cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Activation of RhoA by Association of Gα13 with Dbl

Abstract RhoA is a small G protein that is implicated in the regulation of the actin cytoskeleton, gene expression, and cell cycle progression. It is activated by many agonists whose receptors are linked to heterotrimeric G proteins, but the mechanisms are incompletely understood. In this study, we show that the constitutively active α-subunit of the heterotrimeric G protein G13 associated with the Rho family guanine nucleotide exchange factor Dbl in NIH 3T3 cells and that this resulted in activation of RhoA. This activation was not seen with wild-type Gα13 or if Dbl and active Gα13 were expressed separately and mixed. In contrast, coexpression of constitutively active Gαq with Dbl did not lead to their association and caused a weak activation of RhoA that was no greater than that observed with wild-type Gαq. These findings illustrate that activated Gα13 and Dbl can associate in vivo and that this leads to Rho activation.
Dynamic Viscoelasticity of Actin Cross-Linked with Wild-Type and Disease-Causing Mutant α-Actinin-4

The actin cross-linker α-actinin-4 has been found to be indispensable for the structural and functional integrity of podocytes; deficiency or alteration of this protein due to mutations results in kidney disease. To gain insight into the effect of the cross-linker on cytoskeletal mechanics, we studied the macroscopic rheological properties of actin networks cross-linked with wild-type and mutant α-actinin-4. The frequency-dependent viscoelasticity of the networks is characterized by an elastic plateau at intermediate frequencies, and relaxation toward fluid properties at low frequencies. The relaxation frequencies of networks with mutant α-actinin-4 are an order of magnitude lower than that with the wild-type, suggesting a slower reaction rate for the dissociation of actin and α-actinin for the mutant, consistent with a smaller observed equilibrium dissociation constant. This difference can be attributed to an additional binding site that is exposed as a result of the mutation, and can be interpreted as a difference in binding energy barriers. This is further supported by the Arrhenius-like temperature dependence of the relaxation frequencies.
A Mathematical Model for the Epidemiologic Study of Infectious Diseases

Many infectious diseases have been hypothesized to represent common virus infections in which only small proportions of cases result in clinically recognizable disease. In order to find a method of studying this class of diseases, a mathematical model of the age distribution of clinical disease was developed using poliomyelitis as a prototype. The model is shown to fit the age distribution of reported poliomyelitis in a variety of localities before the use of artificial immunization. The true yearly rate of infection is easily estimated and ranges from .11 in rural Sweden to 1.20 in Chile. The model accounts for several major features of poliomyelitis epidemiology, including the shift to older ages and the high rate of clinically apparent disease which were frequently observed in populations which could be expected to have a comparatively low rate of spread. An examination of the age distribution of other diseases by these methods may provide a method of identifying other common infections which only occasionally result in clinically apparent disease.
Radiotherapy Enhances Antitumor Effect of Anti-CD137 Therapy in a Mouse Glioma Model

Abstract Previously, we reported that peripheral vaccination of mice with modified autologous tumor cells secreting granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) combined with ionizing radiation to the whole brain cured 50% of mice using a syngeneic, intracranial model of murine high-grade glioma. Here, we tested the combination of radiotherapy (4 Gy × 2) with an immunotherapeutic approach using an anti-CD137 antibody directed to the co-stimulatory molecule CD137. The CD137 antibody has shown promise in generating effective antitumor responses in several animal models and has demonstrated a favorable toxicity profile in the clinic. The combination of radiation and anti-CD137 therapy resulted in complete tumor eradication and prolonged survival in six of nine (67%) mice with established brain tumors (P = 0.0009). Five of six (83%) long-term survivors in the combination group demonstrated antitumor immunity by rejecting challenge tumors. Antitumor immunity was associated with an increased numb...
A novel FADS1 isoform potentiates FADS2-mediated production of eicosanoid precursor fatty acids

The fatty acid desaturase (FADS) genes code for the rate-limiting enzymes required for the biosynthesis of long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LCPUFA). Here we report discovery and function of a novel FADS1 splice variant. FADS1 alternative transcript 1 (FADS1AT1) enhances desaturation of FADS2, leading to increased production of eicosanoid precursors, the first case of an isoform modulating the enzymatic activity encoded by another gene. Multiple protein isoforms were detected in primate liver, thymus, and brain. In human neuronal cells, their expression patterns are modulated by differentiation and result in alteration of cellular fatty acids. FADS1, but not FADS1AT1, localizes to endoplasmic reticulum and mitochondria. Ribosomal footprinting demonstrates that all three FADS genes are translated at similar levels. The noncatalytic regulation of FADS2 desaturation by FADS1AT1 is a novel, plausible mechanism by which several phylogenetically conserved FADS isoforms may regulate LCPUFA biosynthesis in a manner specific to tissue, organelle, and developmental stage.
Scalable and reliable communication for hardware transactional memory

In a hardware transactional memory system with lazy versioning and lazy conflict detection, the process of transaction commit can emerge as a bottleneck. This is especially true for a large-scale distributed memory system where multiple transactions may attempt to commit simultaneously and co-ordination is required before allowing commits to proceed in parallel. In this paper, we propose novel algorithms to implement commit that are more scalable in terms of delay and are free of deadlocks/livelocks. We show that these algorithms have similarities with the token cache coherence concept and leverage these similarities to extend the algorithms to handle message loss and starvation scenarios. The proposed algorithms improve upon the state-of-the-art by yielding up to a 7X reduction in commit delay and up to a 48X reduction in network messages for commit. These translate into overall performance improvements of up to 66% (for synthetic workloads with average transaction length of 200 cycles), 35% (for average transaction length of 1000 cycles), and 8% (for average transaction length of 4000 cycles). For a small group of multi-threaded programs with frequent transaction commits, improvements of up to 8% were observed for a 32-node simulation.
STRUCTURE AND ENERGETICS OF VAPOR-DEPOSITED INDIUM FILMS

An optimum substrate temperature for the vapor deposition of In films at ≈ 1000 A/s in vacuum of 5 × 10−6 Torr was observed to occur at 130 °C as evidenced by a nominal grain size of 0.4 μm compared with smaller grain sizes observed by transmission electron microscopy over a range of (001) NaCl substrate temperatures of 25 to 150 °C. Indium film microstructures were characterized by an abundance of annealing twins, were stabilized at a particular substrate temperature, and were not altered by post-annealing to 1 deg of the melting temperature. The mean grain boundary inclinations were also observed to vary slightly with substrate temperature from 82.2° at 25 °C to 85.6° at 130 °C. The relative twin boundary/grain boundary free energy ratio for indium films at 130 °C was measured to be 0.055, and the grain boundary free energy estimated to be 180 erg/cm2 at 130 °C. Aus der nominellen Korngrose von 0,4 μm im Vergleich mit kleineren Korngrosen, die mittels Elektronenmikroskopie bei (001)-NaCl-Substrattemperaturen im Bereich von 25 bis 150 °C beobachtet wurden, wird eine optimale Substrattemperatur von 130 °C fur die Aufdampfung von In-Schichten bei ≈ 1000 A/s in einem Vakuum von 5 × 10−6 Torr festgestellt. Die Mikrostrukturen der Indiumschichten sind durch eine grose Anzahl von Zwillingsbildungen charakterisiert. Sie werden bei einer gewissen Substrattemperatur stabilisiert und durch nachtragliche Temperung bis zu 1 grd unterhalb des Schmelzpunktes nicht geandert. Es wird beobachtet, das die hauptsachlichen Korngrenzenneigungen sich schwach mit der Substrattemperatur von 82,2° bei 25 °C auf 85,6° bei 130 °C andern. Das relative Verhaltnis der freien Energien von Zwillingsgrenze zu Korngrenze wurde fur Indiumschichten zu 0,055 bei 130 °C bestimmt und die freie Energie der Korngrenze zu 180 erg/cm2 bei 130 °C abgeschatzt.
PREVENTION OF ALBUMINURIA BY CAPTOPRIL IN DIABETIC RATS

1. Streptozotocin diabetic rats were treated with captopril (50 mg l), an angiotensin converting enzyme-inhibitor, in drinking water for 20 weeks. 2. Systolic blood pressure and 24-hr urinary excretions of heparan sulfate and albumin were done at 2, 8, 16 and 20 weeks. 3. At the end of 20 weeks, all rats were killed, kidneys removed and glomeruli isolated. 4. Total glycosaminoglycan and heparan sulfate synthesis were determined by incubating glomeruli in the presence of 35S-sulfate. 5. Captopril significantly lowered blood pressure in diabetic rats 8 weeks after treatment. 6. Diabetic glomeruli synthesized less total glycosaminoglycan and heparan sulfate than glomeruli from nondiabetic rats. 7. Further characterization of heparan sulfate by ion-exchange chromatography showed that the fraction eluted with 1 M NaCl was significantly lower and the fraction eluted with 1.25 M NaCl significantly higher in diabetic than in normal rats. 8. Therapy with captopril normalized not only glomerular synthesis and content but also various fractions of heparan sulfate in diabetic rats. 9. Excretions of heparan sulfate and albumin were significantly higher in diabetic than in nondiabetic rats. 10. Captopril therapy did significantly lower but not normalize both these excretions in diabetic rats. 11. The data suggest that catopril therapy improves albuminuria through preservation of glomerular heparan sulfate and prevention of its urinary loss in diabetic rats.
Balloon-assisted coil embolization of intracranial aneurysms is not associated with increased periprocedural complications

Background The balloon-assisted coil embolization (BACE) technique represents an effective tool for the treatment of complex wide-necked intracranial aneurysms; however, its safety is a matter of debate. This study presents the authors9 institutional experience regarding the safety of the BACE technique. Methods 428 consecutive patients with 491 intracranial aneurysms (274 acutely ruptured and 217 unruptured) treated with conventional coil embolization (CCE) or with BACE were retrospectively reviewed. All procedure-related adverse events were reported, regardless of clinical outcome. Thromboembolic events, intraprocedural aneurysm ruptures, device-related complications, morbidity and mortality were compared between the CCE and BACE groups. Results The total rate of procedural and periprocedural adverse events was 9.6% (47/491 embolizations). Thromboembolic events, intraprocedural aneurysmal rupture and device-related complications occurred in 2.4%, 3.9% and 3.3% of procedures, respectively. The risk of thromboembolic events and device-related problems was similar between the CCE and BACE groups. A trend towards a higher risk of intraprocedural aneurysm rupture was observed in the BACE group (not statistically significant). The total cumulative morbidity and mortality for both groups was 2.6% (11/428 patients) and there was no statistically significant difference in the morbidity, mortality and cumulative morbidity and mortality rates between the two groups. Conclusion In this series of patients with acutely ruptured and unruptured aneurysms, the BACE technique allowed treatment of aneurysms with unfavorable anatomic characteristics without increasing the incidence of procedural complications.
Practical aspects of terrain correction in airborne gravity gradiometry surveys

Proper terrain correction in onshore airborne gravity gradiometry surveys requires detailed digital elevation models(DEMs).However,thehorizontalresolutionrequirementofDEMsisnotwellexploredinliterature.Asaresult,there is no standardized horizontal resolution used in commercial surveys. Also, the effect of requisite low-pass filtering applied during and subsequent to acquisition has not been discussed within this context. We address these issues by quantifying the optimalhorizontalresolutionusinganexampledatasetandapracticalmethodforperformingterraincorrectionsinbarometric surveys, based on Parker's 1972 Fourier-domain calculation. We also quantify the required spatial extents of DEMs (including grid padding) by deriving empirical rules based on numerical simulations. With these parameters quantified, we provide the basis for optimising the terrain correction to improve efficiency in not only gravity gradiometry terrain corrections and forward modelling, but also in DEM acquisition survey design.
Fatty acid composition of breast milk lipids of Nigerian women

Abstract Breast milk lipids from 13 lactating women in Southern Nigeria who were moderate to severely malnourished and whose mean body mass index (BMI) was 20.2 (± 1.9) and (16.4 (± 1.2)), respectively were separated into various neutral lipid and phospholipid fractions and analyzed for their fatty acid compositions. There were no differences in the content of free fatty acids, diglycerides, triglycerides or the major phospholipid classes between the two groups of women. Three saturated fatty acids (12:0, 14:0, and 16:0) and oleic acid accounted for more than three-fourths of the total fatty acids in the triglyceride fractions. Lauric acid (12:0) and myristic acid (14:0), intermediate-chain length fatty acids which are readily digested, absorbed and oxidized by newborn infants, comprised an unusually high proportion (approximately 40%) of the fatty acids of the total breast milk lipids. While the breast milk of all the mothers we studied contained moderate levels of linoleic acid [18:2(n-6)], they were markedly deficient in another essential fatty acid, namely α-linolenic acid [18:3(n-3)]. A lack of α-linolenic acid could result in a deficiency of docosahexaenoic acid [22:6(n-3)] in the central nervous system of the infants being nursed by these mothers.
Long Time Coming: Prospects for Democracy in Iraq

Prospects for democracy in Iraq should be assessed in light of the historical precedents of nations with comparable political experiences. Saddam Hussein’s Iraq was an unusually extreme autocracy, which lasted an unusually long time. Since the end of the nineteenth century, only thirty nations have experienced an autocracy as extreme as Iraq’s for a period exceeding two decades. The subsequent political experience of those nations offers a pessimistic forecast for Iraq and similar nations. Only seven of the thirty are now democratic, and only two of them have become established democracies; the democratic experiments in the other five are still in progress. Among the seven, the average time required to transit the path from extreme autocracy to coherent, albeit precarious, democracy has been fifty years, and only two have managed this transition in fewer than twenty-five years. Even this sober assessment is probably too optimistic, because Iraq lacks the structural conditions that theory and evidence indicate have been necessary for successful democratic transitions in the past. Thus, the odds of Iraq achieving democracy in the next quarter century are close to zero, at best about two in thirty, but probably far less.
Characteristics of integrated dipole antennas on bulk, SOI, and SOS substrates for wireless communication

Integrated antennas were fabricated on bulk, SOI, and SOS substrates, and characterized. A measurement set-up was developed for integrated antenna characterization. The measurements confirm power transmission through radiation and show reasonable gains at high frequencies (>15 GHz). Antenna input impedances were extracted and modeled to aid receiver and transmitter circuit design. The measurements suggest that radio communication within and between ICs using antennas may be feasible.
Energy content of common fuels in upland pine savannas of the south-eastern US and their application to fire behaviour modelling

Knowing the energy content of wildland fire fuels is important for predicting fire behaviour and for interpreting the pyrogenicity of plant communities. Energy content was determined for fuel categories characteristic of south-eastern US pine savannas, specifically live herbs, 10-h fuels, broadleaf litter, fine dead surface fuels, needle litter from three pine species, and other 1-h fuels combined. Pine needles had higher energy content than the other fuels, fine litter had lower energy content than the other fuels, and all other categories did not differ from each other. Longleaf pine (Pinus palustris) needle litter had lower energy content than loblolly (P. taeda) and shortleaf (P. echinata) pines, which did not differ from each other. Measured energy contents were used to estimate energy content for total fuel loads in native and old-field pine savannas of southern Georgia and northern Florida based on data from a previous study that provided fuel loads in each fuel category. Fire behaviour was predicted using the BehavePlus 5.0.0 default and newly estimated energy contents. This comparison revealed that fire behaviour parameters in the studied native and old-field pine savannas are overpredicted using the default energy content. In savannas, energy content estimates should take into consideration the proportion of fuel types, especially tree leaf litter relative to other fine fuels, for accurately predicting fire behaviour.
The Common Duct Dilates After Cholecystectomy and With Advancing Age Reality or Myth

OBJECTIVES To evaluate changes in the common duct diameter on sonography over time in patients with and without cholecystectomy. METHODS We retrospectively evaluated the common duct diameter, central biliary dilatation, and interval change in 1079 patients who underwent sonography at least 2 years apart over a 6-year period. A board-certified radiologist, blinded to clinical and laboratory data, measured the duct diameter. A total of 893 patients (568 female and 325 male) were divided into 3 groups: group 1, remote cholecystectomy before sonography (mean, 9.7 years before sonography; n = 117); group 2, interval cholecystectomy between the first and second sonographic examinations (n = 56); and group 3, no cholecystectomy (n = 720). All groups were stratified by age, and group 3 was also stratified by the absence (n = 528) or presence (n=192) of gallstones. RESULTS Duct diameters at baseline and follow-up averaged 4.5 and 5.2, 3.6 and 4.9, and 3.5 and 3.9 mm in groups 1, 2, and 3, respectively. Group 1 ducts were larger at baseline than in the other groups (P < .001). At follow-up, group 2 ducts showed a greater interval diameter increase than the other groups (P < .001). In a subanalysis of each group based on age, there was a mild increase in duct size with increasing age, although not clinically significant and within normal limits. In group 3 patients who never had gallstones, there was a significant small increase in duct size over decades (P < .001). The baseline duct sizes for patients with gallstones were not significantly different from those who never had gallstones (P = .15). CONCLUSIONS Patients with remote cholecystectomy have larger common duct diameters than those with no or interval cholecystectomy. Most asymptomatic patients with or without cholecystectomy have a normal common duct diameter.
Phylogeographic History and Gene Flow Among Giant Galápagos Tortoises on Southern Isabela Island

Volcanic islands represent excellent models with which to study the effect of vicariance on colonization and dispersal, particularly when the evolution of genetic diversity mirrors the sequence of geological events that led to island formation. Phylogeographic inference, however, can be particularly challenging for recent dispersal events within islands, where the antagonistic effects of land bridge formation and vicariance can affect movements of organisms with limited dispersal ability. We investigated levels of genetic divergence and recovered signatures of dispersal events for 631 Galapagos giant tortoises across the volcanoes of Sierra Negra and Cerro Azul on the island of Isabela. These volcanoes are among the most recent formations in the Galapagos (<0.7 million years), and previous studies based on genetic and morphological data could not recover a consistent pattern of lineage sorting. We integrated nested clade analysis of mitochondrial DNA control region sequences, to infer historical patterns of colonization, and a novel Bayesian multilocus genotyping method for recovering evidence of recent migration across volcanoes using eleven microsatellite loci. These genetic studies illuminate taxonomic distinctions as well as provide guidance to possible repatriation programs aimed at countering the rapid population declines of these spectacular animals.
Soil Fertility Management and Compost Use in Senegal's Peanut Basin

The Joor (Dior) soils of Senegal's Peanut Basin are inherently low in organic matter, limiting yields of millet and other crops and threatening the food security of smallholders. Focus groups and interviews were conducted in eight villages to characterise the site-specific fertility management by farmers in the Peanut Basin. Results of the qualitative survey revealed that farmers base management decisions on a series of fertility indicators that include type, colour, and texture of soil, presence of vegetation, and productivity in previous years. In an effort to equalise fertility across the field, farmers amend areas they classify as less fertile with decomposed manure and household waste from the family sentaare (traditional pile) orwith compost from managed piles. On-site measurements of soil in areas of fields amended with compost or sentaare material revealed significant increases in peanut and millet growth over unamended areas, but little difference between the effects of compost and manure. Simila...
In situ cross-linking of vesicular stomatitis virus proteins with reversible agents.

Abstract Several reversible cross-linking agents were tested for their ability to cross-link the proteins of intact vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV). Results were analyzed by two-dimensional acrylamide gel electrophoresis in the sodium dodecyl sulfate-discontinuous buffer system. Formaldehyde cross-linking was found to be reversible by heat, and gave results similar to the reagent dimethyl-3,3′-dithio-bisproprionimidate (DTBP), cleavable by reduction of its internal disulfide bond. These two reagents caused the formation of cross-linked polypeptides with molecular weights consistent with the species N:M, G:M, and G:N, where N, M, and G stand for the VSV nucleoprotein, membrane protein, and glycoprotein, respectively. Other agents tested included o-phenanthroline in the presence of Cu2+ and O2, and the heavy metal ions Cu2+ and Ni2+, all reversible by β-mercaptoethanol. These agents gave similar results: No cross-linking of G proteins was observed, and of the possible heterodimers, only N:M was found. NS, the phosphopolypeptide of VSV, was found in complexes corresponding in molecular weight to homodimer and homotetramer species, possibly indicating a tetrameric configuration of the native NS protein. The apparent molecular weights of cross-linked polypeptides were found to be about 20% greater than for linear polypeptides of the same molecular weight, when the mobility in acrylamide gels of a number of cross-linked species from native proteins, enzymes, and viral nucleocapsids was compared to the mobility of linear polypeptides. The accessibility of sulfhydryl groups in native and SDS-disupted VSV was assayed by reaction with radioactive iodoacetic acid; it was found that the G protein contained no free sulfhydryl groups, explaining its failure to react with o-phenanthroline/Cu2+ and heavy metal ions. Removal of the G proteins from the virus with nonionic detergent prior to cross-linking with DTBP showed the coordinate loss of both the G and the N spots corresponding in apparent molecular weight to the G:N heterodimer. This result provides evidence that the glycoprotein of VSV may be capable of interacting in some manner with the core nucleoprotein.
The effects of training on a vibrotacticle cognitive feedback system

The utility of vibrotactile feedback to provide balance and walking pace information for use in conjunction with a functional electrical stimulation (FES) orthosis is discussed. The cognitive feedback system was evaluated by stimulating the use of paraplegic subjects. A nondisabled person, termed the walker, was outfitted with foot load transducers (FLTs). A second nondisabled person, termed the mimic, was outfitted with bimorph transducers that produce vibrotactile stimulation. The mimic attempted to interpret the feedback provided by the FLTs of the walker through the bimorphs. The feedback was a mild, concentrated vibration that varied with the foot pressure applied. The experimental design and results are described. Through consistent training with the feedback system, a reduction in cognitive load is shown, and statistically significant improvements are reported in information transfer through vibrotactile feedback. >
Clinical Trials in Vascular Gene Therapy The Missing Piece of the Puzzle

Abstract Objective.—Vascular gene transfer provides unique opportunities for novel therapies for cardiovascular disease. To define the limitations and expectations of translating preclinical strate...
A Step Toward Curriculum Reform: Incorporating a Human Genetics Course Into a Medical Technology Program

Genetics has emerged from a purely basic science into a specialty with important applications to laboratory medicine. Although educators have recognized the need to incorporate genetics concepts into medical technology curricula, only a few programs nationwide require a genetics course. In this article, we describe the syllabus of a human genetics course in the medical technology curriculum of the State University of New York Health Science Center at Syracuse. Designed in consultation with clinical geneticists, the course combines fundamental principles of genetics with their applications to laboratory testing and diagnosis. Molecular diagnostics and cytogenetics are emphasized with the aid of laboratory exercises. These exercises and a complete list of course topics are described. Student evaluations of the course were positive. We believe that integrated presentation of genetics concepts in the curriculum will better prepare students to meet the challenges they will encounter in the clinical laboratory science profession.
Cultivating a demand for clean cookstoves.

In their policy forum “a major environmental cause of death” (14 October, p. [180][1]), W. J. Martin II and colleagues highlight the need to stimulate market demand for clean cookstoves because “a stove purchased by the consumer is inherently more valued than one that is received without
Characterization of Parallel β-Sheets at Interfaces by Chiral Sum Frequency Generation Spectroscopy.

Characterization of protein secondary structures at interfaces is still challenging due to the limitations of surface-selective optical techniques. Here, we address the challenge of characterizing parallel β-sheets by combining chiral sum frequency generation (SFG) spectroscopy and computational modeling. We focus on human islet amyloid polypeptide aggregates and a de novo designed short polypeptide at lipid/water and air/glass interfaces. We find that parallel β-sheets adopt distinct orientations at various interfaces and exhibit characteristic chiroptical responses in the amide I and N–H stretch regions. Theoretical analysis indicates that the characteristic chiroptical responses provide valuable information on the symmetry, orientation, and vibrational couplings of parallel β-sheet at interfaces.
Green'sFunction for Lamb'sProblem

Summary The complete solution to the three-dimensional Lamb'sproblem, the problem of determining the elastic disturbance resulting from a point force in a half space, is derived using the Cagniard-de Hoop method. In addition, spatial derivatives of this solution with respect to both the source co-ordinates and the receiver co-ordinates are derived. The solutions are quite amenable to numerical calculations and a few results of such calculations are given.
Recovery of postischemic contractile function is depressed by antegrade warm continuous blood cardioplegia

To assess the effectiveness of warm antegrade continuous blood cardioplegia in the setting of an acute coronary arterial occlusion, we instrumented 19 Yorkshire swine to quantitate left ventricular global, systolic, diastolic, and regional mechanics. Data were acquired before and after 10 minutes of mid-left anterior descending coronary artery occlusion followed by 60 minutes of aortic crossclamping. Cardiac arrest was induced by the antegrade infusion of 20 ml/kg of warm (37 degrees C) or cold (4 degrees C) oxygenated blood cardioplegic solution followed by either continuous warm (75 ml/min, n = 9) or intermittent cold (10 ml/kg every 20 minutes, n = 10) cardioplegic reinfusions. Left anterior descending coronary artery occlusion was released 20 minutes after aortic crossclamping and resulted in warm-arrested hearts developing a 139% increase in global oxygen consumption compared with values obtained with the left anterior descending coronary artery occluded (p < 0.02). Recovery of global left ventricle contractility, quantitated by the linear preload recruitable stroke-work relationship, was significantly worse after warm cardioplegia (52.4% +/- 5.1% versus 68.0% +/- 5.9%, warm versus cold, p < 0.05). Similarly, left anterior descending coronary artery regional ischemic zone contractility recovered 34.5% +/- 7.3% of control function with cold cardioplegia, whereas warm cardioplegia resulted in -11.36% +/- 7.46% functional recovery indicative of dyssynchronous contraction (p < 0.05). Diastolic compliance, calculated with an exponential end-diastolic pressure-versus-volume relationship, was not changed postischemically in either group. These data suggest that warm antegrade blood cardioplegia may potentiate acute ischemic injury and provide inadequate myocardial protection.
Phenotypes and Design Principles in System Design Space

Relating the genotype and environment of an organism to its phenotypic repertoire is widely recognized as one of the major challenges in modern biology. Although we now have a generic concept of ‘genotype’ provided by the detailed DNA sequence of an organism, there is no corresponding generic concept of ‘phenotype’. Without this conceptual foundation there can be no context for a deep, predictive understanding of the biological design principles arrived at by natural selection. This chapter aims to provide such a context by focusing on three goals. First, background will be provided for perspective and to clarify the use of terms such as system, module, interface and design. This is particularly important in the case of the term ‘system’ in biology, since this term has come to mean many different things following the recent rise of interest in systems biology. Second, a concept of qualitatively distinct phenotypes is rigorously defined that applies to systems at levels from the molecular to the organismal. Third, examples are presented to demonstrate how this concept is manifested within a system design space in which qualitatively distinct phenotypes can be identified and counted, their relative fitness analyzed and compared, their tolerance to global change measured, and biological design principles identified.
IMPORTANT FUNCTIONS OF THE GERONTOLOGICAL NEWSLETTER

One increasingly popular method of communication exchange is the gerontology newsletter. Utilizing a content analysis research design, 13 newsletters representing numerous aging and educational organizations were reviewed. Three general types of newsletters were identified: (a) aging center newsletters, (b) organizational newsletters, and (c) independent newsletters. Common themes identified in the categories included (a) essay briefs; (b) research and training notes and summaries; (c) resource exchange (films, books, and training materials); (d) program showcases (demonstration programs with a practice emphasis); (e) individual and organization accomplishments and promotions; and (f) calendar of events. Reviewing the distinctions and functions exhibited by each newsletter category reveals or suggests how this medium can promote the continued development of gerontology as well as enhance the educational process.
Total laparoscopic distal pancreatectomy: beyond selected patients.

Abstract Laparoscopic distal pancreatectomy (LDP) has emerged as the procedure of choice for selected patients. This study is to evaluate the feasibility of LDP and procedural outcomes in a series of consecutive nonselected patients. All patients undergoing distal pancreatectomy over 18 months were identified from a prospectively maintained database, under institutional review board approval. A completely laparoscopic (non hand-assisted) procedure was performed using a 4-trocar technique. Conversion to an open procedure, operative time (OR), estimated blood loss (EBL), transfusion requirements, postoperative length of stay (LOS), and complications were assessed. Sixteen patients were identified; 2/16 patients had undergone distal pancreatectomy as a component of another multiorgan open procedure, and were thus excluded. The remaining 14 patients had consented for LDP. Conversion occurred in 4/14 cases. Converted patients trended towards increased OR, EBL, and LOS (P = not significant). No mortalities occurred, and overall morbidities included: pancreatic fistula (n = 2), splenic abscess (n = 1), and pneumonia (n = 1). LDP-splenectomy (n = 3/14) was associated with both increased EBL (683 mL ± 388 vs 168 ± 141, P < 0.002) and increased transfusion rate (3/3 vs 3/11, P = 0.05), as compared with LDP-splenic preservation. LDP with splenic artery preservation (LDP-SAP) was completed in 7 of 14 patients, with less OR (2 hours 29 minutes ± 53 minutes vs 3 hours 40 minutes ± 1 hour, P < 0.05), a decreased transfusion rate (14% vs 71%, P = 0.05), and decreased LOS (2.8 days vs 6.8 days, P = 0.002) compared with LDP without SAP. Pathology was intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm (IPMN) (n = 5), ductal carcinoma (n = 3), high grade dysphasia (n = 2), neuroendocrine tumor (n = 2), and pancreatitis (n = 2). Patients undergoing LDP-SAP demonstrated superior peri-procedural outcomes. This series of nonselected consecutive patients supports that LDP is technically feasible with a comparable procedural outcome to the selected-patient literature, suggesting potentially expanded indications for LDP.
TIME OF FLIGHT MEASUREMENTS IN AN ARGON BEAM DEFLECTED BY A HEATED PLATINUM TARGET

Time of flight (TOF) measurements have been made in argon beams before and after reflection from heated platinum targets. Targets were prepared by chemical cleaning followed by extensive heating above 900°C in vacuum. Beams directed at these targets were reflected in directed lobes (see Refs. 20. 21 ) and the molecular TOF distributions in these lobes were investigated. Low order moments of the velocity distribution are obtained directly from the data by integrating the TOF curves after they are weighted by appropriate, derived functions. The derivation of these functions is explained. Relative number flux, momentum flux and energy flux are obtained and ratios of these fluxes yield mean speed and mean energy as a function of angle of reflection. These integrated results are presented for incident beam angles of 40° and 60° to the target normal and a target temperature of 1000°C. Other results are discussed for target temperature of 600°C and 800°C. In all cases reflected mean momentum and energy show a marked angular dependence, decreasing with increasing reflection angle from the target normal at a given angle of incidence.
Building a translational science on children and youth affected by political violence and armed conflict: A commentary

Articles in this timely Special Section represent an important milestone in the developmental science on children and youth involved in political violence and armed conflict. With millions of children worldwide affected by past and present wars and conflicts, there is an urgent and growing need for research to inform efforts to understand, prevent, and mitigate the possible harm of such violence to individual children, families, communities, and societies, for present as well as future generations. The four programs of research highlighted in this Special Section illustrate key advances and challenges in contemporary development research on young people growing up in the midst or aftermath of political violence. These studies are longitudinal, methodologically sophisticated, and grounded in socioecological systems models that align well with current models of risk and resilience in developmental psychopathology. These studies collectively mark a critically important shift to process-focused research that holds great promise for translational applications. Nonetheless, given the scope of the international crisis of children and youth affected by political violence and its sequelae, there is an urgent global need for greater mobilization of resources to support translational science and effective evidence-based action.
Leaf Hydraulic Architecture and Stomatal Conductance: A Functional Perspective.

Mechanistic modeling of water transport from petiole to stomata provides new perspectives on optimality in vascular and mesophyll transport properties.
Surgery for Congenital Hyperinsulinism

Transient hypoglycemia in the newborn period is common and generally associated either with immaturity of the glucose regulatory pathways (which responds to frequent feeds and resolves spontaneously within hours), or with stress-associated hyperinsulinism (which responds well to hyperglycemic drugs and resolves spontaneously within the first few weeks or months of life). Congenital Hyperinsulinism (HI) is the most frequent cause of persistent, long-term hypoglycemia in newborns and infants, and can lead to severe and irreversible brain damage and developmental delay. It is a rare congenital disorder of the glucose metabolism that has an estimated incidence of 1–1.4 cases per 50,000 live births, leading to about 80–120 new cases in the United States each year. An incidence as high as 1 in 2500 live births has been reported in populations with high consanguinity like Arabians and Ashkenazi Jews. Inappropriate oversecretion of insulin is the hallmark of HI, and the genetic background is quite variable. Depending on the genetic mutation, babies with HI may be treated medically or may require surgery either as a palliative treatment or as a definitive cure.
Changing Travel Booking Patterns in European Travel Agencies

The year 2009 was characterized by the consequences of the worldwide financial crisis. Many consumers worried about the safety of their jobs in the future, which became explicit by very cautious spending habits. The following article outlines which impacts the crisis had on the booking habits of holiday-makers. This evaluation is based on results from GfK Travel Insights, the tourism panel of GfK Retail and Technology GmbH, which is now available in six countries, namely Germany, the UK, Italy, France, the Netherlands and Russia. The information source for this instrument are booking arrangements made at travel agencies with a focus on leisure travel, i. e. the suppliers of these data are a representative selection of travel agencies who have agreed to make all their bookings available on a weekly or monthly basis. In Russia and the UK, additional data are received from tour operators which can also be evaluated. The size of the sample in these six countries is approximately 7,500 travel shops and, to give a picturesque example – the German sample consists of 1,200 representatively chosen travel agents who supply around 80,000 data sets per week, that is around four million data sets per year. This high annual total permits a very precise measurement of booking trends in very short reporting intervals (monthly or even weekly).
Bronchiolitis Obliterans in Bone Marrow Transplantation and Its Relationship to Chronic Graft-v-Host Disease and Low Serum IgG

The records of 549 bone marrow transplant (BMT) patients at The Johns Hopkins Oncology Center during a 9-year period were reviewed to determine the incidence of bronchiolitis obliterans (BrOb). Seven patients had BrOb. All seven died, and BrOb was a contributing cause of death in six patients. Only recipients of allogeneic BMT were at risk for developing BrOb (2% incidence). Three cases were incidentally discovered at autopsy in patients who died less than 120 days after BMT from ventilatory failure owing to interstitial pneumonitis. Four cases were patients who died greater than 120 days after BMT. Of this latter group, all had overt chronic graft-v-host disease (CGVHD). Among 120 day survivors of allogeneic BMT, 6% of those with CGVHD developed BrOb as compared with none of those without CGVHD (P = .008). Five percent of patients with reduced IgG levels at day 120 developed BrOb as compared with none of those with normal IgG (P = .04). The incidence of BrOb in 120-day survivors was 14% (4 of 29) in patients with both CGVHD and decreased serum IgG, whereas patients with CGVHD only (0 of 25), those with decreased IgG levels only (0 of 53), and those with no CGVHD and normal IgG levels (0 of 70) did not develop BrOb.
Access-Centric In-Network Storage Optimization in Distributed Sensing Networks

Distributed sensing networks are getting increasingly complex these days. The main reason are the changing demands of the users and application scenarios, which require multipurpose systems. Enabled by continuously improving computational and storage capacities of sensors, this development leads to an increasing number of different algorithms which run concurrently in a sensing network. Thereby, they enable sensor-actuator platforms to perform various kinds of analysis and actions in parallel. Within such a sensor network a variety of algorithms is performed simultaneously. When developing distributed vision and control algorithms, developers focus mainly on the consecutive processing stages. Such a process typically begins with perceiving raw sensor data and terminates with delivering high-level event data to responsible entities. Thereby, different stages may be performed at varying locations within the underlying network. Although the researchers may apply custom optimizations to their data flows, these are highly specific. During design time, it is impossible to anticipate each system environment or predict their algorithms’ possible interactions and synergies with other data flows. We propose a generic storage architecture which separates algorithms from data storage and retrieval. By making use of the fact that most data in sensing networks refers to geographic areas, our architecture takes care of the data flow and its online optimization throughout the network at runtime. By decoupling the processing stages from the data flow, we allow for self-organizing meta-level optimizations of data placement in the network. Moreover, this approach even makes inter-algorithmic optimizations possible, if different algorithms process similar data within their step-wise processing logic. With the introduction of the access-centric storage paradigm, we prove to reduce network load and query latency at the same time at runtime.
Reinforcing the Importance and Feasibility of Implementing a Low-dose Protocol for CT-guided Biopsies.

RATIONALE AND OBJECTIVES This study sought to more definitely illustrate the impact and feasibility of implementing a low-dose protocol for computed tomography (CT)-guided biopsies using size-specific dose estimates and multivariate analyses. MATERIALS AND METHODS Fifty consecutive CT-guided lung and extrapulmonary biopsies were reviewed before and after implementation of a low-dose protocol (200 patients total, mean age 61 ± 15 years, 128 women). Analyses of variance with Bonferroni correction were used to compare standard and low-dose protocols in terms of patient demographics, physician experience, target lesion size, total dose-length product, total acquisitions, size-specific dose estimate, signal-to-noise ratio, contrast-to-noise ratio, and lesion conspicuity ratings. All procedures were performed on the same 16-slice CT scanner. RESULTS Voluntary protocol adherence was 100% (lung) and 89% (extrapulmonary). The low-dose protocol achieved significantly lower total average dose-length product [(lung) 735.6 ± 599.4 mGy × cm to 252.1 ± 101.9 mGy × cm, P < .001; (extrapulmonary) 724.7 ± 545.0 mGy × cm to 392.9 ± 239.5 mGy × cm, P < .001] and size-specific dose estimate [(lung) 5.2 ± 0.8 mGy × cm to 4.3 ± 1.5 mGy, P < .001; (extrapulmonary) 10.1 ± 6.7 mGy to 6.5 ± 2.7 mGy, P < .001]. Only the change in protocol was independently associated with lower size-specific dose estimates when controlling for the other variables (P < .0001). This was achieved with no significant differences in signal-to-noise ratio, contrast-to-noise ratio, or lesion conspicuity. CONCLUSIONS Implementation of a low-dose protocol for CT-guided biopsies resulted in 21% and 36% of size-specific dose estimate reduction for lung and extrapulmonary biopsies, respectively, with excellent adherence. Interventional and body radiologists should implement low dose CT-guidance protocols aiming to improve patient safety.
Autism Support in a Community College Setting: Ideas from Intersectionality

ABSTRACTAutism diagnoses continue to increase, and students who have autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are attending college in greater numbers. Many choose community colleges to start their postsecondary careers, so these institutions have a unique opportunity to provide necessary social support. When developing social support initiatives, it is important to consider the diversity of the spectrum, not just in terms of ASD features, but also cultural factors. Autism is diagnosed more in males than females, is linked to gender nonconformity, and is variably diagnosed across racial groups. This article uses intersectionality as a theoretical framework to identify needs and make suggestions about how to best support students on the spectrum.
Natural Substances for Cancer Prevention

Natural Substances for Cancer Prevention explores in detail how numerous investigations in chemical biology and molecular biology have established strong scientific evidence demonstrating how the properties of naturally occurring bioactive chemicals hamper all stages of cancers (from initiation to metastasis). Accordingly, important goals for cancer prevention are the modification of our dietary habits and an increase in the intake of more anticancer-related natural substances. More significantly, the bioactive chemicals presented in the functional foods should be readily available, inexpensive, non-toxic, and nutritional.
Review of "The Fantasy of Disability: Images of Loss in Popular Culture"

Portrayals of disability in mainstream culture and media, and questions about the implications they have for disabled people, are not new. However, in The Fantasy of Disability: Images of loss in popular culture, Jeffrey Preston takes those questions to new places. This book challenges how we think of, analyze, and view disability in popular culture, and whose disability narratives are being told.