cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Prediction of transmembrane topology of F0 proteins from Escherichia coli F1F0 ATP synthase using variational and hydrophobic moment analyses.

Abstract The a subunit, a membrane protein from the E. coli F1F0 ATP synthase has been examined by Fourier analysis of hydrophobicity and of amino-acid residue variation. The amino-acid sequences of homologous subunits from Vibrio alginolyticus, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Neurospora crassa, Aspergillus nidulans, Schizosaccharomyces pombe and Candida parapsilosis were used in the variability analysis. By Fourier analysis of sequence variation, two transmembrane helices are predicted to have one face in contact with membrane lipids, while the other spans are predicted to be more shielded from the lipids by protein. By Fourier analysis of hydrophobicity, six amphipathic α-helical segments are predicted in extra-membrane regions, including the region from Glu-196 to Asn-214. Fourier analysis of sequence variation in the b- and the c-subunits of the Escherichia coli F1F0 ATP synthase indicates that the single transmembrane span of the b-subunit and the C-terminal span of the c subunit each have a face in contact with membrane lipids. On the basis of this analysis topographical models for the a- and c-subunits and for the F0 complex are proposed.
Extrahepatic manifestations of hepatitis C infection

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) affects 1.8% of the American population, and approximately 38% of patients with HCV will manifest symptoms of at least 1 extrahepatic manifestation during the illness. Renal disease, neuropathy, lymphoma, and Sjogren syndrome with or without mixed cryoglobulinemia are all strongly associated with HCV infection. Porphyria cutanea tarda and diabetes have also been linked to HCV. Most extrahepatic manifestations of chronic HCV infection are immunological, and the chronic infection seems to be necessary for their development. The molecular study of the unique way in which the HCV virus interacts with the human immune system is beginning to provide plausible explanations of the pathogenic role of HCV in some of these syndromes, but many pathogenetic links remain completely obscure.
Forest vegetation of the Colorado Front Range

The forest vegetation of the northern Colorado Front Range was studied using a combination of gradient analysis and classification methods. A graphical model of forest composition based on elevation and topographic-moisture gradients was constructed using 305 0.1 ha samples. To derive the topographic moisture gradient, stands were stratified into eight 200 m elevation belts, and then ordinated by correspondence analysis using understory (<1 m) data. Each of the resultant gradients was scaled against a standard site moisture scalar derived from incident solar radiation and topographic position. Except for krummholz sites, the vegetation defined gradients fit the moisture scalar closely. Once scaled, these gradients were stacked vertically, sandwich-style, to create the graphical representation shown in Figure 5.
Neural network training via an affine scaling quadratic optimization algorithm

Abstract We develop a new training algorithm for feedforward supervised neural network based on an affine scaling quadratic optimization method. Specifically, we approximate the error function by a quadratic convex function and then optimize the new error function by an affine scaling method, which replaces the steepest descent method in the backpropagation algorithm. Comparative numerical simulations for medical diagnosis problems show significant reductions in learning time with respect to a quasi-Newton algorithm.
A Stroke of the Chancellor's Pen: The Social and Regional Impact of the Conservatives' 1988 Higher Rate Tax Cuts

The geography of income and taxation is an important but underresearched subject. Given the uneven geography of incomes, changes in tax regimes are likely to have an uneven regional impact. The aut...
Ganglioside Treatment Modifies Abnormal Elemental Composition in Peripheral Nerve Myelinated Axons of Experimentally Diabetic Rats

Abstract: Effects of ganglioside administration on elemental composition of peripheral nerve myelinated axons and Schwann cells were determined in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats and nondiabetic controls. Diabetic rats (50 days after administration of streptozocin) exhibited a loss of axoplasmic K and Cl concentrations in sciatic nerve relative to control, whereas intraaxonal levels of these elements increased in tibial nerve. These regional changes in diabetic rat constitute a reversal of the decreasing proximodistal gradients for K and Cl concentrations that characterize normal peripheral nerve. Treatment of diabetic rats with a ganglioside mixture for 30 days (initiated 20 days after the administration of streptozocin) returned proximal sciatic nerve axoplasmic K and Cl concentrations to control levels, whereas in tibial axons, concentrations of these elements increased further relative to diabetic levels. Also in the ganglioside/diabetic group, mean axoplasmic Na concentrations were reduced and Ca levels were elevated. Mixed ganglioside treatment of nondiabetic rats significantly increased axoplasmic dry weight concentrations of K and Cl in proximal sciatic and tibial axons. Schwann cells did not exhibit consistent alterations in elemental content regardless of treatment group. Changes in elemental composition evoked by ganglioside treatment of diabetic rats might reflect the ability of these substances to stimulate Na+,K+-ATPase activity and might be related to the mechanism by which gangliosides improve functional deficits in experimental diabetic neuropathy.
Cortical layer-dependent CBF changes induced by neural activity

Abstract Hemodynamic-based brain mapping techniques have been extensively used. However, spatial accuracy and extents of those techniques to neuronal active sites are poorly understood because most of the techniques are contaminated by signals from non-specific large blood vessels. To accurately determine the intrinsic cerebral blood flow (CBF) responses induced by neural activity, large vessel-free and tissue-specific CBF imaging techniques should be utilized. For this, the arterial spin labeling MRI technique with flow-crushing bipolar gradients was applied in the rat brain to examine contributions of large blood vessels to CBF MRI. It was found that the majority (80–90%) of signals of arterial spin labeled MRI originated from tissue and capillaries. The arterial spin labeling technique with minimal sensitivity to large vessels was used to determine whether signal changes induced by neural activity are laminar-specific. During somatosensory stimulation, the highest neural activities and metabolic responses were expected to be located at the middle layer (i.e., layer 4) in the rat somatosensory cortex. Functional foci in CBF fMRI were located at the middle of the somatosensory cortex, suggesting that the response of CBF MRI signals is specific to sites of neural activity.
Transaortic Implant of Transcatheter Aortic Valve Prostheses

Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) has emerged as the standard treatment for patients with aortic valve stenosis who will benefit from aortic valve replacement but are inoperable or at extremely high risk for traditional surgical aortic valve replacement. The Edwards Sapien balloon expandable valve (Edwards Lifescience, Irvine, CA) is the first transcatheter valve approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for TAVR. Several other valve designs, predominantly selfexpanding, have been in clinical trial use in the United States and are not yet approved by the FDA. The one with the greatest clinical experience, and the first self-expanding valve to gain FDA approval, is the Medtronic Corevalve (Medtronic, Inc, Minneapolis, MN). The first choice for TAVR access is transfemoral (TF), but the large sheath required for valve insertion limits the use of this approach to patients with acceptable iliofemoral anatomy. In the largest randomized control study of TAVR, the Placement of Aortic Transcatheter Valves trial, up to 30% of patients were not suitable for TF approach. For the currently approved TF Sapien system, a 22-F (25-F outer diameter, 8.5 mm) sheath is required for placement of the 23-mm valve and a 24-F (28-F outer diameter, 9.3 mm) is required for the 26-mm valve. Smaller vessel size, tortuous arteries or excessive calcification, and severe aortic atherosclerotic disease or tortuosity are contraindications for the TF approach. The initial alternative described was a transapical (TA) approach through left ventricular (LV) apex via limited thoracotomy; however, the TA approach has been associated with a higher complication rate compared with that of surgical aortic valve replacement. This prompted a search for alternative nonfemoral access strategies. These have included direct transaortic (TAo),
The subunit structure of bovine brain 14-3-2

Summary Two aspects of the subunit structure of the bovine brain specific protein 14-3-2 have been examined. On the one hand, native 14-3-2 has been separated into two fractions by hydroxylapatite chromatography. One eluted at the same position when chromatographed on the same column, while the other redistributed into the same two fractions again. Amino acid analysis of these two forms of 14-3-2 gave results that were not significantly different under the condition of analysis. Furthermore, when each peak was subjected to cyanogen bromide cleavage, very similar elution profiles of the resultant fragments were obtained. The two pools also cross-reacted with antiserum to 14-3-2. Reaction of purified 14-3-2 with dimethylsuberimidate caused the formation of covalently bound protein units of 100,000 molecular weight when measured by sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, as opposed to the 50,000 minimal molecular weight normally detected. On the other hand, analysis of the soluble tryptic peptides of S-[14C]carboxymethyl 14-3-2 yielded only three distinct radioactive peptides, each with one residue of S-carboxymethylcysteine whereas 8 are expected on the basis of the amino acid composition of the 50,000 molecular weight polypeptide chains. Thermolysin digestion of a similarly modified 14-3-2 preparation yielded all of the radioactivity in 5 S-carboxymethylcysteine-containing peptides. The partial amino acid sequence of these peptides indicates that they represent 4 unique areas of the polypeptide chain. Since 8 such peptides were expected, that is, double the number found, the minimum structural unit of the protein must be of 25,000 molecular weight. The results of these experiments do not permit distinction between a duplication of the structure within a single polypeptide chain or the alternate possibility of two polypeptide chains bound by unusually strong non-covalent bonds. These results suggest that 14-3-2 is a covalently linked dimer of 25,000 mol.wt. units that can aggregate to form larger species of 100,000 mol. wt. and higher
Ethnography of the ephemeral: studying temporary scenes through individual and collective approaches

Ethnographic research is an iterative process in which layers of knowledge gradually accumulate as we spend time in a setting. The information that presents itself most immediately may be fascinating, but is rarely the type of truth that distinguishes good scholarship. How, then, do we come to understand settings and interactions that are of short durations, where our first-hand observations may be limited to a few hours or days? I present three challenges associated with studying short-term events, and potential solutions to each: gaining entree and finding a productive position from which to observe the scene; the hazards posed by immediately available informants and pre-existing roles; and finally the effect of short, intense field seasons on the refinement of research questions and analysis of data. Insights are drawn from an independent, multi-year study on county fairs, and a collaborative study of the annual Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, Nevada – a four-day event that draws over 100,000 a...
Life Style Descriptors for Travelers

Life Style Descriptors for Travelers In market research done for Holiday Inns in 1979, I found some consumer travel behavior that I didn’t understand involving two groups: • Younger travelers with modest household incomes who traveled extensively and expensively • Middle-aged travelers with high household incomes who did not travel extensively or expensively.
The American College of Medical Genetics, the first 20 years

The American College of Medical Genetics (ACMG) celebrates its 20th anniversary this month, having been founded in March of 1991. The ACMG has firmly established itself as a major medical association representing the needs of the many patients with genetic disorders and the expanding number of genetic clinical and laboratory professionals that strive to diagnose, treat and prevent these disorders. Over the last two decades they have had major accomplishments related to their original mission: They have become members of the American Medical Association House of Delegates and the American Board of Medical Specialists, pushed through laboratory Current Procedural Terminology codes, developed a manual for billing and reimbursement, have been active in a number of national arenas including Health and Human Services, Food and Drug Administration, Center for Disease Control, National Institutes of Health and with other professional organizations (College of American Pathologists, American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, American Society of Clinical Oncology). They have secured grant funding, developed major educational programs (Board courses, MOC modules, CD-ROMS), a well respected medical journal, a successful and well attended annual meeting, major relationships with industry, and have been leaders in the legal arena, challenging patents for genetic testing, etc. In the future, the tools and knowledge of medical genetics will permeate all of medicine and the ACMG should embrace, encourage and assist all of those varying medical specialists, counselors, nurses and scientists who are involved in providing genetic services.
Redox glycosidation : the use of Nozaki-Takai methylenylation in a highly stereoselective synthesis of sucrose

Abstract Sequential reaction of 2,3,4,6-tetra- O -benzyl- d -glucopyranose ( 7 ) with butyllithium and 2-[2,3,5-tri- O -benzyl-4- O -( tert -butyldiphenylsilyl)- d -arabinonoyl]thio-3-nitropyridine ( 6 ) at −78° gave 2,3,4,6-tetra- O -benzyl-α- d -glucopyranosyl 2,3,5-tri- O -benzyl-4- O -( tert -butyldiphenylsilyl)- d -arabinonate ( 8 ; 71%, α:β > 50:1). Ester carbonyl methylenylation, desilylation, and iodoetherification in the presence of silica gave 3,4,6-tri- O -benzyl-1-deoxy-1-iodo-(2,3,6-tetra- O -benzyl-α- d -glucopyranosyl)-β- d -fructofuranoside ( 15 ; 44%, α:β > 50:1). This neopentylic iodide 15 was converted into sucrose ( 1 ; 80%) by free-radical substitution using TEMPO ( 24 ) followed by sodium-ammonia reduction, acetylation, and Zemplen methanolysis.
Management of complicated infections in the era of antimicrobial resistance: the role of tigecycline.

Background: Increasing antimicrobial resistance and infection complications pose challenges to optimal antibiotic therapy. Paucity of new antibiotics (and the eventual bacterial resistance they face) highlights the critical need for more appropriate use of broadly effective agents, which may help to thwart the dramatic rise in global resistance. Single agents that can be combined effectively with others, if needed, promise the simplest overall utility. Approved in 2005 to treat complicated skin and intra-abdominal infections, tigecycline is a novel extended-spectrum minocycline derivative that circumvents bacterial resistance, as it is unaffected by efflux pumps and ribosomal protection. However, tigecycline should not be used as empiric monotherapy for treatment of health-care associated infections known or suspected to be owing to Pseudomonas aeruginosa or Proteus spp. Objective: This article summarizes the demonstrated clinical utility of tigecycline so far. Methods: A MEDLINE search examined authorita...
Myocyte injury and contraction abnormalities produced by cytotoxic T lymphocytes.

BACKGROUNDThe mechanisms by which ventricular function is altered during cardiac transplant rejection are not well understood. Therefore, an in vitro model system has been developed to facilitate investigation of lymphocyte-mediated myocyte injury.METHODS AND RESULTSSplenic lymphoid cells were obtained from mice 8-10 days after placement of a vascularized abdominal cardiac allograft and were restimulated in vitro with irradiated donor-type splenocytes for 5 days. Cytotoxic effects of these allogenically stimulated lymphocytes on syngeneic and donor strain fetal cultured myocytes were determined by a 51Cr release assay at different lymphocyte to myocyte ratios. 51Cr release from donor strain myocytes was detectable within 1 hour of exposure, was maximal by 3-5 hours of coincubation with sensitized lymphocytes, and was allospecific. Cell injury manifest by 51Cr release was calcium dependent and was inhibited by pretreatment of lymphocytes with phorbol ester to deplete protein kinase C. Myocyte injury was al...
Is vacuum extraction still known, taught and practiced? A worldwide KAP survey

Abstract Objective Is vacuum extraction–the method of first choice for assisting vaginal delivery in case of prolonged labor–losing ground in the developing world? And if it is, why? The paper tries to answer these disturbing questions, and examine their consequences. Methods A rapid Knowledge–Attitude–Practice (KAP) survey was conducted during 2003–2004 on the question of assisted vaginal delivery (AVD) by the use of the vacuum extractor. Public health specialists and obstetricians from 121 developing countries were consulted about their knowledge of the method in their country, its reputation (i.e. their attitude) and its use (practice). Results Overall 48% of the respondent countries have confirmed knowledge, positive attitude, teaching and countrywide use of the method, while 37% said the method is known and used by only a limited number of specialists who do not teach it, and 15% admitted no knowledge and therefore no use. Conclusion Given the evidence-based international recognition of the benefits of vacuum extraction (if practiced correctly and for appropriate indications), it is unjust to deprive women with prolonged labor (and their fetuses) of a simple intervention that can contribute to reducing life threatening complications. This unsophisticated worldwide survey, while not providing in-depth explanations, calls for rehabilitation of vacuum extraction in countries where it is disappearing and surgical extraction is not yet readily accessible to all women with prolonged labor.
Some physical considerations in whole skin electron beam therapy.

The short range of low‐energy electrons has made them suitable for the treatment of skin lesions, especially when extensive areas must be irradiated with special considerations to save the normal underlying tissue. This report covers some salient features of total body electron irradiation—the construction of the large fields required, x‐ray contamination levels, and multiple‐field techniques. While the investigation is essentially experimental, we also indicate the results of calculations. We conclude most generally that treatment planning with whole skinirradiations can be as precise as with smaller fields.
Lawrence Grossman (1924–2006)

The nucleic acids research community lost one of its true pioneers with the passing of Larry Grossman on January 13 at the age of 81. Larry was born and raised in New York City where he dropped out of high school to help support his family and then enlisted in the Navy as a fighter pilot. He was shot down at the age of 19 or 20 and spent two days alone in a life raft in the Pacific prior to being rescued. Larry liked to point out that, while it was commonly believed that George H. W. Bush was the youngest naval pilot to be shot down during World War II, Larry was younger, though he would concede that the ex-president may have been the youngest Republican to have been shot down. Larry left the Navy at the end of the war with two Distinguished Flying Crosses and, having witnessed the death of one of the Japanese pilots whom he shot down, a dedication to anti-war activities. Thanks to the GI Bill, Larry obtained his high school diploma followed by a Bachelor's degree in biology and chemistry from Hofstra University and a Ph.D. in Biochemistry from the University of Southern California. He began his independent research career at Brandeis University in 1957, moving in 1975 to Johns Hopkins where he was Chair of Biochemistry in the School of Hygiene and Public Health. Larry was among the very first to introduce enzymology into the study of DNA repair. He is probably best known for his characterization of the E.coli UvrABC excision complex, the individual components of the complex and the functional interactions of the complex with UvrD and DNA polymerase I. His laboratory also characterized the UV-dimer DNA glycosylase of M.luteus, discovered the human Damage DNA Binding Protein, DDB, and characterized several other DNA repair enzymes from M.luteus and human placenta. Larry then became interested in DNA repair capacity and its relation to cancer susceptibility and aging. He developed a test for DNA repair capacity, and then collaborated with epidemiologists and oncologists to pursue these studies. Larry published numerous articles in Nucleic Acids Research and served as an Executive Editor of the journal in 2000 and 2001. He often started his seminars with the same joke: “In a previous talk I asked whether everybody can hear me and a voice from the back said, ‘I can hear you, Dr. Grossman, but I would be happy to change seats with someone who can't.’” We will miss hearing Larry, his incisive comments, his jokes, and his political insights. However, he will remain present as an inspiration to all of us who knew him not just for his science, but also for his sailing, skiing and poker prowess, and of course his wonderful sense of humor.
Global noise characteristics of a laser Doppler vibrometer part I: theory

The use of a laser Doppler vibrometer to obtain velocity information from vibrating structures has gained wide acceptance in recent years. Although use of such an instrument can yield a spatially dense matrix of velocity information, several users have noted `noise' at certain points in the spatial field. The technique by which the SLDV system operates results in occasional velocity `drop-outs' which are unidirectional, always estimating the velocity response closer to zero than reality. These `drop-out' areas occur more predominately at points of maximum velocity response with small rotational components. Alternatively, points exhibiting minimum velocity response with large rotational components are less susceptible to the `noise'. In this paper, an experiment to visualize the speckle pattern motions received by the photodetectors during these vibration conditions is presented. Theories regarding the source(s) of the `noise' are developed.© (1996) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Differentiation of crusts and cores of the terrestrial planets - Lessons for the early earth

The extent and mechanisms of global differentiation and the early thermal and tectonic histories of the terrestrial planets are surveyed in order to provide constraints on the first billion years of earth history. Indirect and direct seismic evidence for crusts on the moon, Mars and Venus is presented, and it is pointed out that substantial portions of these crusts have been in place since the cessation of heavy bombardment of the inner solar system four billion years ago. Evidence for sizable cores on Mars and Mercury and a small core on the moon is also discussed, and the heat involved in core formation is pointed out. Examination of the volcanic and tectonic histories of planets lacking plate tectonics indicates that core formation was not closely linked to crust formation on the moon or Mars, with chemical differentiation restricted to shallow regions, and was much more extensive on Mercury. Extension of these considerations to the earth results in a model of a hot and vigorously convecting mantle with an easily deformable crust immediately following core formation, and the gradual development of a lithosphere and plates.
Structural analysis of PTM hotspots (SAPH-ire): a tool for the prediction of regulatory post-translational modification elements in protein families

Predicting the biological function potential of Post-Translational Modifications (PTMs) is becoming increasingly important in light of the exponential increase in available PTM data from high-throughput proteomics. We developed Structural Analysis of PTM Hotspots (SAPH-ire) -- a quantitative PTM ranking method that integrates experimental PTM observations, sequence conservation, protein structure and interaction data to allow rank order comparisons within or between protein families. SAPH-ire utilizes low-level data fusion and integration of derived data from several disparate public repositories (Figure. 1). We have previously demonstrated that SAPH-ire analysis is predictive for PTMs with biological function [1]. Here, we applied SAPH-ire to the study of experimentally verified PTMs across 2,861 protein families. A total of 75,966 experimentally verified PTMs were aligned into 51,663 unique hotspots, over 3,000 of which have a known and cited biological function or response. The hotspots were analyzed in the context of family-representative unique protein structures found in the protein databank (PDB), revealing thousands of high-ranking hotspots for which a functional impact has not yet been determined -- representing putative regulatory elements. The scoring metrics employed by SAPH-ire reveal a 2- to 6-fold enrichment in function potential ranking for PTM sites with demonstrated biological function. These results further demonstrate the utility of integrating protein structural and sequence features into PTM prioritization schemes that can improve the analysis and functional power of modification-specific proteomics data.
Infrared-Transmitting Oxide Glasses

Most current research on infrared glasses has concentrated on non-oxide systems which transmit to beyond 7 μm. There are still applications in the 2 to 6 μm range which can best he filled by oxide glasses which generally have better physical and chemical properties than the oxide-free materials. Of all glass systems, silicates have the largest compositional area which provides very stable glasses with good physical and chemical properties. Unfortunately, the IR absorption edge extends only to between 4 and 9 μm. This absorption edge can be optimized by minimizing silica content by dilution with oxides whose cation-oxygen bond vibrates with lower frequency. Transmission can be extended even farther by replacing Si+4 as the network former with other network forming cations with weaker bonding, such as Ge+4, Sb+3, or Te+4. Properties and stability to crystallization of these glasses, as a rule, become poorer as IR transmission improves. By far, the best transmission of any oxide glass belongs to a relatively new class of glasses based on networks formed by bismuth and/or lead oxides. They transmit out to R to q pm, have expansion coefficients (29°-200°C) from 83x10-7/°C to 112x10-7/°C, and refractive indices as high as 2.2 at 4 μm. They have sufficient stability to be cast into 8cm x Rcm x 1.9cm slabs.
Special issue: intramolecular hydrogen bonding

Intramolecular hydrogen bonds play critical structure- and function-serving roles in biological and synthetic molecular systems. This special issue, through eight contributions, showcases the prominence of these non-covalent interactions within several scientific disciplines, and in various structural contexts and environments. Reported, for example, are the consequences of intramolecular hydrogen bonds on the structures of molecules that show biological activity, for biological mechanisms, and for the conformational switching of functional synthetic molecules. Also showcased in the contributions are the state-of-the-art experimental and theoretical methods available for the characterization of intramolecular hydrogen bonds, which critically report on their strengths, geometries, and spectroscopic signatures in the gas, solid, and solution phases.
Hemodynamic analysis of fast and slow aneurysm occlusions by flow diversion in rabbits.

Purpose To assess hemodynamic differences between aneurysms that occlude rapidly and those occluding in delayed fashion after flow diversion in rabbits. Methods Thirty-six elastase-induced aneurysms in rabbits were treated with flow diverting devices. Aneurysm occlusion was assessed angiographically immediately before they were sacrificed at 1 (n=6), 2 (n=4), 4 (n=8) or 8 weeks (n=18) after treatment. The aneurysms were classified into a fast occlusion group if they were completely or near completely occluded at 4 weeks or earlier and a slow occlusion group if they remained incompletely occluded at 8 weeks. The immediate post-treatment flow conditions in aneurysms of each group were quantified using subject-specific computational fluid dynamics and statistically compared. Results Nine aneurysms were classified into the fast occlusion group and six into the slow occlusion group. Aneurysms in the fast occlusion group were on average significantly smaller (fast=0.9 cm, slow=1.393 cm, p=0.024) and had smaller ostia (fast=0.144 cm 2 , slow=0.365 cm 2 , p=0.015) than aneurysms in the slow occlusion group. They also had a lower mean post-treatment inflow rate (fast=0.047 mL/s, slow=0.155 mL/s, p=0.0239), kinetic energy (fast=0.519 erg, slow=1.283 erg, p=0.0468), and velocity (fast=0.221 cm/s, slow=0.506 cm/s, p=0.0582). However, the differences in the latter two variables were only marginally significant. Conclusions Hemodynamic conditions after flow diversion treatment of cerebral aneurysms in rabbits are associated with the subsequent aneurysm occlusion time. Specifically, smaller inflow rate, kinetic energy, and velocity seem to promote faster occlusions, especially in smaller and small-necked aneurysms. These results are consistent with previous studies based on clinical series.
Engagement in Online Social Networks: The Impact of Self-Disclosure and Humor

This study proposes an engagement model that supports acceptance and use of course-based online social networks for engaging student, hence improving the instructor's credibility. This research demonstrates that instructors who create course-based online social networks can increase student engagement in these online social networks and improve the instructor's credibility. This increase in engagement is seen when the instructor posts private information related to the course and when the instructor makes humorous posts. However, it is not seen when the instructor posts private information unrelated to the course. These results should be useful for instructors who are trying to improve student engagement and to enhance their own credibility. This research utilizes communication privacy management theory and instructional humor processing theory to expand our understanding of how instructor self-disclosure and use of humor via a course-based social network impacts student outcomes. The research also contri...
Rapid radiochemical and chemical quality control of [11C]putrescine

Abstract A short (4.6 × 50 mm) cation exchange column was used in conjunction with conductivity and radioactivity detectors to determine the radiochemical purity (> 99%) and specific radioactivity (0.5–1.0 Ci/μ mol) of [1- 11 C]putrescine prepared via Michael addition of [ 11 C]cyanide to acrylonitrile. The absence of acrylonitrile, a rodent carcinogen, from the final preparation was verified at the 50 ng level capillary vapor-phase chromatography (VPC) using a nitrogen-phosphorus detector. Routine VPC analysis using a Poropak Q column and flame ionization detection showed that preparations contained no more than 1 μg of acrylonitrile.
Botanical Agents for the Treatment of Nonmelanoma Skin Cancer

Nonmelanoma skin cancers, including basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma, are common neoplasms worldwide and are the most common cancers in the United States. Standard therapy for cutaneous neoplasms typically involves surgical removal. However, there is increasing interest in the use of topical alternatives for the prevention and treatment of nonmelanoma skin cancer, particularly superficial variants. Botanicals are compounds derived from herbs, spices, stems, roots, and other substances of plant origin and may be used in the form of dried or fresh plants, extracted plant material, or specific plant-derived chemicals. They possess multiple properties including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and immunomodulatory properties and are, therefore, believed to be possible chemopreventive agents or substances that may suppress or reverse the process of carcinogenesis. Here, we provide a review of botanical agents studied for the treatment and prevention of nonmelanoma skin cancers.
Modeling the flavor thresholds of organic acids in beer as a function of their molecular properties

Abstract A mathematical model of the flavor thresholds of organic acids in beer as a function of their physical and chemical properties was constructed. Principal components analysis (PCA) was applied to 11 properties for 17 acids; this resulted in four significant principal components (PCs), which accounted for 93% of the variance in the property data. The PCs were dominated by the number of polar groups, the number of double bonds, molecular size, and solubility in non-polar solvents, respectively. PC scores indicating each acid's location along each of four scales were obtained. Literature data for acid flavor thresholds in beer were modeled as a function of the principal components using multiple linear regression and partial least squares (PLS) regression. The best-fit and best prediction equations were identical, with an R 2 of 0·905. ©
Rheumatologic conditions of the foot.

Podiatric physicians are frequently the first clinicians with the opportunity to diagnose a rheumatologic disease. Awareness of the multisystem nature of the more common rheumatologic conditions will assist podiatrists in making the appropriate diagnosis. The specific joints affected, the temporal pattern of joint involvement, and the distribution of affected joints give clues to the diagnosis. Knowledge of the current treatment for rheumatic diseases as well as early referral for evaluation by a medical physician is essential for the appropriate care of patients with systemic arthritis. (J Am Podiatr Med Assoc 94(2): 177-186, 2004)
Three-dimensional computation visualization

Systems supporting the visualization and animation of algorithms, programs, and computations have focused primarily on two-dimensional graphics to date. We identify the benefits and the drawbacks of using three-dimensional graphics in these types of systems, and describe how 3D imagery can be used for visualizing computations in interesting new ways. We also present examples of 3D computation visualizations created with a new toolkit that we have developed. The toolkit has been extended to run in a virtual environment and we describe our early interactions with it. >
Who Is Going to Teach Undergraduate Clinicals

In 1990, the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching published Scholarship Reconsidered: Priorities for the Professorate, a report written by Earnest Boyer. The report questions traditional attitudes within universities related to faculty expectations in teaching, research, and service. The report states that for purposes of tenure and promotion, teaching and service are consistently underrated. It suggested that, within the university setting, furthering a discipline's scholarship does not depend solely on research, and that teaching and service can rival research in contributing to a discipline's scholarship. This article addressees this issue as it relates to nursing faculty.
Using encounters versus episodes in syndromic surveillance.

Background Automated electronic medical records may be useful for syndromic surveillance to quickly detect infectious disease outbreaks. Some syndromic surveillance systems include every encounter in the analysis, whereas others exclude individuals’ repeat encounters within the same syndrome occurring within a short period of time, with the rationale that these represent follow-up visits rather than new episodes of illness. Methods We evaluate the effect of keeping all encounters as compared with removing repeat encounters. Using the prospective space–time permutation scan statistic, we performed daily analyses on all encounters versus on episodes defined as encounters new within 2, 6 or 12 weeks. Data were taken from a Massachusetts Health Maintenance Organization (HMO) for the calendar year 1999 for four different syndromes. Results We found extensive disagreement in the number of signals detected: 70, 68, 21 and 15 signals when using all encounters versus 15–20, 3, 4–5 and 0 signals when using only new episodes for lower respiratory, lower gastrointestinal, upper gastrointestinal and neurologic syndromes, respectively.
Steroid hydroxylation in human fetal adrenals: formation of 16 alpha-hydroxyprogesterone, 17-hydroxyprogesterone and deoxycorticosterone.

Slices and homogenates of human fetal adrenals incubated with progesterone-4-C14 were shown to possess the enzymes necessary for converting this to deoxycorticosterone, 17-hydroxyprogesterone, and 16±-hydroxyprogesterone. The amount of product formed depended on the age of the fetus and to some extent on the conditions of incubation. The experiments suggest that 21-hydroxylase appears later in development than 16- and 17-hydroxylases. The possibility that androstenedione may be formed early in gestation but not later in gestation is suggested by the experimental results. Similar incubations with acetate-2-C14, mevalonic acid-2-C14 or cholesterol-4-C14 yielded no detectable radioactivity associated with the steroid carriers.
On eigenvalues, SINR, and element patterns in adaptive arrays

A simple relationship between the output signal-to-interference-plus-noise ratio (SINR) of an adaptive array and the eigenvalues of the associate signal covariance matrix is pointed out. For two simple cases involving continuous wave (CW) signals, it is shown that the eigenvalue associated with the desired signal is equal to the SINR plus one. This relationship is useful for understanding the effects of element patterns and spacings on eigenvalue behavior in adaptive arrays.
Genomic and Experimental Evidence Suggests that Verrucomicrobium spinosum Interacts with Eukaryotes.

Our knowledge of pathogens and symbionts is heavily biased towards phyla containing species that are straightforward to isolate in pure culture. Novel bacterial phyla are often represented by a handful of strains, and the number of species interacting with eukaryotes is likely underestimated. Identification of predicted pathogenesis and symbiosis determinants such as the Type III Secretion System (T3SS) in the genomes of ‘free-living’ bacteria suggests that these microbes participate in uncharacterized interactions with eukaryotes. Our study aimed to test this hypothesis on Verrucomicrobium spinosum (phylum Verrucomicrobia) and to begin characterization of its predicted T3SS. We showed the putative T3SS structural genes to be transcriptionally active, and that expression of predicted effector proteins was toxic to yeast in an established functional screen. Our results suggest that the predicted T3SS genes of V. spinosum could encode a functional T3SS, although further work is needed to determine whether V. spinosum produces a T3SS injectisome that delivers the predicted effectors. In the absence of a known eukaryotic host, we made use of invertebrate infection models. The injection or feeding of V. spinosum to Drosophila melanogaster and Caenorhabiditis elegans, respectively, was shown to result in increased mortality rates relative to controls, a phenomenon exaggerated in C. elegans mutants hypersensitive to pathogen infection. This finding, although not conclusively demonstrating pathogenesis, suggests that V. spinosum is capable of pathogenic activity towards an invertebrate host. Symbiotic interactions with a natural host provide an alternative explanation for the results seen in the invertebrate models. Further work is needed to determine whether V. spinosum can establish and maintain interactions with eukaryotic species found in its natural habitat, and whether the predicted T3SS is directly involved in pathogenic or symbiotic activity.
Wheezing Rhinovirus Illnesses in Early Life Predict Asthma Development in High-Risk Children

Rationale: Virus-induced wheezing episodes in infancy often precede the development of asthma. Whether infections with specific viral pathogens confer differential future asthma risk is incompletely understood.Objectives: To define the relationship between specific viral illnesses and early childhood asthma development.Methods: A total of 259 children were followed prospectively from birth to 6 years of age. The etiology and timing of specific viral wheezing respiratory illnesses during early childhood were assessed using nasal lavage, culture, and multiplex reverse transcriptase–polymerase chain reaction. The relationships of these virus-specific wheezing illnesses and other risk factors to the development of asthma were analyzed.Measurements and Main Results: Viral etiologies were identified in 90% of wheezing illnesses. From birth to age 3 years, wheezing with respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) (odds ratio [OR], 2.6), rhinovirus (RV) (OR, 9.8), or both RV and RSV (OR , 10) was associated with increased ...
Successful Treatment of Encephalopathy and Myoclonus with Levetiracetam in a Case of Subacute Sclerosing Panencephalitis

Subacute sclerosing panencephalitis is a devastating progressive degenerative disease of the nervous system presumably caused by a persistent measles virus. Patients commonly present with myoclonia or encephalopathy. There are currently no known curative therapeutic options or effective symptomatic therapy. We treated a 12-year-old boy with subacute sclerosing panencephalitis who presented with acute encephalopathy and myoclonus. Electroencephalogram showed characteristic generalized periodic discharges. Levetiracetam produced dramatic improvement in both myoclonus and encephalopathy. The improvement was clear within 4 days. The electroencephalogram pattern showed improvement as well. Levetiracetam is a promising symptomatic therapy in subacute sclerosing panencephalitis for both the myoclonus and the encephalopathy. In this patient, it also appeared to improve the electroencephalographic pattern. We suggest that the generalized periodic discharges associated with the myoclonus contributed to the patient's encephalopathy.
Information processing in the Lorenz-Turing neuron

The classical reaction-diffusion model of morphogenesis is considered as a foundation for one mode of information processing within neurons, and is exemplified by the enzymatic neuron model. Such a model has previously been shown to capture details of the intraneuronal cyclic nucleotide systems and its information processing capabilities have been exploited for artificial intelligence tasks. The model is extended to encompass chaotic endogenous dynamics, its interaction and interference with the diffusion of excitation are studied, and implications for harnessing the system as a computing device are examined. >
Extending SOA/MDD to Sensors and Actuators for Sense-and-Respond Business Processes

While the practice of service oriented architecture (SOA) and model-driven development (MDD) has brought efficiency gains to software development, building responsive, scalable business applications enabled by distributed sensor and actuator (S&A) infrastructure remains challenging, often involving extensive effort and skill. The results are typically one-of-a-kind, difficult to replicate or modify for different environments, and brittle in the face of changes to the physical plant and equipment. This paper examines the challenges presented by distributed S&A infrastructure in the context of business information systems, and introduces an architecture that applies SOA/MDD methodologies to the modeling, development, deployment, and management of S&A systems. In particular, the architecture focuses on the separation of concerns between logical application development and infrastructure capability management, and the support of component assembly with an event-based programming model. The paper then briefly describes a prototype implementation of the architecture, including integrated tooling and runtime support, and illustrates its role relative to existing business process modeling, integration and execution environments with examples based on industry applications.
Neuropsychologic outcome after deep hypothermic circulatory arrest in adults

Abstract Introduction: Pediatric patients undergoing prolonged periods of deep hypothermic circulatory arrest have been found to experience long-term deficits in cognitive function. However, there is limited information of this type in adult patients who are undergoing deep hypothermic circulatory arrest for thoracic aortic repairs. Methods: One hundred forty-nine patients undergoing elective cardiac or thoracic aortic operations were evaluated preoperatively; 106 patients were evaluated early in the postoperative period (EARLY), and 77 patients were evaluated late in the postoperative period (LATE) with a battery of neuropsychologic tests. Seventy-three patients had routine cardiac operations without deep hypothermic circulatory arrest, and 76 patients with deep hypothermic circulatory arrest were divided into 2 subgroups: those with 1 to 24 minutes of deep hypothermic circulatory arrest (n = 36 patients) and those with 25 minutes or more of deep hypothermic circulatory arrest (n = 40 patients). The neuropsychologic test battery consisted of 8 tests encompassing 5 domains: attention, processing speed, memory, executive function, and fine motor function. Data were normalized to baseline values, and changes from baseline were analyzed by analysis of covariance, multivariate logistic regression, and survival functions. Results: In all domains, poor performance or inability to be tested EARLY were significant predictors of poor performance LATE (odds ratio, 5.27; P P = .02) was a determinant of prolonged hospital stay (>21 days). Conclusion: Deep hypothermic circulatory arrest of 25 minutes or more and advanced age were associated with memory and fine motor deficits and with prolonged hospital stay. (J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 1999; 117:156-63)
Desorption of tetrachloroethene and 1,2‐dibromo‐3‐chloropropane from aquifer sediments

Desorption of tetrachloroethene (TeCE) or 1,2-dibromo-3-chloropropane (DBCP) from aquifer sediment (0.19% organic carbon) was monitored following sorption for 6 or 30 d in 100 μM aqueous solutions. The compounds were desorbed by a previously developed purge technique in which a third phase of Tenax GC® polymeric adsorbent beads provided a sink for desorbed chemical, thereby simulating desorption to infinite dilution. Sorbed concentrations in the sediments were quantified by hot acetone extraction of sacrificed replicates. More than 95% of the initial sorbed compound was desorbed within the first 4 d, but a persistent fraction (8–15 μg/kg, 0.4 to 1%) remained associated with the sediments for at least 35 d. The desorption curves were little affected by the prepurge sorption time. The results may rationalize the unexpectedly high sediment-associated concentrations of a similar compound (1,2-dibromoethane) in a long-contaminated aquifer.