cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Identifying Unique Conformations in Thermus Thermophilus Phosphofructokinase using Fluorescence Phasors

Fluorescence frequency-domain measurements were used to study allosteric communication in phosphofructokinase from Thermus thermophilus (TtPFK). Phosph(enol)pyruvate (PEP) allosterically inhibits binding of the substrate fructose 6-phosphate (F6P). TtPFK has a much higher binding affinity for PEP and a smaller allosteric coupling between PEP and F6P compared to the other prokaryotic PFKs which makes it easier to form ternary complex in which TtPFK is bound to both F6P and PEP simultaneously. TtPFK contains no tryptophan, and the first tryptophan mutant examined was L313W. The fluorescence emission properties of L313W are responsive to the binding of ligand, with a 25% decrease in fluorescence intensity with the binding of PEP and 10% decrease with the binding of F6P. The dissociation constants for F6P and PEP and the coupling parameter are all relatively unchanged in L313W compared to wild type. The fluorescence phase and modulation obtained using the frequency-domain method of L313W TtPFK with F6P bound and PEP bound were determined. Phasor plots were constructed from the direct transformation of the phase angle and modulation to the S and G function coordinates. Our data show that the fluorescence of residue 313 responds to PEP binding much more strongly than to F6P binding. We have determined the optimum instrumental condition to be between 30 and 70MHz. If titration of a second ligand to the binary complex produces a unique phasor point, different from either binary complex and is also off the line between binary complexes, it can suggest the presence of a different conformation for the ternary complex, which is not anticipated by the traditional two-state model. Eventually tryptophans will be placed at several positions in order to map the transmission of the allosteric information. Supported by NIH grant GM033216.
Syndromes identified in fetuses with prenatally diagnosed cephaloceles

An evaluation of all fetuses from our institution with prenatally diagnosed cephaloceles was conducted to determine the frequency and spectrum of genetic syndromes associated with this abnormality. Review of the sonographic images, postnatal autopsy or pathology reports, delivery room records, paediatric neurosurgical findings, radiographs, and cytogenetic data were collected. Fifteen postnatally confirmed cases of prenatally diagnosed cephaloceles and two misdiagnosed cases were identified. Thirteen were midline occipital lesions, one was frontoparietal, and one was frontoethmoidal. Excluding microcephaly, hydrocephaly, and distortion of intracranial anatomy, 9 of 15 (60 per cent) had other associated anomalies, including two fetuses with aneuploidy. The prenatal diagnosis of a cephalocele should initiate a thorough search for other abnormalities. In this series, there were three multifactorial, two chromosomal, two sporadic, and two autosomal recessive syndromes identified. An accurate diagnosis is critical in determining the prognosis and providing appropriate genetic counselling.
Models of an abelian variety with complex multiplication over small fields

Abstract A few existence theorems are proved for the models of an abelian variety of CM-type with a given zeta function over a field which does not necessarily contain the reflex field.
Heterogeneity of suicidal adolescents.

Abstract One hundred twenty adolescents who were divided into three groups: 40 hospitalized suicidal adolescents (first time attempters); 40 hospitalized nonsuicidal adolescents; and 40 never-hospitalized nonsuicidal adolescents from an outpatient psychiatric clinic. Comparisons of the three groups revealed no significant differences in age, race, social class, type of peer and family relationship and academic achievement. Similarly, clinical diagnoses on Axis I and Axis II (DSM-III) failed to differentiate between the suicidal and nonsuicidal adolescents. It appears that, in order to predict the suicidal potential of an adolescent, more attention needs to be paid to the “coping style” of the adolescent under stressful situations. Most suicidal adolescents in this study experienced a great difficulty in coping with their angry and sad feelings. They also manifested a diminished capacity to think through the consequences of their actions.
Chemical and morphological analysis of introgressive hybridization between iris tenax and I. chrysophylla

Iris tenax andI. chrysophylla were collected along a linear transect extending through narrow areas of sympatry from two sites in the Willamette River drainage of western Oregon. Statistical analysis of correlations between morphological characteristics was used to construct a hybrid index for each species. Morphological evaluation and 2-dimensional paper chromatography of the major flavonoid constituents were prepared on a plant by plant basis along the transects. The combined morphological and chemical data indicated that hybridization was occurring and that, in contrast to previous reports, introgression was taking place in each of the parental species.
Skyrmion physics beyond the lowest Landau-level approximation

The effects of Landau-level mixing and finite thickness of the two-dimensional electron gas on the relative stability of Skyrmion and single spin-flip excitations at Landau-level filling factor $\ensuremath{\nu}=1$ have been investigated. Landau-level mixing is studied by fixed-phase diffusion Monte Carlo, and finite thickness is included by modifying the effective Coulomb interaction. Both Landau-level mixing and finite thickness lower Skyrmion excitation energies and favor Skyrmions with fewer spin flips. However, the two effects do not work ``coherently.'' When finite thickness is included, the effect of Landau-level mixing is strongly suppressed.
The Signatures of Patches and Gradients in Ecological Ordinations

Ordination is a common tool for reconstructing paleoecological gradients for ordering samples and taxa along one or more axes of variation in faunal composition. The primary source of variation, known as the primary gradient, commonly is highly correlated with water depth in marine systems, and elevation or moisture in terrestrial systems. When ordination sample scores are plotted stratigraphically, they commonly reveal long-term patterns of variation related to changes in this primary gradient, and these patterns have proved useful in regional correlation. In addition, ordination scores display high-frequency, high-amplitude patterns of variation unrelated to this primary gradient. The origin of this high-frequency variation has been enigmatic, but recently has been argued to reflect faunal patchiness. Numerical modeling of ordination scores derived from the Upper Ordovician Kope Formation of the Cincinnati, Ohio area is used here to demonstrate that such high-frequency patterns of variation indeed can arise from the presence of faunal patchiness along ecological gradients. The magnitude of this variation is controlled by the peak-abundance distribution of fossil taxa as well as the abundance distribution of a taxon at any given position along the primary gradient. Replicate sampling or moving averages should be employed to control for this high-frequency variation before ordination sample scores can be treated as a suitable proxy for environmental factors such as water depth, elevation, or moisture.
Seizure Prophylaxis in Patients With Brain Tumors: A Meta-analysis

OBJECTIVE To assess whether antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) should be prescribed to patients with brain tumors who have no history of seizures. METHODS We performed a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (1966-2004) that evaluated the efficacy of AED prophylaxis vs no treatment or placebo to prevent seizures in patients with brain tumors who had no history of epilepsy. Summary odds ratios (ORs) were calculated using a random-effects model. Three subanalyses were performed to assess pooled ORs of seizures in patients with primary glial tumors, cerebral metastases, and meningiomas. RESULTS Of 474 articles found in the initial search, 17 were identified as primary studies. Five trials met inclusion criteria: patients with a neoplasm (primary glial tumors, cerebral metastases, and meningiomas) but no history of epilepsy who were randomized to either an AED or placebo. The 3 AEDs studied were phenobarbital, phenytoin, and valproic acid. Of the 5 trials, 4 showed no statistical benefit of seizure prophylaxis with an AED. Meta-analysis confirmed the lack of AED benefit at 1 week (OR, 0.91; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.45-1.83) and at 6 months (OR, 1.01; 95% CI, 0.51-1.98) of follow-up. The AEDs had no effect on seizure prevention for specific tumor pathology, including primary glial tumors (OR, 3.46; 95% CI, 0.32-37.47), cerebral metastases (OR, 2.50; 95% CI, 0.25-24.72), and meningiomas (OR, 0.62; 95% CI, 0.10-3.85). CONCLUSIONS No evidence supports AED prophylaxis with phenobarbital, phenytoin, or valproic acid in patients with brain tumors and no history of seizures, regardless of neoplastic type. Subspecialists who treat patients with brain tumors need more education on this issue. Future randomized controlled trials should address whether any of the newer AEDs are useful for seizure prophylaxis.
Chronostratigraphy and morphological changes in Cerion land snail shells over the past 130 ka on Long Island, Bahamas

Abstract Despite the nearly 600 named species of the land snail Cerion , studies of the geological and paleontological framework of modern species are few. To address this deficiency, the biostratigraphic succession of Cerion was investigated at several areas on Long Island, Bahamas. A chronostratigraphic framework was developed through whole-rock and Cerion land snail aminostratigraphies. About 175 individual Cerion shells from last interglacial and Holocene deposits were age-ranked using stratigraphic position and amino acid racemization (AAR) geochronology. AAR ages were generated using an existing AAR- 14 C age model for Cerion from the central Bahamas. The age structure of Cerion fossils in sediments was determined with AAR ages, and the magnitude of “dead carbon” anomalies was evaluated using this chronological approach. Temporal changes in gross shell morphology were examined from four study areas. The last interglacial, marine isotope stage/substage (MIS) 5e (Aminozone E) is characterized by generally large shells and in some cases, bimodal sets of very small (α shells) and very large forms (β shells) coexisting in the same stratigraphic levels (primarily soils), which may encompass the transition from between MIS 5e and 5d/c. Similar bimodality of nearly identical α and β shell forms and sizes is observed at other late MIS 5e sites from the furthest reaches of Great Bahama Bank (including Long, Exumas, Eleuthera, and New Providence Islands). The widespread distribution of α and β forms in soils capping MIS 5e marine and eolian deposits implies that there may have been a synchronous, regional morphological convergence on Great Bahama Bank. None of these forms are observed in Holocene deposits of Aminozone A. The earliest MIS 1 Cerion appear in a oolite deposited 6500 a BP, and are of intermediate size compared to the Pleistocene α and β forms. As MIS 1 progressed, the diversity of shell sizes and shapes increased into modern times. The greater variety of shell forms over the past 1000–2000 a suggests that humans may have played a role in the introduction and redistribution of Cerion across the region. The potential for frequent and widespread human introductions, combined with the propensity of Cerion to hybridise freely may explain the farrago of shell sizes and shapes in the recent snail faunas of Long Island and other Bahama islands.
Community and population-level responses to disturbance in a sandflat community

Abstract The responses of soft sediment infauna were investigated in an intertidal sandflat to determine patterns of recolonization and succession at the community and population level. Experimental disturbance plots, 1 m 2 , were initiated in August and sampled for 4.5 months along with ambient sediments. Sediment grain-size was used as a general indicator of the physical state of the disturbance patches, and grain-size distributions among disturbance and ambient patches became similar after ∼2.5 months. Recolonization varied among the dominant infaunal taxa. Densities of infauna that were most abundant in the habitat, primarily syllid polychaetes, did not recover to ambient levels until 3–4 months after disturbance, when ambient densities were falling to winter lows. Multivariate analysis indicated that community recovery occurred by the end of the study period after 4.5 months. Although community structure recovered by the end of the study, the population structure of the dominant species Parapionosyllis longicirrata remained significantly different among ambient and disturbed patches. On all sampling dates except one, disturbance patches had a higher number of larger individuals than ambient sediments. Previous studies have shown that bedload transport of juveniles and adults, and other processes, can cause recolonization to be relatively rapid on intertidal sandflats. However, our results indicate that recovery times may be on the order of months at large disturbance sizes. Therefore, rapid responses may occur primarily in the case of small-scale ( 2 ) disturbance patches. Secondly, recovery at the community level does not necessarily mean that population-level characteristics of species comprising the community have recovered. Population-level differences may be longer lasting than indicated by community level indicators of recovery.
Sarcoplasmic reticulum in the conducting fibers of the dog heart.

The ultrastructure or sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) was studied in the conducting fibers of the dog heart. A dense network of sarcoplasmic tubules occurred in well preserved cytoplasmic areas. Some of the tubules extended into large sacs filled with finely filamentous material. The sacs often appeared in subsarcolemmal apposition connected to the sarcolemma by electron dense projections. The flattened cisternae of SR occurred beneath the sarcolem-ma in the myofibrillar region of the cell. Long flattened cisternae only partially apposed to the sarcolemma were quite common in one specimen. Sarcoplasmic reticulum was continuous throughout the interfibrillar spaces surrounding each myofibril. At the level of the Z-line the SR formed a quasi tubular flattened structure surrounding the Z-line and closely adhering to it.
Comparison between 2-deoxy-2-[18F]fluoro-D-glucose positron emission tomography and positron emission tomography/computed tomography hardware fusion for staging of patients with lymphoma.

Purpose 2-Deoxy-2-[18F]fluoro-D-Glucose positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) stages patients with Hodgkin's disease (HD) and Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) with higher accuracy than computed tomography (CT). We sought to determine whether integrated (hardware) fused PET/CT imaging results in further improvements in staging accuracy. Procedures Seventy-three patients (age 51 ± 17 years, 37 female, 36 male) with HD (n = 20) or NHL (n = 53) undergoing staging were studied with an integrated PET/CT system. Image findings were verified by clinical follow up, additional imaging and when available, histology. Results Thirty-four of 73 patients (46.5%) had evidence of disease and 39 were disease free as confirmed by clinical evaluation and follow-up for 41 ± 22 weeks (n = 73), including biopsy (n = 26), and other imaging modalities (n = 52) when available. A discordant image interpretation between PET and PET/CT occurred in seven patients (10%). PET/CT correctly upstaged two and downstaged five patients. Overall staging was accurate in 93% with PET/CT and 84% with PET (P = 0.03). Conclusion Lymphoma is staged with higher accuracy using PET/CT than PET alone.
Processing Opportunities for New Advanced High-Strength Sheet Steels

Currently there is considerable interest in developments leading to new advanced high-strength sheet steels (AHSS) for automotive and other transportation applications that demand high strength, light weight materials. Design requirements will involve material properties with strengths greater than currently available dual phase and transformation-induced plasticity (TRIP) steels (steels in this group are referred to as the “First Generation” of AHSS), with good ductility and formability, but produced at a cost less than the high ductility stainless steels or high manganese TWIP steels (materials referred to as the “Second Generation” of AHSS). Recent studies have shown that materials that satisfy the required property/cost combinations will include complex microstructures containing high amounts of retained austenite in combination with a high strength constituent that may be ultrafine grained ferrite, martensite, bainite, and/or combinations of ferrite-based constituents. In this article, selected metho...
CTH13-5: Coverage Spectral Efficiency of Cellular Systems with Cooperative Base Stations

Coverage spectral efficiency (CSE) characterizes the tradeoff between efficient channel reuse and the achievable rates per cell, under the assumption of detection by a single base station and intra-cell FDMA. It is well known that intra-cell FDMA is not in general optimal. In this paper we study an alternative intra- cell wide-band scheme as well as the base station cooperation in detection, which has demonstrated potential capacity gain. The effect on CSE of different schemes are then compared and the optimal reuse distance is determined for each scheme.
Learning MDP Action Models Via Discrete Mixture Trees

This paper addresses the problem of learning dynamic Bayesian network (DBN) models to support reinforcement learning. It focuses on learning regression tree (context-specific dependence) models of the conditional probability distributions of the DBNs. Existing algorithms rely on standard regression tree learning methods (both propositional and relational). However, such methods presume that the stochasticity in the domain can be modeled as a deterministic function with additive noise. This is inappropriate for many RL domains, where the stochasticity takes the form of stochastic choice over deterministic functions. This paper introduces a regression tree algorithm in which each leaf node is modeled as a finite mixture of deterministic functions. This mixture is approximated via a greedy set cover. Experiments on three challenging RL domains show that this approach finds trees that are more accurate and that are more likely to correctly identify the conditional dependencies in the DBNs based on small samples.
EM-based receiver design of LDPC-coded MIMO systems over unknown fading channels

We consider an LDPC-coded MIMO system operating in a fading environment, where channel state information is assumed to be unavailable both to the transmitter and the receiver. We propose at the component level a modified EM-based MIMO detector, which completely removes positive feedback between input and output extrinsic information and provide much better performance as compared to the regular EM-based detector that has strong correlations. At the structural level, motivated by the turbo iterative decoding strategy, a new LDPC-coded MIMO receiver is constructed in a novel manner where the soft MIMO detector and LDPC variable node decoder form one super soft decoding unit and the LDPC check node decoder the other component of the iterative decoding scheme. Based on the analysis of the extrinsic information transfer characteristic of the component soft decoders, a simple and efficient LDPC code optimization approach is also provided. Numerical and simulation results are provided to further confirm the optimality of the proposed design approach for the coded MIMO system.
Logging impacts on forest structure and seedling dynamics in a Prioria copaifera (Fabaceae) dominated tropical rain forest (Talamanca, Costa Rica).

The factors that determine the existence of tropical forests dominated by a single species (monodomi- nated forests) have been the subject of debate for a long time. It has been hypothesized that the low frequency of disturbances in monodominated forests and the tolerance to shade of the monodominant species are two important factors explaining the prolonged dominance of a single species. We determined the role of these two factors by examining the effects of logging activities on the floristic composition and seedling dynamics in a Prioria copaifera dominated forest in Southeastern Costa Rica. We determined the floristic composition for trees ≥2.5cm DBH and the associated recruitment, survival and mortality of tree canopy seedlings in two sites logged two (L-02) and 12 years (L-12) prior to sampling and an unlogged forest (ULF). Our results showed that L-02 stands had lower species richness (25 species) than the L-12 and ULF stands (49 and 46 species, respectively). As expected, we found significant logging effects on the canopy structure of the altered forests, particularly when comparing the L-02 and the ULF stands. Seedling density was higher in ULF (0.96 seedlings/ m 2 ) than in the L-02and L-12 stands (0.322 and 0.466 seedlings/m 2 , respectively). However, seedling mortality was higher in the ULF stands (54%) than in the L-02 (26%) and L-12 (15%) stands. P. macroloba in L-02 was the only species with abundant regeneration under P. copaifera in L-02 stand, where it accounted for 35% of the seedlings. Despite the reduction in seedling abundance observed after logging, P. copaifera seems to maintain large seedling populations in these forests, suggesting that this species maintains its dominance after logging disturbances. Our findings challenge the hypothesis that the regeneration of monodominant species is not likely to occur under heavily disturbed canopy conditions. Rev. Biol. Trop. 62 (1): 347-357. Epub 2014 March 01.
Accuracy assessment of NOAA gridded daily reference evapotranspiration for the Texas High Plains

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) provides daily reference evapotranspiration (ETref) maps for the contiguous United States using climatic data from North American Land Data Assimilation System (NLDAS). This data provides large-scale spatial representation of ETref, which is essential for regional scale water resources management. Data used in the development of NOAA daily ETref maps are derived from observations over surfaces that are different from short (grass — ETos) or tall (alfalfa — ETrs) reference crops, often in nonagricultural settings, which carries an unknown discrepancy between assumed and actual conditions. In this study, NOAA daily ETos and ETrs maps were evaluated for accuracy, using observed data from the Texas High Plains Evapotranspiration (TXHPET) network. Daily ETos, ETrs and the climatic data (air temperature, wind speed, and solar radiation) used for calculating ETref were extracted from the NOAA maps for TXHPET locations and compared against ground measurements on reference grass surfaces. NOAA ETref maps generally overestimated the TXHPET observations (1.4 and 2.2 mm/day ETos and ETrs, respectively), which may be attributed to errors in the NLDAS modeled air temperature and wind speed, to which reference ETref is most sensitive. Therefore, a bias correction to NLDAS modeled air temperature and wind speed data, or adjustment to the resulting NOAA ETref, may be needed to improve the accuracy of NOAA ETref maps.
The mouse Y-box protein, MSY2, is associated with a kinase on non-polysomal mouse testicular mRNAs

In male germ cells many mRNAs are sequestered by proteins into translationally silent messenger ribonucleoprotein (mRNP) particles. These masked paternal mRNAs are stored and translated at specific times of germ cell development. Little is known about the mammalian testicular mRNA masking proteins bound to non-polysomal mRNAs. In this report, the major proteins binding to non-polysomal testicular mRNAs were isolated and analyzed. The two predominant proteins identified were: a Y-box protein (MSY2), the mammalian homolog to the Xenopus oocyte masking protein FRGY2/mRNP3+4, and a poly(A) binding protein. A kinase activity was also found associated with these non-polysomal RNAs. The kinase co-immunoprecipitates with MSY2 and phosphorylates MSY2 in vitro. The MSY2 associated kinase is not casein kinase 2, the kinase believed to phosphorylate mRNP3+4 in oocytes, but a yet unidentified kinase. MSY2 was found to be phosphorylated in vivo and MSY2 dephosphorylation led to a decrease in its affinity to bind RNA as judged by northwestern blotting. Therefore, testicular masked mRNAs may be regulated by the phosphorylation state of MSY2. Reconstitution experiments in which nonpolysomal mRNA-binding proteins are dissociated from their RNAs and allowed to bind to exogenous mRNAs suggest that MSY2 binds RNA in a sequenceindependent fashion. Furthermore, association of the non-polysomal derived proteins to exogenous nonspecific mRNAs led to their translational repression in vitro.
Laboratory simulations of astrophysical blast waves with high energy lasers

We review recent efforts to simulate aspects of supernova remnants in laboratory experiments by creating energetic explosions with high energy lasers. High energy pulsed lasers are uniquely suited for these kinds of studies. By focusing a laser with pulse energy of a few joules to many hundreds of joules onto a solid target or into a dense gas target, explosive shock waves of very high Mach number can be created. With a well chosen set of laser and target parameters it has been shown by a number of groups that radiative blast waves can be produced. Such blast waves have dynamics dominated by radiation transport and exhibit unusual characteristics, the most important of which include hydrodynamic instabilities which may play an important role in the structure of the interstellar medium. As a result there are now prospects for gaining new insights into astronomical observations of supernova remnants by studying laboratory laser driven plasma systems.
Biometric signal processing laboratory

Biometric systems verify a persons identity based on unique physical attributes. Biometric technologies are becoming the foundation of an extensive array of highly secure identification and personal verification solutions. It is a broad subject, which integrates image processing, digital signal processing, statistics, mathematics, computing, psychology and legislation. To enable the average undergraduate to understand and internalize the biometric theories and technologies, we have developed a biometric signal processing laboratory at the US Naval Academy. The paper describes the model of the lab, introduces the key biometric equipment, and overviews our lab activities.
The consequences of political dictatorship for Russian science

The Soviet communist regime had devastating consequences on the state of Russian twentieth century science. Country Communist leaders promoted Trofim Lysenko — an agronomist and keen supporter of the inheritance of acquired characters — and the Soviet government imposed a complete ban on the practice and teaching of genetics, which it condemned as a “bourgeois perversion”. Russian science, which had previously flourished, rapidly declined, and many valuable scientific discoveries made by leading Russian geneticists were forgotten.
The actress as a mental health teacher.

This paper describes the role of an actress in a program for the psychiatric education of nonpsychiatrist physicians and nurses. Not only can the actress use her skills in role-playing and simulated interviewing situations, but she can also become an active and essential member of the psychiatric teaching team. In the program described here, the actress has come to serve as an individual and group therapist and as a communications facilitator. The situations in which she can effectively serve these functions are delineated, and the general implications for a broader role for an actress in continuing education programs are discussed.
Emergency pediatric tracheostomy: A usable technique and model for instruction

Tracheostomies, although rarely performed, may be necessary in cases in which a cricothyrotomy is precluded by the small size of the cricothyroid space in infants and small children, when there is a high-grade upper airway obstruction, or when massive neck swelling or laryngeal fractures obscure the cricothyroid landmarks. A new technique for emergency pediatric tracheostomy and a model for practicing the procedure in cats has been developed. The technique uses a finder needle and a saline-filled syringe to locate the small and poorly defined trachea. Free-flowing saline or aspirated air bubbles indicate entrance of the locator needle into the tracheal lumen. A stabbing incision is made lateral to and against the needle, the stoma is spread, and an endotracheal tube is introduced. Kittens weighing 1,000 g to 1,500 g have a tracheal diameter of 5.5 mm to 6.0 mm, equivalent to a child less than 1 year old. Cats in the 2,000-g to 3,000-g range approximate the tracheal size for an older child. Either recently killed or anesthetized cats may be used. Using this model, emergency physicians can become more proficient in performing tracheostomies rapidly on small subjects. This technique, however, has not been studied in human beings of the pediatric age group.
Spirituality and Religion in the Lives of Runaway and Homeless Youth: Coping with Adversity

This qualitative study, part of a larger study of resiliency, explores the impact of spirituality on runaway and/or homeless youth. Interviews with 19 former runaway and homeless youth were analyzed to explore their experience of spirituality as they coped with the adversity in their lives. Five themes related to spirituality emerged: a belief in divine intervention; having a personal relationship with a nonjudgmental higher power; use of prayer; participation in traditional and nontraditional religious practices; and finding meaning and purpose in life, including a desire to “give back” to their community. Implications for social work practice and research are addressed.
Bound-state perturbation theory and annihilation effects in positronium

Working in Coulomb gauge and using the lowest-order equation proposed by Barbieri and Remiddi we calculate, in the one-loop order of perturbation theory, the decay rate and the energy shift of the ground states of parapositronium and orthopositronium, respectively. Our result for the decay rate agrees with that of Harris and Brown. For contribution of one-photon-annihilation channel to the energy shift, we confirm the result of Karplus and Klein. These results are derived completely within the bound-state formalism and avoid the necessity of performing on-mass-shell wave function and vertex renormalization subtractions.
The Application of Fluidics Technology for Organ Preservation

A prototype design of a portable, pulsatile, perfusion preservation device based on a novel application of fluidics technology was tested to evaluate its ability to oxygenate preservation solution and to examine the relationship between organ resistance, perfusion pressure, and perfusion flow characteristics. The effects of organ resistance on pulse rate, perfusion pressure, and perfusion flow were modeled. Interstitial PO2 in canine hearts stored at 4 degrees C for 12 hours in the fluidics device (n = 5) and in static hypothermic storage (n = 5) was also compared. Increasing outflow resistance did not have an effect on operating frequency of the fluidics actuator. Perfusion pressure rose as outflow resistance was increased, and the flow of preservation solution decreased proportionately. The PO2 of the preservation solution increased to 300 mm Hg in two hours and reached a plateau that exceeded 400 mm Hg within six hours. The aortic flow profile during pulsatile perfusion resembled a square wave function with a mean pulse duration of 0.30 +/- 0.05 seconds. Oxygen delivery by the fluidics perfusion device exceeded the oxygen requirements of the hypothermically preserved organs at all resistance levels. Initial interstitial PO2 in the hearts of both groups was greater than 150 mm Hg. In perfused hearts, PO2 declined 30% by the 12th hour, whereas complete depletion of oxygen was noted in the static storage group within six hours. The fluidics organ perfusion/transport apparatus weighs less than 18 kg, uses no electrical power, and can operate continuously for 10 to 12 hours expending 780 L of oxygen.
Idiopathic Hepatic Uptake of 99mTc Methylene Diphosphonate: A Case Report

Objective:Two sequential 99mTc methylene diphosphonate (MDP) scans were performed on a 42-y-old woman with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus, chronic right pyelonephritis and anemia. The initial scan showed reduced skeletal uptake with intense and diffuse hepatic uptake. Because these findings were similar to those seen when excessive hydrolyzed-reduced 99mTc colloids are present in the radiopharmaceutical, the scan was repeated after an adequate time delay. Increased skeletal uptake was evident in the second scan, but the hepatic uptake persisted. Although there are numerous causes of soft tissue activity on 99mTc MDP bone scans, the responsible pathologic entity is not always clear. This study reviews several possible reasons for such uptake, although the exact mechanism in this case remains conjectural.
Commentary on: Use of Quilting Sutures During Abdominoplasty to Prevent Seroma Formation: Are They Really Effective?

Of the many methods described to reduce seroma formation after abdominoplasty, the use of internal suture techniques to secure the deep surface of the abdominoplasty flap to the superficial fascia of the abdominal wall seems to have the best track record. Although somewhat different in actual technique, both quilting sutures and progressive tension sutures appear to have the same result: no increase in seroma rates while allowing for shorter times to drain removal or even the elimination of drains altogether. This retrospective study by Sforza et al was able to show that among the three groups studied, quilting sutures dramatically reduced clinically detectable seroma formation.1 Unfortunately, the author's hospital policy required placement of at …
An examination of the relationship between culturally recognized symbols as avatars and trust in computer-mediated communication environments

One of the characterizations that distinguishes man from the rest of the animal world is the use of symbols. Many researchers consider the act of forming and using symbols as the central cognitive process in mankind’s thinking. A study of human communication, then, would be incomplete without a consideration of the impact of symbolism. The use of symbols in communication has been a focus of study in many disciplines including psychology, religion, literature, and more. While psychologists have focused primarily on the cognitive processes involved in forming and using symbols, anthropologists have focused on commonly accepted meanings of particular symbols. In religion and literature, researchers note certain symbolic themes and their associations with certain abstract meanings meant to be understood by the readers of the works being considered. In more contemporary research fields, such as computer-mediated communication, the study of culture and symbols is a relatively new focus of research efforts. While it is well known that the meanings of symbols is both taught and learned through cultural phenomena, little research exists on the cultural influence of symbol meaning on user trust. The methodologies used to gather data in this study include two opinion surveys and a lab experiment. In the first two phases of the research, student opinions of commonly recognized symbols and their meanings are obtained. In the third phase of the research, student subjects were each shown one of three different communication transcripts between two fictitious students. Each transcript differed only in the avatar used to represent one of the students. Student perceptions of the trustworthiness of one of the fictitious students were measured, as was student willingness to engage in trusting behavior. ANOVA revealed sufficient evidence to suggest that the use of symbols associated with positive character traits resulted in increased trust development. ANCOVA revealed sufficient evidence to suggest that the use of symbols associated with positive character traits resulted in increased trust development. Interactions between respondent gender and specific symbol used were also significant. These results suggest that the use of certain symbols as avatars influences the amount of trust developed toward them, as well as willingness to engage in trusting behavior, key factors in the successful implementation of technologies such as automated online virtual agents, certain knowledge sharing systems, and more. Additionally, these results suggest implications in other areas such as corporate branding, advertising, and more.
Mobile Technologies for Every Library by Ann Whitney Gleason

Mobile technologies are such a hot topic in the library world today because so many people have the equivalent of a computer, camera, game console, and a host of other devices in their pocket in th...
2,2',5',6-Tetra-chloro-4-[(1S)-1-methyl-prop-oxy]biphen-yl.

In the title mol­ecule, C16H14Cl4O, the dihedral angle between the least-square planes of the benzene rings is 84.40 (7)°. No unusual intermolecular interactions are present.
Cutaneous adverse events in multiple sclerosis patients treated with daclizumab

Objective: To analyze the spectrum and mechanisms of cutaneous adverse events (AEs) in patients with multiple sclerosis treated with daclizumab high-yield process (DAC-HYP). Methods: A total of 31 participants in an institutional review board–approved open-label phase I study of DAC-HYP (NCT01143441) were prospectively evaluated over 42 months for development of cutaneous AEs. Participants provided written informed consent. Fifteen participants were naive to anti-CD25 therapy (cohort B), while 16 had received daclizumab (Zenapax; Hoffmann-La Roche) IV for 4–9 years (mean 5.8 years) prior to enrollment (cohort A). Immunohistochemistry was performed on pretreatment and posttreatment skin biopsies of normal-appearing skin (cohort B only) and on lesional biopsies in participants presenting with rash (both cohorts). Results: Cutaneous AEs occurred in 77% of patients, the majority presenting with patches of eczema requiring no treatment. Moderate to severe rash developed in 6 participants (19%) and required discontinuation of DAC-HYP in 4 (13%). More severe rashes presented psoriasiform phenotype, but lesional biopsies lacked features of either psoriasis or drug hypersensitivity eruptions. Instead, irrespective of clinical severity, lesional biopsies showed nonspecific features of eczematous dermatitis, but with prominent CD56+ lymphocytic infiltrates. Pretreatment and posttreatment biopsies of normal-appearing skin demonstrated no histopathologic changes. Conclusions: Observed cutaneous AEs are likely related to the immunomodulatory effects DAC-HYP exerts on innate lymphoid cells, including natural killer cells. Vigilance and timely management of skin reactions may prevent treatment discontinuation in participants with severe rash.
Paravaginal Wolffian Duct (Mesonephros) Adenocarcinoma: A Light and Electron Microscopic Study

This is a report of an adenocarcinoma of mesonephric origin studied by light microscopy, electron microscopy, and immunocytochemistry. Unlike previous reports, our lesion was located paravaginally and not in the leaves of the broad ligament or in the cervix. The light microscopic features are similar to those of previous cases in the literature. Although not specific, the ultrastructural features of the tumor are similar to those of mesonephric structures and different from those of mullerian structures. The diagnosis always should be considered when a tumor occurs at the site where mesonephric remnants may be found and after exclusion of a carcinoma of other pelvic organs or a metastasis from a primary neoplasm elsewhere.
Reduced Order Model Based Controller Design for Feedback-Controlled Cylinder Wake

Feedback flow control is an emerging discipline which aims at applying the methods of closed loop feedback control to problems in fluid dynamics. A challenging area for application, which has drawn considerable academic research, concerns the control of absolute instabilities associated with the von Karman vortex street that develops in the wake of a circular cylinder. The need for meaningful real-time control leads to the requirement of developing an appropriate low order model. A two dimensional, high resolution simulation is used to develop a neural network based low-dimensional model for controller design. Actuation is implemented as displacement of the cylinder normal to the flow. This control approach uses a low dimensional model based on a 15 mode Double Proper Orthogonal Decomposition (DPOD) applied to the velocity field. The truncated DPOD modes, used to construct a dynamic mathematical model of the wake, accurately predict the wake flow dynamics within the lock-in region at low forcing amplitudes. This low-dimensional model, derived using non-linear artificial neural network based system identification methods, is robust and accurate and can be used to simulate the dynamic behaviour of the wake flow. The control strategy involves the estimation of the DPOD modes and a respective feedback command based on these estimates. The control approach is based on both the Karman fluctuating DPOD mode as well as the Karman shift mode. The shift mode provides corrections for spatial variations in the POD Eigenfunctions which are caused by the feedback control induced modification of the wake. Using the reduced-order model, numerical investigations are conducted to determine effective controller gains. High resolution simulation having 63,700 nodes show that the developed control law stabilizes all 15 modes, the controller succeeds in substantially reducing drag and fluctuating lift. While the reduced order model is shown to be a very useful tool for controller development, major issues are identified and suggested remedies are discussed.
A Review of Electronic Court Filing in the United States

The rise of e-commerce has caused many courts to begin filing and storing pleadings electronically. This article discusses e-filing software, the benefits to and development of extensible mark-up language (“XML”) for legal documents, and the impact the future of e-filing.
On the Right to Silence

The right to silence is a legal protection enjoyed by crimnal suspects undergoing police interrogation or trial. The right to silece is favorable to protecting human rights and preventing the use of tortue and coercing to get confessions. As things stand, China is not in a position to introduce the right to silence immediately, but we shoud set out to create the conditions for its earliest introduction so as to essentially eradicate the use of tortorture to extract confessions and to establish a scientifically perfected legal system.
The Effect of Magnesium Ion Concentration on the Nucleotide Specificity and Fidelity of HIV-1 Reverse Transcriptase

Like other DNA polymerases there are two Mg2+ bound to the polymerase site of HIV-1 reverse transcriptase (HIVRT) and they are thought to facilitate the incorporation of normal nucleotides through a classical two metal ion mechanism. However, the effect of Mg2+ on the fidelity of HIVRT and role of each Mg2+ on the steps governing nucleotide incorporation are unknown and although most in vitro measurements have been performed using 6 -10 mM Mg2+, it is reported that the physiological concentration of free Mg2+ may be as low as 0.25 mM. In this study, we investigated the effects of Mg2+ on nucleotide specificity by defining the kinetic parameters governing each step involved in the normal nucleotide in the incorporation pathway; namely, ground-state binding, substrate-induced conformational change, substrate release, chemistry and pyrophosphate release. One Mg2+ is chelated by the nucleotide, which binds to the enzyme as a Mg-dNTP2- complex, while the second Mg2+ binds in a separate step. Surprisingly, Mg2+ concentrations ranging from 0.25 to 10 mM did not affect the kinetics of nucleotide binding or the rate of the conformational change. Rather, the main effect of free Mg2+ is on the rate of the chemistry step. These results demonstrate that the second Mg2+ binds after the conformational change and with an apparent Kd of 4.7 mM. We also measured the fidelity of HIV-1 RT under various concentrations of Mg2+ and show that Mg2+ does not significantly affect the fidelity at concentrations ≥ 0.25 mM. We also examined the effect of Mg2+ concentration on the kinetics of DNA binding. Overall, the results from our study provide valuable information regarding magnesium concentration and nucleotide specificity.
Predictors of Oncologic Outcomes After Treatment of Urothelial Cancer

Despite modern advances in surgical procedures, morbidity and mortality rates remain unsatisfactory for patients treated for bladder cancer (BC) or upper tract urothelial cancer (UTUC). Conventional prognostic tools such as tumor grade, stage, and lymph node involvement are important predictors of oncologic outcomes, but additional prognostic factors have been established in recent years and may lead to improved treatment decision-making and oncologic outcomes for patients with BC or UTUC. The integration of several clinico-pathological and molecular biomarkers into multivariable prognostic models or nomograms has been shown to provide more accurate prognoses than grade and stage alone in patients with UC. In this chapter, we review the current prognostic factors for BC and UTUC, giving particular attention to clinico-pathological factors shown to be independent predictors of oncologic outcomes.