of the Hodgkin-Huxley formalism are identical to the voltage fluctuations. The derived power spectrum is that of a second order system, capable of showing resonance peaking only if the voltage dependence of the potassium rate constants is included in the analysis. The lack of resonance peaking in the observed light scattering spectra, indicates that the data are best described by a damped second order system.
Fast computation of approximate biased histograms on sliding windows over data streams

Histograms provide effective synopses of large data sets, and are thus used in a wide variety of applications, including query optimization, approximate query answering, distribution fitting, parallel database partitioning, and data mining. Moreover, very fast approximate algorithms are needed to compute accurate histograms on fast-arriving data streams, whereby online queries can be supported within the given memory and computing resources. Many real-life applications require that the data distribution in certain regions must be modeled with greater accuracy, and Biased Histograms are designed to address this need. In this paper, we define biased histograms over data streams and sliding windows on data streams, and propose the Bar Splitting Biased Histogram (BSBH) algorithm to construct them efficiently and accurately. We prove that BSBH generates expected ∈-approximate biased histograms for data streams with stationary distributions, and our experiments show that BSBH also achieves good approximation in the presence of concept shifts, even major ones. Additionally, BSBH employs a new biased sampling technique which outperforms uniform sampling in terms of accuracy, while using about the same amount of time and memory. Therefore, BSBH outperforms previously proposed algorithms for computing biased histograms over the whole data stream, and it is the first algorithm that supports windows.
Distributed policy learning for the Cognitive Network Management System

The Cognitive Network Management System (CNMS) is a joint research initiative between Rockwell Collins and the Institute for Human Machine Cognition that aims to provide automated, policy-based real time network management for complex MANET networks. CNMS is a lightweight and efficient policy management framework designed to mitigate the need for centralized network management, reduce operator hands-on time, and increase network reliability. CNMS provides the necessary reasoning and enforcement mechanisms for the on-demand management of network topology and communication resources. Furthermore, it supports fully distributed policy learning mechanisms that enable networked devices to adapt at run-time to unanticipated network conditions and application requirements by creating and distributing learned policies. In this paper we describe the CNMS architecture and functionality. We focus our discussions on the CNMS architecture and policy learning mechanisms. Policy learning in CNMS is intrinsically distributed, and based on network performance observations for the refinement of contexts, and actions. In this paper we describe two examples for policy adaptation, one based on link capacity monitoring, and one based on adaptive frequency hoping strategies for interference mitigation. We then present some results from NS-3 evaluations of these two examples. CNMS has been implemented and tested in a two channel wireless testbed using the Universal Software Radio Peripheral (USRP) [1] and 802.11 wireless networking communication. We briefly discuss the testbed and describe some of our experimental results followed by a brief discussion of our findings, and recommendations for future work.
Central activin administration modulates corticotropin-releasing hormone and adrenocorticotropin secretion.

A broad and diffuse neuronal network conveys information reflecting the state of the internal and external environment to the neurosecretory hypothalamus. Recently, we identified an inhibin-/3A- (10A) immunoreactive terminal field within the CRF-rich portion of the dorsomedial paraventricular nucleus which originates from a cell group in the commissural portion of the nucleus of the solitary tract (NTS). The NTS receives baroreceptor input, somatosensory input via the spino- solitary tract, and sensory information from the oral, thoracic, and abdominal cavities and, thus, is positioned to serve as a primary relay for visceral sensory inputs to neurons critical to the function of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. Although these NTS cells contain multiple putative transmit- ters, we present evidence that activin, an inhibin-/3A dimer, plays a modulatory role in HPA axis function via facilitation of CRF release. First, intraventricular injection of activin-A (0-3 nmol), but not the related inhibin heterodimer, evoked dose-related 1.7- to 2.8-fold elevations of circulating ACTH levels in male rats. Second, analysis of hypophysial-portal plasma after bilateral paraventricular nucleus microinfusion of activin-A revealed a dose-related facilitation of CRF secretion up to 4-fold above preinjection levels which was unaccompanied by changes in arginine vasopressin levels. Finally, activin-A also enhanced CRF secretion from neonatal hypothalamic cells in primary culture with an EC50 dose of approximately 0.25 nM. Overall, these observations provide evidence of both an anatomical and a pharmacological substrate for activin-mediated central modu- lation of HPA axis function. (Endocrinology 128: 2520-2525, 1991)
Reversal of the Mannitol-Sorbitol Diauxie in Escherichia coli

In Escherichia coli K-12 the proteins involved in the dissimilation of mannitol and sorbitol are specified by two separate gene clusters. The mannitol cluster appears to consist of a regulatory gene mtlC, a gene mtlA coding an enzyme II complex of the phosphoenolpyruvate phosphotransferase system, and a gene mtlD coding a mannitol-1-phosphate dehydrogenase. Three corresponding genes, sblC, sblA, and sblD, exist for the sorbitol pathway. In both pathways the hexitol captured from the medium and delivered into the cytoplasm as a phosphorylated compound is dehydrogenated to fructose-6-phosphate. The enzyme II complex for sorbitol is able to catalyze the phosphorylation also of mannitol if this substrate is present at high concentrations. Consequently mtlA(-) mutants lacking the enzyme II complex for mannitol can grow on mannitol either if the sorbitol phosphorylating system is preinduced by sorbitol or if mtlA is suppressed by a mutation of sblC to constitutivity. In wild-type cells, the induction of the enzymes in the mannitol pathway and dissimilation of the substrate are not prevented by glucose. The sorbitol system, however, is sensitive to glucose and to mannitol as well. In the suppressed strains (mtlA(-), sblC(c)) in which mannitol is utilized through the sorbitol enzyme, glucose becomes effective in restraining the consumption of mannitol, causing a definite diauxie. Moreover, in a mixture of mannitol and sorbitol, the latter is utilized preferentially. This reversal of normal diauxic pattern is consequent to the fact that the enzyme II complex for sorbitol has relatively poor affinity for mannitol.
Photopigment spectral absorbance of Lake Malawi cichlids

To predict spectral sensitivity, microspectrophotometry (MSP) was used to measure absorbance of photoreceptor cells from 15 species of Lake Malaŵi cichlids. Each fish had one rod and at least three cone pigments. UV-sensitive pigments were common, but spectral sensitivity did not clearly correlate with feeding mode or habitat.
Normalizing Metamorphic Malware Using Term Rewriting

Metamorphic malware - including certain viruses and worms - rewrite their code during propagation. This paper presents a method for normalizing multiple variants of metamorphic programs that perform their transformations using finite sets of instruction-sequence substitutions. The paper shows that the problem of constructing a normalizer can, in specific contexts, be formalized as a term rewriting problem. A general method is proposed for constructing normalizers. It involves modeling the metamorphic program?s transformations as rewrite rules, and then modifying these rules to create a normalizing rule set. Casting the problem in terms of term rewriting exposes key challenges for constructing effective normalizers. In cases where the challenges cannot be met, approximations are proposed. The normalizer construction method is applied in a case study involving the virus called"W32.Evolt". The results demonstrate that both the overall approach and the approximation schemes may have practical use on realistic malware, and may thus have the potential to improve signature-based malware scanners.
Multiplexed, Quantitative Workflow for Sensitive Biomarker Discovery in Plasma Yields Novel Candidates for Early Myocardial Injury

We have developed a novel plasma protein analysis platform with optimized sample preparation, chromatography, and MS analysis protocols. The workflow, which utilizes chemical isobaric mass tag labeling for relative quantification of plasma proteins, achieves far greater depth of proteome detection and quantification while simultaneously having increased sample throughput than prior methods. We applied the new workflow to a time series of plasma samples from patients undergoing a therapeutic, "planned" myocardial infarction for hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, a unique human model in which each person serves as their own biologic control. Over 5300 proteins were confidently identified in our experiments with an average of 4600 proteins identified per sample (with two or more distinct peptides identified per protein) using iTRAQ four-plex labeling. Nearly 3400 proteins were quantified in common across all 16 patient samples. Compared with a previously published label-free approach, the new method quantified almost fivefold more proteins/sample and provided a six- to nine-fold increase in sample analysis throughput. Moreover, this study provides the largest high-confidence plasma proteome dataset available to date. The reliability of relative quantification was also greatly improved relative to the label-free approach, with measured iTRAQ ratios and temporal trends correlating well with results from a 23-plex immunoMRM (iMRM) assay containing a subset of the candidate proteins applied to the same patient samples. The functional importance of improved detection and quantification was reflected in a markedly expanded list of significantly regulated proteins that provided many new candidate biomarker proteins. Preliminary evaluation of plasma sample labeling with TMT six-plex and ten-plex reagents suggests that even further increases in multiplexing of plasma analysis are practically achievable without significant losses in depth of detection relative to iTRAQ four-plex. These results obtained with our novel platform provide clear demonstration of the value of using isobaric mass tag reagents in plasma-based biomarker discovery experiments.
The “Fractio Panis:” A Reformed Communion Practice in Late Reformation Germany

One of the principal areas of disagreement between the followers of Martin Luther and the Swiss reformers during the Reformation concerned the Lord's Supper. As one church historian has observed, “every dissension concerning the Gospel necessarily expresses itself in dissension over the Lord's Supper.” Not surprisingly, therefore, liturgical variations in the celebration of the communion service became major points of controversy as well. Unfortunately, modern scholarship has often overlooked or underestimated the significance of these differences.