cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Nucleotide sequences responsible for the inability of a herpes simplex virus type 2 strain to grow in human lymphocytes are identical to those responsible for its inability to grow in mouse tissues following ocular infection

A study was undertaken to determine whether genes associated with herpes simplex virus (HSV) neuroinvasiveness in mice influence the growth of HSV in man, the virus's natural host. HSV-2(186), a nonneuroinvasive HSV strain, was found to replicate poorly (less than 3-fold) in cultures of phytohemagglutinin (PHA) stimulated human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC). In contrast, seven other HSV strains all multiplied 40- to 100-fold. The paucity of HSV-2(186) growth in PBMC was not due to a failure of this strain to grow in primary human cells because high titers (greater than 10(8) PFU/ml) were obtained following infection of human foreskin fibroblasts. The genetic basis for the deficient growth was analyzed by marker rescue experiments. Recombinant HSV-2 strains were generated in marker rescue experiments utilizing HSV-2(186) DNA and plasmids containing a cloned DNA polymerase gene isolated from a neuroinvasive HSV strain possessing the capacity to replicate in human PBMC. Progeny which rescued DNA from the cloned HSV DNA polymerase gene replicated 40- to 100-fold in PHA-stimulated PBMC. Moreover, unlike the HSV-2(186) parent, HSV-2(186) isolates possessing rescued DNA grew well in the eye, trigeminal ganglion, and brain of mice and induced fatal encephalitis. The results indicate that nucleotide sequences responsible for increasing the capacity of HSV-2(186) to grow in PBMC of man are identical to those responsible for increasing the capacity of this strain to grow in mouse tissues and to spread from the eye to the brain.
Discussion: Statistical Literacy: Implications for Teaching, Research, and Practice

into the everyday life of people that are unaware of its impact. Adults' statistical literacy may be seen as part of the broader areas of Statistics Education: extending from the education of students and young people to the education of adults. The community of statisticians and statistics educators need to pay attention to the fact that there is not only a need for teaching statistics at all educational levels, but also for the ongoing statistics education of adults required by the necessities of a rapidly changing society.
Recent measurements of nuclear reaction cross-sections with ion beams at very low energies

Abstract Recent measurements of radiative capture reactions of protons and deuterons on light nuclei at low energies are summarized. Applications of these measurements to various problems in astrophysical nucleosynthesis, fusion plasma diagnostics and near-surface quantitative analysis of low mass elements are described. The results of our investigation of the possible enhancement of deuteron-induced neutron-transfer reactions on light nuclei are presented.
Use of adherence monitors as part of a team approach to control clonal spread of multidrug-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii in a research hospital

Background Multidrug-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii (MDRAB) is difficult to treat and eradicate. Several reports describe isolation and environmental cleaning strategies that controlled hospital MDRAB outbreaks. Such interventions were insufficient to interrupt MDRAB transmission in 2 intensive care unit-based outbreaks in our hospital. We describe strategies that were associated with termination of MDRAB outbreaks at the National Institutes of Health Clinical Center. Methods In response to MDRAB outbreaks in 2007 and 2009, we implemented multiple interventions, including stakeholder meetings, enhanced isolation precautions, active microbial surveillance, cohorting, and extensive environmental cleaning. We conducted a case-control study to analyze risk factors for acquiring MDRAB. In each outbreak, infection control adherence monitors were placed in MDRAB cohort areas to observe and correct staff infection control behavior. Results Between May 2007 and December 2009, 63 patients acquired nosocomial MDRAB; 57 (90%) acquired 1 or more of 4 outbreak strains. Of 347 environmental cultures, only 2 grew outbreak strains of MDRAB from areas other than MDRAB patient rooms. Adherence monitors recorded 1,330 isolation room entries in 2007, of which 8% required interventions. In 2009, around-the-clock monitors recorded 4,892 staff observations, including 127 (2.6%) instances of nonadherence with precautions, requiring 68 interventions (1.4%). Physicians were responsible for more violations than other staff (58% of hand hygiene violations and 37% of violations relating to gown and glove use). Each outbreak terminated in temporal association with initiation of adherence monitoring. Conclusions Although labor intensive, adherence monitoring may be useful as part of a multifaceted strategy to limit nosocomial transmission of MDRAB.
The Influence of Process Variation on a Cortical Bone Interference Fit Pin Connection

The interference fit is a common method for creating mechanical assemblies. When manufacturing the individual components to be assembled in this method, close dimensional control of the mating components is required in order to ensure that the amount of interference is sufficient to create a secure assembly, but not so great as to cause excessive stresses or failure of the individual components. In this work, we study interference fit connections in an assembly of human (cadaveric) cortical and cancellous bone, i.e., an allograft, used in spinal fusion surgeries. A difficulty encountered in this application is that, in addition to the machining steps, the assembly must go through subsequent sterilization and lyophilization, or freeze drying, processes that may affect the quality of the interference fit. This report examines the quality of the allograft interference fits using dimensional measurements of manufactured components at all stages of the manufacturing process, followed by examination for cracking and measurement of the pull-apart forces for assemblies. The experimental results are compared to finite element models of the interference fit and also to Monte Carlo models of the assembly using a simple thick-wall cylinder model. Experimental results show that the lyophilization process significantly affects the component dimensions, resulting in a much greater spread in interference values and likely leading to cracking and/or loss of interference.
Diagnosis of coronary artery fistula by two-dimensional echocardiography, pulsed Doppler ultrasound and color flow imaging

Abstract Ten consecutive patients with a coronary artery fistula, aged 1 day to 4 years, were studied by two-dimensional echocardiography, pulsed Doppler ultrasound and color flow imaging. All patients underwent cardiac catheterization, and seven patients had surgical closure of the fistula. The origin, course and site of drainage of the coronary artery fistula were correctly identified prospectively by echocardiographic examination in all patients. Color flow imaging was particularly helpful in visualizing the site of drainage of the fistula. Diameters of the right and left coronary arteries at their origin and of the aortic root were measured from two-dimensional echocardiographic frames and compared with measurements obtained in normal children. The ratio of coronary artery diameter to aortic root diameter in normal children was 0.14 ± 0.03 (mean ± SD) for the right coronary artery and 0.17 ± 0.03 for the left coronary artery. These normal ratios were greatly exceeded for coronary arteries feeding the fistula, and ranged from 0.68 to 0.84 for the right coronary artery and from 0.34 to 0.52 for the left coronary artery. All anatomic information needed for surgical treatment of coronary artery fistula was consistently obtained by echocardiography with color flow imaging. The fistula was closed from within the heart in five patients and by ligation from the epicardial surface in two patients. In these latter patients, intraoperative color flow imaging at the time of ligation proved to be extremely valuable in achieving complete closure.
A wideband microwave double-negative metamaterial with non-Foster loading

Although the potential for wideband double-negative metamaterials using non-Foster circuit elements was described more than a decade ago, progress has been somewhat limited. Therefore, the analysis and simulation of a wideband microwave metamaterial are presented, where non-Foster elements are used as loads on split rings and on electric resonators. Using the Faraday law of induction, load conditions are derived for wideband negative permeability of a split ring. Using the Ampere circuital law, load conditions are derived for wideband negative permittivity of an electric resonator comprised of two disks connected by a rod. Simulations and extracted parameters confirm the underlying theory, and a wideband double-negative behavior is observed from 1.0 to 4.5 GHz for the proposed design.
Vascular Anomalies: Current Overview of the Field

Vascular anomalies are disorders of the endothelium that can affect each part of the vasculature (capillaries, arteries, veins, or lymphatics). Although nearly always benign, vascular anomalies can involve any anatomic structure. Significant progress in understanding and treating patients with vascular anomalies has been made during the past quarter century since the introduction of a biologic classification for these lesions.
Unoccupied electronic states of the Cs/Cu(100) and Cs/Cu(111) adsorption systems

We have investigated the unoccupied electronic structure of submonolayer amounts of cesium on the Cu(100) and Cu(111) surfaces by inverse photoemission (IPE) and work-function measurements. At very low Cs coverages on both substrates, IPE spectra obtained at normal incidence indicate that an adsorbate-induced feature develops in the projected bulk band gap of the substrate at an energy of $\ensuremath{\sim}3\mathrm{eV}$ above the Fermi level ${(E}_{F}).$ As the Cs coverage is increased, this feature moves to lower energy. On the Cu(100) surface, the energy of the Cs feature initially follows the decrease of the work function, and levels off at $\ensuremath{\sim}0.3\mathrm{eV}$ above ${E}_{F}$ as the Cs coverage approaches 1 ML. We observed a similar effect for the Cs/Cu(111) system. Off-normal spectra obtained for 0.08 ML of Cs on Cu(111) indicate that, at low coverages, the Cs state does not disperse with ${k}_{\ensuremath{\parallel}}.$ However, on both substrates, we observed a correlation between modulations in the intensity of the Cs feature and degeneracy between this feature and the projected bulk bands of the substrate. Energy-dependent IPE spectra suggest that the adsorbate state on both Cu surfaces has predominantly $d$-like orbital character when the state is in the projected bulk band gap of the substrate. The orbital character of the Cs feature changes to $sp\ensuremath{-}$ like when the adsorbate state is degenerate with the Cu $\mathrm{sp}$-derived bulk bands. This effect was observed whether the degeneracy was achieved by varying the Cs coverage at a fixed ${k}_{\ensuremath{\parallel}},$ or by varying ${k}_{\ensuremath{\parallel}}$ at a fixed coverage. We interpret this as evidence of momentum-dependent hybridization of the adsorbate-substrate bond.
Enantioselective synthesis of the tumorigenic anti-diol epoxide metabolites of benzo[a]pyrene

Abstract Efficient, highly enantioselective syntheses of (+) and (−)- anti -benzo[a]pyrene diol epoxide (BPDE) from 9,10-dihydrobenzo[a]pyrene are described. Initial epoxidation catalyzed by (salen) Mn(III) complex gives 7,8-epoxy-7,8,9,10-tetrahydrobenzo[a]pyrene (>90% ee). Acid-catalyzed hydration occurs regio- and stereo-selectively to furnish the trans -tetrahydrodiols which are converted into the optically active anti -BPDEs.
SPANNING TREES AND ASPECTS OF CLUSTERING

The concept of a spanning tree for a weighted graph is used to characterize several methods of clustering a set of objects. In particular, most of the paper is devoted to stating relationships between spanning trees, single-link and complete-link hierarchical clustering, network flow and two divisive clustering procedures. Several related topics using the notion of a spanning tree are also mentioned.
Anatomically-Constrained PCA for Image Parcellation

Traditionally clinicians and medical researchers have been using either totally data driven approaches like PCA/CCA/ICA or ROI based analysis for exploratory analysis of brain images. However, PCA/CCA/ICA based approaches suffer from lack of interpretability of results and on the other hand ROI based approaches are too rigid and wrongly assume that the signal lies totally within a predefined region. In this paper, we propose a novel approach which stands in stark contrast with both these approaches as it borrows strength from both these paradigms and leads to statistically refined definitions of ROIs based on information from data. Our approach, called Anatomically Constrained PCA (AC-PCA) provides a principled way of incorporating prior information in the form of probabilistic or binary ROIs while still allowing the data to softly modify the original ROI definitions. Experimental results on cortical thickness images show the superiority of AC-PCA for MCI classification compared to ROI and unconstrained PCA (a totally data based approach).
A novel triple repeat mutant tau transgenic model that mimics aspects of pick's disease and fronto-temporal tauopathies.

Tauopathies are a group of disorders leading to cognitive and behavioral impairment in the aging population. While four-repeat (4R) Tau is more abundant in corticobasal degeneration, progressive supranuclear palsy, and Alzheimer’s disease, three-repeat (3R) Tau is the most abundant splice, in Pick's disease. A number of transgenic models expressing wild-type and mutant forms of the 4R Tau have been developed. However, few models of three-repeat Tau are available. A transgenic mouse model expressing three-repeat Tau was developed bearing the mutations associated with familial forms of Pick's disease (L266V and G272V mutations). Two lines expressing high (Line 13) and low (Line 2) levels of the three-repeat mutant Tau were analyzed. By Western blot, using antibodies specific to three-repeat Tau, Line 13 expressed 5-times more Tau than Line 2. The Tau expressed by these mice was most abundant in the frontal-temporal cortex and limbic system and was phosphorylated at residues detected by the PHF-1, AT8, CP9 and CP13 antibodies. The higher-expressing mice displayed hyperactivity, memory deficits in the water maze and alterations in the round beam. The behavioral deficits started at 6-8 months of age and were associated with a progressive increase in the accumulation of 3R Tau. By immunocytochemistry, mice from Line 13 displayed extensive accumulation of 3R Tau in neuronal cells bodies in the pyramidal neurons of the neocortex, CA1-3 regions, and dentate gyrus of the hippocampus. Aggregates in the granular cells had a globus appearance and mimic Pick’s-like inclusions. There were abundant dystrophic neurites, astrogliosis and synapto-dendritic damage in the neocortex and hippocampus of the higher expresser line. The hippocampal lesions were moderately argyrophilic and Thioflavin-S negative. By electron microscopy, discrete straight filament aggregates were detected in some neurons in the hippocampus. This model holds promise for better understanding the natural history and progression of 3R tauopathies and their relationship with mitochondrial alterations and might be suitable for therapeutical testing.
Identification of PICs in hazardous waste combustion emissions

The US Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Solid Waste sponsored an emission test program to identify products of incomplete combustion (PICs) emitted during hazardous waste combustion. The focus of the program was to identify as many organic compounds as possible through use of a wide variety of sampling and analytical techniques including both standard and nonroutine techniques and techniques chosen to achieve detection levels as low as possible. Nine different types of samples were collected using EPA Method 0030 for volatile compounds (VOST), EPA Method 0010 for semivolatile compounds (MM5-SV), and specialized sampling trains. These samples were subjected to analysis such that the test program included about 30 different sample type/analytical technique combinations. Analytical techniques included multiple techniques with GC, GC/MS, HPLC, and FTIR instruments. This was the first application of some of the techniques to combustion effluents. About 150 specific organic compounds were identified. Most were detected by the standard EPA methods such as VOST or MM5-SV with GC/MS analysis. However, the use of high-sensitivity techniques with these methods did allow greater numbers of compounds to be quantitated. The nonstandard techniques identified a few additional compounds, including methanol and several cyanides and organic cyano compounds.
The antioxidant level of Alaska's wild berries: high, higher and highest.

Background. In the last few years, antioxidants have become the stars of the nutritional world. Antioxidants are important in terms of their ability to protect against oxidative cell damage that can lead to conditions, such as Alzheimer’s disease, cancer and heart disease conditions also linked with chronic inflammation. The antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects of Alaska’s wild berries may have the potential to help prevent these diseases. Objective. To discover the antioxidant levels of Alaska wild berries and the ways these antioxidant levels translate when preservation methods are applied to the berry. Design. This research centred on both the raw berries and products made from the berries. In the first year, a variety of wild berries were tested to discover their oxygen radical absorption capacity (ORAC) in the raw berries. The second level of the research project processed 4 different berries blueberries, lingonberries, salmonberries, highbush cranberries into 8 or 9 products made from these berries. The products were tested for both ORAC as well as specific antioxidants. Results. The Alaska wild berries collected and tested in the first experiment ranged from 3 to 5 times higher in ORAC value than cultivated berries from the lower 48 states. For instance, cultivated blueberries have an ORAC scale of 30. Alaska wild dwarf blueberries measure 85. This is also higher than lower 48 wild blueberries, which had a score of 61. All of the Alaskan berries tested have a level of antioxidant considered nutritionally valuable, ranging from 19 for watermelon berries to 206 for lingonberries on the ORAC scale. With the processed products made from 4 Alaska wild berries, one of the unexpected outcomes of the research was that the berries continued to have levels of antioxidants considered high, despite the effects of commonly used heat-processing techniques.When berries were dehydrated, per gram ORAC values increased. Conclusion. Alaska wild berries have extraordinarily high antioxidant levels. Though cooking lowered the antioxidant level, and adding ingredients such as sugar diluted the antioxidant concentration, products made from berries are high sources of antioxidants. Keywords: antioxidants; berries; nutritional value; Alaska; phytochemical (Published: 5 August 2013) This paper is part of Supplement 1, 2013, ICCH15 Proceedings . More papers from this Supplement can be found here . Citation: Int J Circumpolar Health 2013, 72 : 21188 - http://dx.doi.org/10.3402/ijch.v72i0.21188
Use of an Iodide-Specific Electrode to Study Lactoperoxidase-Catalyzed Iodination of l-Tyrosine

An in vitro method employing an iodide-specific electrode for monitoring lactoperoxidase-catalyzed iodination is described. The method utilized lactoperoxidase, potassium iodide, and a glucose-glucose oxidase system for the generation of hydrogen peroxide and l-tyrosine. As iodination of l-tyrosine proceeded, the free iodide concentration in solution decreased and was monitored by an iodide-specific electrode. The iodide electrode was reliable when compared to a 131I-method for measuring free iodide changes in solution. Increasing concentrations of resorcinol, a well-known inhibitor of thyroid peroxidase-catalyzed iodination, in the reaction mixture resulted in graded inhibition of the initial rate of lactoperoxidase-catalyzed l-tyrosine iodination. This in vitro system can be used to assess inhibitory activity of various anti-thyroid substances.
Therapeutic use of T regulatory cells.

Purpose of review The aim of this article is to review the potential use of T regulatory cells in pathologic immune responses, focusing on their clinical application and the challenges associated with these therapies. Recent findings Numerous T regulatory (TR) cell based therapies have been proposed to be clinically beneficial in patients with autoimmunity based on extensive studies in experimental models. Cell based therapies with CD4+CD25+Foxp3+ T regulatory cells isolated from peripheral blood hold promise, but difficulties exist in obtaining large enough numbers of these cells or expanding these cells in vitro. Generation of suppressive lymphocyte populations, such as cytokine secreting Tr1 and Th3 cells, is also promising. Therapies with Foxp3+ expressing lymphocytes generated from naive CD4 lymphocytes in vitro is a novel mechanism of T regulatory cell generation, although questions regarding the role of these cells in vivo remain. Finally, therapies designed to restore the suppressive properties of T regulatory cells may be an alternative to cell-based therapies. Summary T regulatory cells hold considerable promise in the treatment of autoimmunity. There are many important questions, however, regarding the biology of these cells that need to be addressed before their broad implementation in human disease.
Further studies on the dose-dependent stimulus properties of 5-methoxy-N,N-dimethyltryptamine.

Twenty-two rats were trained to discriminate either 1.5 mg/kg of 5-methoxy-N,N-dimethyltryptamine (5-OMe DMT) from saline in a standard two-lever operant procedure. Once responding was stable, various doses of several serotonin (5-HT) antagonists, i.e., cyproheptadine (CYP), methysergide (UML), cinanserin (CIN), and methergoline (MCE), were administered in combination with 5-OMe DMT, to assess the ability of each antagonist to attenuate each 5-OMe DMT-stimulus. The 5-OMe DMT-stimulus at 1.5 mg/kg was completely antagonized by CYP, and was partially attenuated by CIN and MCE. UML had negligible effects on 5-OMe DMT-appropriate responding. In the 3.0 mg/kg 5-OMe DMT-trained rats, UML and MCE partially blocked the 5-OMe DMT-stimulus; CYP and CIN had no significant effect on 5-OMe DMT-appropriate responding. The results suggest that until the in vivo effects and mechanism of action of 5-OMe DMT and certain 5-HT antagonists are better understood, caution is advised when conclusions are drawn from studies employing these agents.
Predictors of exaggerated exercise-induced systolic blood pressures in young patients after coarctation repair.

Background In normotensive subjects, an exaggerated blood pressure response to exercise is associated with the development of resting hypertension. We sought to determine the prevalence of elevated blood pressures during exercise in post-operative coarctation patients with normal resting blood pressure, and investigate associations with exercise-induced hypertension in this population. Methods A total of 38 patients were enrolled after end-to-end anastomosis repair and resting normotension. All patients underwent anthropometric and blood pressure measurements, echocardiographic evaluation of function, arterial stiffness assessment by pulse wave velocity, and a graded exercise test. An abnormal response was defined as a maximum systolic blood pressure greater than the 95th percentile of published normal values. Correlation analyses and stepwise regression analyses were performed. Results The mean age was 12.7 years, including 79% male patients. The mean resting systolic blood pressure was 111.3 millimetres of mercury and the mean exercise systolic blood pressure was 178.1 millimetres of mercury. The prevalence of a systolic blood pressure greater than the 95th percentile was 16.7%. In multivariate analysis, the exercise systolic blood pressure index was associated with body mass index, age, aortic valve annulus, shortening fraction, and pulse wave velocity (R2 equal to 0.79, p equal to 0.0009). Estimates of ventricular filling and indexed left ventricular mass were elevated. Conclusions There is a risk of elevated systolic blood pressure during exercise in normotensive patients after coarctation repair. Resting blood pressures are useful but not sufficient. Echocardiography demonstrated abnormalities suggestive of a chronic cardiac burden despite resting normotension. Regular imaging may be necessary to improve long-term outcomes. New paradigms for the continued follow-up of these patients are necessary.
Kinins modulate the sodium-dependent autoregulation of renal medullary blood flow.

Objective: In the recent past it has become clear that the kallikrein–kinin system is closely intertwined with long-term blood pressure regulation. It was shown that a kinin B2 receptor blockade leads to a sodium-dependent rise in blood pressure. The underlying mechanisms of this phenomenon, however, remain unclear. The osmotic gradient of the renal medulla is a prerequisite for the preservation of volume and sodium by the kidney. We thus hypothesized, that a kinin dependent modulation of medullary blood flow accounts for the influence of sodium on blood pressure. Methods: In 39 urethane anaesthetized rats pressure dependent regulation of whole kidney blood flow and cortical and medullary blood flow were estimated via laser-Doppler flux by a stepwise reduction of renal perfusion pressure to 30 mm Hg. Results: In controls ( n =15), a reduction in renal perfusion pressure to 30 mm Hg lead to a concomitant reduction in whole kidney blood flow (25±3% of baseline) and cortical laser-Doppler flux (36±5% of baseline). In contrast, medullary laser-Doppler flux decreased only to 79±8% of the baseline level. Providing a 2% sodium chloride solution as drinking water over 5 days ( n =12), resulted in a significantly lower capability to autoregulate medullary flow (50±6% of baseline, P <0.05). Acute subcutaneous administration of Hoe 140, a bradykinin B2 receptor antagonist (300 μg/kg bwt), restored autoregulation of medullary flow to almost normal levels (93±12% of baseline, P <0.01 versus high sodium diet alone, n =12). Conclusions: Our results indicate that B2 receptor blockade restores the attenuated autoregulation of medullary Doppler flux during sodium enriched diet. This, suggests that the kinin dependent impact of sodium on blood pressure regulation is mediated by modulations of medullary blood flow autoregulation.
The clinician in the classroom: A first-grade intervention study

Teaching high risk sixand seven-year-olds to learn to read is the subject of the research to be described. While the efforts of educators to address the widespread failure of children to learn to read are beginning to yield dividends, there is a continuing urgency to respond early to children's language learning needs. The intervention activities discussed in the following pages do not come as early as would be desirable in the child's life, but they do come early in his school life. The present study is an extension of investigations undertaken by Katrina de Hirsch and the writer in the 1960's. The goal of the first project (de Hirsch, Langford and Jansky 1966) was to develop a battery of tests that would identify children likely to fail in learning to read. The follow-up research (Jansky and de Hirsch 1972) led to refinements in the predictive tests and the development of a screening process: it also led to the formulation of a diagnostic battery derived from regression and factor analytic studies of a larger pool of kindergarten and second grade
A note on generalized hyperexponential distributions

We update earlier results on the relationship of generalized hyperex-ponential (GH) distributions to other types of CDFs in the Coxian family, particularly the phase types. Most specifically, we utilize properties of these Coxian-type distributions to offer new approaches to determining when a given rational transform corresponds to a GH distribution.
A simplified analysis method for characterizing unbonded post-tensioned precast wall systems

In recent years, a significant effort has been placed towards understanding the lateral load behavior of unbonded post-tensioned precast wall systems because they are easier to construct and they exhibit desirable response characteristics, including self centering feature and minimal damage when subjected to large lateral displacements. However, the conventional section analysis cannot be applied to these walls because of the nonexistence of strain compatibility condition between the unbonded post-tensioning steel and concrete at the section level. This paper presents a simplified analysis method to characterize the monotonic response of unbonded post-tensioned precast wall systems and provides verification for the method using available test data. It is shown that the proposed simplified analysis method not only captures the lateral load behavior of walls, but also accurately quantifies the neutral axis depth, elongation in the post-tension steel, and deformation of the connector used in jointed wall systems as a function of lateral drift.
Use of cardiac magnetic resonance imaging to evaluate cardiac structure, function and fibrosis in children with infantile Pompe disease on enzyme replacement therapy.

Abstract Background Pompe disease (acid α-glucosidase deficiency) is one of several lysosomal storage diseases amenable to treatment with enzyme replacement therapy (ERT). While echocardiography (echo) has been the standard method to evaluate the cardiac response to ERT, cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMR) has the advantage of a better tissue definition and characterization of myocardial fibrosis. However, CMR for Pompe disease is not frequently performed due to a high risk of sedation. We report the first use of CMR in a feasible protocol to quantify left ventricular (LV) mass, function, and the presence of myocardial fibrosis in the Pompe population. Methods Children with Pompe disease on ERT were assessed with transthoracic echo and CMR over a 3year period at a single institution. Echocardiography was performed using standard techniques without sedation. CMR was performed using retrospectively gated and real-time imaging, with and without sedation. LV mass indexed to body surface area (LVMI) and ejection fraction (EF) were measured by both echo and CMR, and evaluated for change over time. Myocardial fibrosis was assessed by CMR with delayed enhancement imaging 5–10min after gadolinium contrast using single shot inversion recovery sequences with inversion time set to null the signal from normal myocardium. Results Seventeen CMR scans were successfully performed in 10 subjects with Pompe disease (median age at first CMR is 9months, range 1–38months, 80% male), with sedation only performed in 4 studies. There was a median interval of 5months (range 0–34months) from the start of ERT to first CMR (baseline). At baseline, the median indexed LVMI by CMR (140.0g/m 2 , range 43.8–334.0) tended to be lower than that assessed by echo (median 204.0g/m 2 , range 52.0–385.0), but did not reach statistical significance. At baseline, CMR EF was similar to that assessed by echo (55% vs. 55%). Overall, there was no significant decrease in CMR measured LVMI over time (CMR median LVMI at baseline 94g/m 2 (range 43.8–334) vs. CMR median at most recent study 44.5g/m 2 (range 34–303), p=0.44). In 5 patients with serial CMR scans over time, LVMI decreased in 2, was similar in 2, and increased in 1 patient with high sustained antibodies to exogenous enzyme. Delayed enhancement was noted in only l separate patient who also had high sustained antibodies to exogenous enzyme. Conclusion CMR is an imaging tool that is feasible to use to serially follow LVMI and EF in children with Pompe disease on ERT. Real-time imaging is adequate for quantification purposes in these patients and minimizes the need for sedation. Quantitative CMR LVMI is generally lower than echo derived LVMI. Delayed enhancement appears to be a rare finding by CMR in Pompe disease. A further follow-up is necessary to better understand the long term effects of ERT in infantile Pompe survivors, especially those with high sustained antibody titers or advanced cardiac disease at treatment outset.
Efficient computation for Whittaker-Henderson smoothing

Efficient algorithms that compute both the estimates and the generalized cross-validation score for the problem of Whittaker-Henderson smoothing are presented. Algorithm efficiency results from carefully exploiting the problem's rich structure to reduce execution time and memory use. The algorithms are much faster than existing ones, and use significantly less memory. MATLAB M-files are included.
Heterogeneity in polymer solar cells: local morphology and performance in organic photovoltaics studied with scanning probe microscopy.

The use of organic photovoltaics (OPVs) could reduce production costs for solar cells because these materials are solution processable and can be manufactured by roll-to-roll printing. The nanoscale texture, or film morphology, of the donor/acceptor blends used in most OPVs is a critical variable that can dominate both the performance of new materials being optimized in the lab and efforts to move from laboratory-scale to factory-scale production. Although efficiencies of organic solar cells have improved significantly in recent years, progress in morphology optimization still occurs largely by trial and error, in part because much of our basic understanding of how nanoscale morphology affects the optoelectronic properties of these heterogeneous organic semiconductor films has to be inferred indirectly from macroscopic measurements. In this Account, we review the importance of nanoscale morphology in organic semiconductors and the use of electrical scanning probe microscopy techniques to directly probe th...
Radiotherapy for meningiomas

Because of a substantial overall recurrence rate of meningiomas, the role of surgery as the sole treatment for every case must be evaluated. Also, occasionally, the patient's age and/or the location of the tumor precludes considering him/her as a candidate for surgery. In these instances, radiotherapy or radiosurgery may be advisable. The article presents two cases treated at M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, those of a 65-year-old male with a tumor in the left temporal lobe and 74-year-old female with a tumor in the right petroclival region. It also reviews the roles that radiotherapy plays in treating patients with meningiomas. Retrospective analyses of outcomes provide ample evidence that conventional radiation after incomplete resection reduces the incidence of progression of tumor over a long period. Information on patients who have had only external radiation is meager, since most patients have at least a partial resection. Complete resection for benign meningiomas is sufficient. For malignant meningiomas, adjuvant radiation should be administered, regardless of the extent of surgical excision. When surgery poses a high risk of morbidity or mortality, radiation therapy and radiosurgery are promising alternatives.
Human plasma-derived immunosuppressive factors having anti-lymphoma activity

Extraction of Cohn IV-1, an α-globulin enriched fraction of human plasma, with a high-salt, low-pH solution, followed by sequential ultrafiltration steps yielded an immunosuppressive preparation (UM05R) of mol.wt. 500–10,000. UM05R inhibited antibody formation in the mouse in vivo and transformation in vitro of lymphocytes treated with either T-or B-cell stimulants. Suppression of lymphocyte transformation, indicated by inhibition of 3H-thymidine incorporation into DNA, was confirmed by inhibition of blast cell formation. From dose-response curves the UM05R concentration to produce 50% suppression of lymphocyte blast transformation was 15–50 μg protein/ml. Selectivity for lymphoid cells was suggested by growth inhibition in vitro of L1210 and P1798 leukemias but not murine neuroblastoma or human fetal fibroblasts. This observation also rules out the presence of an agent which is broadly cytotoxic. Fractionation of UM05R on Sephadex G-25 in 10% acetic acid yielded an early-emerging fraction, mol. wt. 5,000–10,000, containing B-cell inhibitor, and a late fraction, mol. wt. 1,400, inhibitory for both T- and B-cell transformation and growth of L1210. The inhibitory activity for B cells was removed from the other two activities by 5% trichloroacetic acid (TCA). The possibility is raised that the inhibitory activity for T cells and L1210 may reside in the same molecule. Sensitivity of the early-emerging B-cell inhibitor to carboxypeptidase B suggests that it is a polypeptide, but resistance of the T-cell inhibitor to various treatments leaves its nature uncertain. The properties of these factors suggest consideration of them as lymphocyte chalones occurring in plasma complexed to high-molecular-weight components.
An analogue of a hardy-littlewood-fejér inequality for upper triangular trace class operators

Let H denote a separable, infinite-dimensional Hilbert space. We shall consider operators (that is, bounded linear transformations) on/-/. An operator T is said to be in the Schatten class Cp if T is compact and if the eigenvalues of (T'T) t/2 are in 1 p (0<p<oo); the norm in Cp is the I p norm of these eigenvalues. The class C 2 is called the Hilbert-Schmidt class, and C 1 is called the trace class. By C~o we denote the class of all compact operators. For information on these classes see, for example, [23], [4, Chap. XI], [8, Chap. III], [19], [13. Although there is an obvious analogy with the sequence spaces I p, there is a deeper analogy with the function spaces L p on the unit circle (however, the containment relations are reversed from the L p case, namely, Cp c Cr for p < r). This analogy serves as a source for new conjectures in operator theory. Motivated by this we establish an operator analgue of a coefficient inequality for the function space H 1. First we survey some known results in order to emphasize the nature and depth of the analogy. Fix an orthonormal basis {en} (n= l, 2, ...) in H, and let En =span{e I .... , en}. Each operator T on/-/has a matrix representation:
Discovery of Gas Accretion Onto Stars in 13 Myr old h and chi Persei

We report the discovery of accretion disks associated with ~ 13 Myr-old intermediate/low-mass stars in h and chi Persei. Optical spectroscopy of ~ 5000 stars in these clusters and a surrounding halo population reveal 32 A-K stars with H(alpha) emission. Matching these stars with 2MASS and optical photometry yields 25 stars with the highest probability of cluster membership and EW(H(alpha)) > 5 angstroms. Sixteen of these sources have EW(H(alpha)) > 10 angstroms. The population of accreting sources is strongly spectral type dependent: H(alpha) emission characteristic of accretion, especially strong accretion (EW(H(alpha)) > 10 angstroms), is much more prevalent around stars later than G0. Strong H(alpha) emission from accretion is typically associated with redder Ks-[8] colors. The existence of accreting pre-main sequence stars in h and chi Persei implies that circumstellar gas in some systems, especially those with primaries later than G5 spectral type, can last longer than 10-15 Myr.
The effects of observation on emotional arousal and affiliation

Abstract This study assessed the influence of anticipated experimenter surveillance during the performance of a painful or potentially embarrassing act on affiliative preferences before engaging in that act. As predicted, there was an overall preference for isolation when the act to be performed was embarrassing, and this tendency increased with anticipated surveillance. There was an overall preference for affiliation under fear arousal, and this preference also increased with anticipated surveillance. Contrary to previous research, whether or not the potential affiliate was a subject in the experiment (i.e., in a similar or dissimilar emotional state) did not affect these tendencies. Possible ways of accounting for these findings are discussed.
FMRI analysis of contrast polarity in face-selective cortex in humans and monkeys

Recognition is strongly impaired when the normal contrast polarity of faces is reversed. For instance,otherwise-familiar faces become very difﬁcult to recognize when viewed as photographic negatives. Here,we used fMRI to demonstrate related properties in visual cortex: 1) fMRI responses in the human FusiformFace Area (FFA) decreased strongly (26%) to contrast-reversed faces across a wide range of contrast levels(5.3–100%RMScontrast),inall subjects tested. Ina whole brain analysis, thiscontrast polarity bias waslarge-ly conﬁned to the Fusiform Face Area (FFA; p b 0.0001), with possible involvement of a left occipitalface-selective region. 2) It is known that reversing facial contrast affects three image properties in parallel(absorbance, shading, and specular reﬂection). Here, comparison of FFA responses to those in V1 suggeststhat the contrast polarity bias is produced in FFA only when all three component properties were reversedsimultaneously, which suggests a prominent non-linearity in FFA processing. 3) Across a wide range (180°)of illumination source angles, 3D face shapes without texture produced response constancy in FFA, withouta contrast polarity bias. 4) Consistent with psychophysics, analogous fMRI biases for normal contrast polaritywere notproduced by non-face objects, with image statistics similarto the face stimuli. 5) UsingfMRI, wealsodemonstrated a contrast polarity bias in awake behaving macaque monkeys, in the cortical region consideredhomologous tohuman FFA. Thuscommoncortical mechanisms mayunderlie facialcontrast processing across~25 million years of primate evolution.© 2013 Elsevier Inc.
Brewster angles for magnetic media

On decrit les conditions du materiau qui determinent quelle polarisation incidente a un angle de Brewster et on montre que l'angle de Brewster ne peut pas exister simultanement pour les deux polarisations incidentes sauf sous incidence normale et rasante
Virtual Design Technologies for 21rst Century Engineers: In What Ways Do Gestures Impact Interactions?

The goal of this work is to measure the degree to which communication through gestures in virtual environments helps or hinders collaborative work on spatial tasks. People often gesture when they talk to each other about spatial concepts; in response to this behavior, many virtual collaboration tools have been created over the years to augment distance collaborations with gestures (see “Related Work”). However, relatively little work has been done do assess whether the addition of gestures actually improves collaboration, and in if so how does it help them? This work begins the exploration of these questions so as to better inform the design of future virtual collaboration tools. We explored these questions by performing controlled laboratory experiments. To do so, we developed an experimental test bed, Collabora-table, in which we could control the communication modes available to pairs of participants while they interacted in a 2D virtual space to complete shared tasks. Participants were asked to use three different interfaces, face-to-face, virtual sketching, and virtual sketching with hand images. The latter was found to reduce workload to levels indistinguishable from face-to-face interactions for conceptual product design tasks. However the effect appears to be sensitive to the task, and the implementation of the interfaces. Gestures may be an important communication channel to support in future tools to support virtual product design.Copyright © 2013 by ASME
Effect of low temperatures on in-vitro matured bovine oocytes

Abstract This research concerned effects of cooling in vitro matured bovine oocytes on subsequent fertilization and development in vitro. Oocytes were maintained at 39°C (control), 20°C, 10°C or 0°C for 5, 10 or 20 min, then fertilized and cultured in vitro for 7 d. The proportion of fertilized oocytes that cleaved and developed to the morula/blastocyst stage was compared between different treatments. Duration of exposure had no effect on the results. Fertilization rate was higher (P 0.05) between oocytes cooled at 0°C (59.7%) or 10°C (67.9%). However, penetration rates in these 2 groups were lower (P
Steganalysis in high dimensions: fusing classifiers built on random subspaces

By working with high-dimensional representations of covers, modern steganographic methods are capable of preserving a large number of complex dependencies among individual cover elements and thus avoid detection using current best steganalyzers. Inevitably, steganalysis needs to start using high-dimensional feature sets as well. This brings two key problems - construction of good high-dimensional features and machine learning that scales well with respect to dimensionality. Depending on the classifier, high dimensionality may lead to problems with the lack of training data, infeasibly high complexity of training, degradation of generalization abilities, lack of robustness to cover source, and saturation of performance below its potential. To address these problems collectively known as the curse of dimensionality, we propose ensemble classifiers as an alternative to the much more complex support vector machines. Based on the character of the media being analyzed, the steganalyst first puts together a high-dimensional set of diverse "prefeatures" selected to capture dependencies among individual cover elements. Then, a family of weak classifiers is built on random subspaces of the prefeature space. The final classifier is constructed by fusing the decisions of individual classifiers. The advantage of this approach is its universality, low complexity, simplicity, and improved performance when compared to classifiers trained on the entire prefeature set. Experiments with the steganographic algorithms nsF5 and HUGO demonstrate the usefulness of this approach over current state of the art.
The Weight of the Past: Exploring Lagged Determinants of Political Repression

The present article investigates contemporaneous and lagged effects of de mocracy, coercive capacity, and political conflict on repressive behavior. As designed, 51 countries from 1948 to 1982 are ...