cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Effect of Staphylococcus aureus Tet38 native efflux pump on in vivo response to tetracycline in a murine subcutaneous abscess model.

Objectives Staphylococcus aureus native efflux pump Tet38 confers resistance to tetracycline when overexpressed. tet38 expression is selectively upregulated in infection sites. This study evaluated the effect of Tet38 on tetracycline response in a murine subcutaneous abscess model. Methods S. aureus MW2 and its tet38 mutant were injected subcutaneously on the opposite flanks of each mouse. The infected mice were treated with tetracycline (10 mg/kg) or PBS (control) intraperitoneally every 12 h. The efficacy of tetracycline against S. aureus was measured by the relative change in viable bacteria in the abscesses 24 h after infection compared with the initial inoculum. Plasmid-based tet38-complemented strains were created and used to infect the mice followed by tetracycline or PBS treatment. Results The increased bacterial loads of S. aureus MW2 and its tet38 mutant in the abscess after 24 h were similar. Tetracycline produced significant decreases of both MW2 and the tet38 mutant compared with control. Although the tetracycline MICs for MW2 and the tet38 mutant did not differ in vitro, the antibacterial effect of tetracycline was significantly 2-fold greater in the tet38 mutant compared with the MW2 parental strain in vivo with a decrease of 0.67 ± 0.21 and 0.35 ± 0.19 log10 cfu/abscess, respectively (P < 0.05). The increased tetracycline activity in the tet38 mutant was complemented by plasmid-encoded tet38. Conclusions This study demonstrated that selective increased expression of tet38 in an abscess can affect tetracycline efficacy against S. aureus in vivo, highlighting an effect of native efflux pumps on response to therapy not reflected by testing in vitro.
PROGNOSTIC VALUE OF BIOMARKER OF COLLAGEN TURNOVER (C-TERMINAL TELOPEPTIDE) IN PATIENTS WITH NON-ST-ELEVATION ACUTE CORONARY SYNDROMES: INSIGHTS FROM MERLIN-TIMI 36

Small studies have suggested an association between markers of collagen turnover and adverse outcomes in patients with heart failure. We examined the relationship between C-terminal telopeptide (CTX) and the risk of hospitalization for heart failure (HHF) and cardiovascular death (CVD) in pts with
Artifact Rejection Methodology Enables Continuous, Noninvasive Measurement of Gastric Myoelectric Activity in Ambulatory Subjects.

The increasing prevalence of functional and motility gastrointestinal (GI) disorders is at odds with bottlenecks in their diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up. Lack of noninvasive approaches means that only specialized centers can perform objective assessment procedures. Abnormal GI muscular activity, which is coordinated by electrical slow-waves, may play a key role in symptoms. As such, the electrogastrogram (EGG), a noninvasive means to continuously monitor gastric electrical activity, can be used to inform diagnoses over broader populations. However, it is seldom used due to technical issues: inconsistent results from single-channel measurements and signal artifacts that make interpretation difficult and limit prolonged monitoring. Here, we overcome these limitations with a wearable multi-channel system and artifact removal signal processing methods. Our approach yields an increase of 0.56 in the mean correlation coefficient between EGG and the clinical “gold standard”, gastric manometry, across 11 subjects (p < 0.001). We also demonstrate this system’s usage for ambulatory monitoring, which reveals myoelectric dynamics in response to meals akin to gastric emptying patterns and circadian-related oscillations. Our approach is noninvasive, easy to administer, and has promise to widen the scope of populations with GI disorders for which clinicians can screen patients, diagnose disorders, and refine treatments objectively.
NLP on Spoken Documents Without ASR

There is considerable interest in interdisciplinary combinations of automatic speech recognition (ASR), machine learning, natural language processing, text classification and information retrieval. Many of these boxes, especially ASR, are often based on considerable linguistic resources. We would like to be able to process spoken documents with few (if any) resources. Moreover, connecting black boxes in series tends to multiply errors, especially when the key terms are out-of-vocabulary (OOV). The proposed alternative applies text processing directly to the speech without a dependency on ASR. The method finds long (~ 1 sec) repetitions in speech, and clusters them into pseudo-terms (roughly phrases). Document clustering and classification work surprisingly well on pseudo-terms; performance on a Switchboard task approaches a baseline using gold standard manual transcriptions.
Familial Factors in Depressive Disorders: Children at Risk

The topics of the two plenary sessions for today are concerned with the sociological and with the genetic aspects of psychiatry. The study of familial factors as risk for a psychiatric disorder could be presented in either session. Family studies are useful precisely for their ability to bridge both genetic and environmental risk factors in disease.
When Life Gives You Oxygen, Respire

Oxygen: we cannot live without it, yet every day we struggle to coexist with this highly reactive and potentially toxic chemical. While the evolutionary history of the earth’s atmospheric and oceanic oxygen is a controversial topic for geologists and evolutionary biologists alike, there is no question that oxygen, like UVR, requires detoxification even in the smallest amounts. Yet it is also essential for life as we know it. Survival in an oxygenic atmosphere required the evolution of detoxification responses, and recent genomic analysis is helping to reveal the ancient origins of these defense systems. While theories about the earth’s historical oxygen concentrations are constantly in flux—ranging from a young planet with occasional pockets or “whiffs” of oxygen, to a virtually anoxic planet where anaerobic life flourished for billions of years—at some point, oxygen began to accumulate in the atmosphere, and life forms evolved that could not only cope with, but also exploit the highly reactive gas. Our ability to breathe deeply today has deep evolutionary roots.
Operationalising organisational routines for science and technology management: an exploratory study

This paper explores an approach to the operationalisation of organisational routines. This effort builds on recent work that argues for the utilisation of organisational routines as the unit of analysis to assess individual and organisational behavioural changes that might result from innovation policies. However, a significant challenge in utilising organisational routines has been in the operationalisation of the concept. In this paper, we adopt a previously developed technology management routine framework and operationalise routines using existing survey data using the allocation of time spent in different research tasks as a proxy for routines. Hypotheses are developed that test the impact of routine categorisations on the innovation attributes of a research environment and job satisfaction of employees and tested using survey data from a research organisation focused on atmospheric research. We conclude with a discussion of the results and the need for a better understanding of routines in the management of scientific and technological research.
Prevalence and antimicrobial resistance of Campylobacter from antibiotic-free broilers during organic and conventional processing

Campylobacter is one of the leading cause of foodborne illness in the US and worldwide, especially linked to poultry and poultry products. In recent years, the increasing popularity of organic chicken products and chickens raised without antibiotics (RWA) has resulted in more companies adopting organic and antibiotic-free production and processing methods; however, it is not evident what effect these practices have on pathogens such as Campylobacter. The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of RWA and organic methods on the prevalence and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) of Campylobacter. Samples were collected from a processing facility that used organic and conventional methods to process RWA broilers. Samples included fecal grab samples from incoming birds, carcass rinses at important steps throughout processing, and environmental samples including equipment swabs, water samples, and air samples. Samples were analyzed for prevalence of Campylobacter by enrichment, and populations of presumptive Campylobacter were quantified. Isolates collected in this study were analyzed for AMR according to the National Antimicrobial Resistance Monitoring System (NARMS) protocol. Results showed that organic birds had a lower prevalence (P 0.05) between organic and conventional birds were seen post-chill, with the exception of a lower prevalence in post-water-chill organic birds. These observations show that organic methods can be associated with lower initial Campylobacter levels than conventional methods, although appropriate processing interventions result in similar Campylobacter populations post-chill, regardless of processing method. Prevalence of AMR Campylobacter in chickens at slaughter suggest that raising birds without the use of antimicrobials may not be effective in reducing the incidence of AMR Campylobacter in chicken.
Design and Evaluation of Heterobivalent PAR1–PAR2 Ligands as Antagonists of Calcium Mobilization

A novel class of bivalent ligands targeting putative protease-activated receptor (PAR) heteromers has been prepared based upon reported antagonists for the subtypes PAR1 and PAR2. Modified versions of the PAR1 antagonist RWJ-58259 containing alkyne adapters were connected via cycloaddition reactions to azide-capped polyethylene glycol (PEG) spacers attached to imidazopyridazine-based PAR2 antagonists. Initial studies of the PAR1–PAR2 antagonists indicated that they inhibited G alpha q-mediated calcium mobilization in endothelial and cancer cells driven by both PAR1 and PAR2 agonists. Compounds of this novel class hold promise for the prevention of restenosis, cancer cell metastasis, and other proliferative disorders.
Effect of light intensity and substrate type on siscowet lake trout (Salvelinus namaycush siscowet) predation on deepwater sculpin (Myoxocephalus thompsonii)

Foraging characteristics of siscowet lake trout (Salvelinus namaycush siscowet) on deepwater sculpin (Myoxocephalus thompsonii) were studied under ecologically relevant downwelling light intensities (9.0 × 108 to 1.62 × 1011 photons m−2 s−1) and emission spectrum (500–510 nm) on varying substrates (gravel, sand, and black fabric). Siscowet reaction distance within our trials increased with light intensity up to 6.0 × 109 photons m−2 s−1, after which reaction distance remained constant with additional increases in light intensity following the Michaelis–Menten saturation function. Reaction distances were not affected by substrate type under any light intensity. The number of prey captures also increased with increasing light intensity, with most orientations toward prey occurring within the siscowet’s forward sector (± 0°–60°, where 0° represents the tip of the siscowet rostrum). Finally, the overall probability of prey capture was positively related to reaction distance at each light intensity. Results suggest that siscowet can visually forage on benthic prey at great depth in Lake Superior, and reaction distance (≤ 27 cm) to sculpin may not diminish until depths exceed 200 m (6.00 × 109 photons m−2 s−1).
Manipulating the phase of halide perovskites using composite nanostructures (Conference Presentation)

Halide Perovskites have shown potential for high-performance cost-effective optoelectronics. Previous work in this field has been primarily focused on pristine perovskites. We discovered that perovskites in form of composites can sometime outperform the pure perovskites with improved material stability. In this talk, I will focus on the correlation between the crystal phases and the microscopic structures, as well as the favorable physical properties we have observed in composite perovskites.
Modeling framework for multiphysics-multiscale behavior of Si–C composite anode

Abstract To achieve the urgent requirement for high energy density in lithium-ion batteries, Si–C composite anode has been spotlighted as one of the most promising alternatives for next-generation batteries. A comprehensive computational model is indispensable in the developing process of the excellent performance of anode material due to the low-realizability, inconvenience, and high-cost of experiments. Herein, a simultaneous multiphysics-multiscale model aiming at the Si–C composite anode was developed. This model was then used to study the effects of Si percentage, mechanical constraint and charging rate in terms of electrochemical and mechanical performances. A better design to achieve high capacity was proposed based on the computational results. Results provide a powerful tool in the design, development, and evaluation of high energy density lithium-ion batteries.
Differences in Metabolic Profiles of Human Hearts after 6 Hour Preservation with a Novel Hypothermic Machine Perfusion Preservation Device Compared to Cold Storage

Summary of Objectives While cardiac transplantation remains the most effective therapy for end-stage heart failure, it continues to be plagued by a severe donor shortage. Many potentially suitable organs are not transplanted due to concerns of inadequate preservation with hypothermic static storage. Experimental and clinical studies suggest that machine perfusion preservation improves myocardial preservation. The purpose of this study is to test the hypothesis that a novel hypothermic machine perfusion preservation device maintains allograft oxidative metabolism, limits lactate accumulation, and more effectively preserves high energy phosphate stores compared to cold storage in a human model. Methods Human donor hearts rejected or not offered for transplantation are eligible for this study through an organ procurement organization approved research protocol. Offered organs will be assigned to 6 hours of preservation either by conventional hypothermic static storage or hypothermic machine perfusion with a novel device by Paragonix Technologies, Inc. Donor demographic and diagnostic data will be collected. Myocardial oxygen consumption, lactate accumulation, temperature regulation and coronary flow will be measured in perfused hearts. After completion of the storage interval, myocardial biopsies will be obtained for proton and phosphorus-31 magnetic resonance spectroscopy, gas chromatography/mass spectroscopy and histologic studies. TCA cycle intermediates, high energy phosphates (ATP, phosphocreatine), lactate/alanine ratios will be measured. Cell death will be quantified by TUNEL. Groups will be compared by the Student's t-test or ANOVA as appropriate. A p-value Endpoints We expect to show that the machine perfusion device maintains an oxidative metabolic profile and low lactate levels. We anticipate machine perfusion preservation better preserves citric acid cycle intermediates, reduces cell death and increases high energy phosphate levels compared to static storage.
Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors (ICIs)-Related Cardiotoxicity

The growing success of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) has led to effectively treating several types of cancers. Even though their use has been associated with the development of cardiac adverse effects, which may decrease the overall survival in cancer patients. These cardiac toxicities are thought to be the result of targeting specific checkpoint proteins on normal myocardial cells leading to over stimulation of the immune system as well as secondary downstream off-target effects on normal tissue.Although cardiotoxicities related to immunotherapy are reportedly rare, they can be severe and associated with life-threatening conditions such as fulminant myocarditis, hemodynamic instability, and cardiac arrest.We will review the most commonly reported cardiovascular toxicities associated with ICIs and their management.
Rising concerns over agricultural production as COVID-19 spreads: Lessons from China

There are rising concerns over the impact of COVID-19 on the agricultural production, which may become a nonnegligible threat to the long-term food supply and food security. This paper discusses the impact of COVID-19 on agricultural production in China, followed by government responses to alleviate the negative effects. The results show that unreasonable restrictions would block the outflow channels of agricultural products, hinder necessary production inputs, destroy production cycles, and finally undermine production capacity. It is expected that China's experiences could give warnings and suggestions to other countries that are experiencing serious outbreak to protect domestic agricultural production, especially developing countries.
Structural studies of full-length receptor tyrosine kinases and their implications for drug design

Receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs) are important drug targets for cancer and immunological disorders. Crystal structures of individual RTK domains have contributed greatly to the structure-based drug design of clinically used drugs. Low-resolution structures from electron microscopy are now available for the RTKs, EGFR, PDGFR, and Kit. However, there are still no high-resolution structures of full-length RTKs due to the technical challenges of working with these complex, membrane proteins. Here, we review what has been learned from structural studies of these three RTKs regarding their mechanisms of ligand binding, activation, oligomerization, and inhibition. We discuss the implications for drug design. More structural data on full-length RTKs may facilitate the discovery of druggable sites and drugs with improved specificity and effectiveness against resistant mutants.
Novel antifungal agents in clinical trials

Invasive fungal diseases due to resistant yeasts and molds are an important and increasing public health threat, likely due to a growing population of immunosuppressed hosts, increases in antifungal resistance, and improvements in laboratory diagnostics. The significant morbidity and mortality associated with these pathogens bespeaks the urgent need for novel safe and effective therapeutics. This review highlights promising investigational antifungal agents in clinical phases of development: fosmanogepix, ibrexafungerp, rezafungin, encochleated amphotericin B, oteseconazole (VT-1161), VT-1598, PC945, and olorofim. We examine three first-in-class members of three novel antifungal classes, as well as new agents within existing antifungal classes with improved safety and tolerability profiles due to enhanced pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic properties.
The osteocyte as a signaling cell.

Osteocytes, former osteoblasts encapsulated by mineralized bone matrix, are far from being passive and metabolically inactive bone cells. Instead, osteocytes are multifunctional and dynamic cells c...
“Reclaiming Control” Patient Acceptance and Adherence to HIV Post-Exposure Prophylaxis Following Sexual Assault:

Sexual assault is an irrefutable trauma; an insult to the autonomy of the person forced into sexual acts. Sexual assault sequelae range from physical injury and acute traumatic stress, to pregnancy...
The replacement cost integration program: An engineering-economic model of oil supply☆

Abstract The Replacement Cost Integration Program (RCIP) forecasts the annual additions to proven reserves and production of domestic crude oil. The inputs to RCIP include parameters (discount rate, tax rate, and supply elasticity), expected oil prices, and process model output. The process model output consists of capital costs, operating costs, and production levels for 31 regions. For each region and year, RCIP calculates expected profits and forecasts the level of reserve additions. Two production profiles relate reserve additions to future oil production. The parameters in the model were estimated using data for 1970 to 1986. Results are presented for two sets of prices: high and low. For the period from 1987 to 2020, the cumulative production of oil increases by 64 percent from the low case to the high case, while the cumulative additions to proven reserves increase by more than a factor of three.
Automated detection of problem restraints in NMR data sets using the FINGAR genetic algorithm method.

The recently described FINGAR genetic algorithm method for NMR refinement [D.A. Pearlman (1996) J. Biomol. NMR, 8, 67–76] has been extended so that it can be used to detect problem restraints in an NMR-derived set of data. A problem restraint is defined as a restraint in a generally well-behaved set where the associated target value is in error, due to inaccuracies in the data, misassignment, etc. The method described here, FINGAR.RWF, locates problem restraints by finding those restraints that, if removed from the data set, result in a disproportionate improvement in the scoring function. The method is applied to several test cases of simulated data, as well as to real data for the FK506 macrocycle, with excellent results.
Recent Developments in the Evaluation and Optimization of Flexible Chemical Processes

The evaluation and optimization of flexible chemical processes remains one of the most challenging problems in Process Systems Engineering. In this paper an overview of recent methods for quantifying the property of flexibility in chemical plants will be presented. As will he shown, these methods are gradually evolving from deterministic worst-case measures for feasible operation to stochastic measures that account for the distribution functions of the uncertain parameters. Another trend is the simultaneous handling of discrete and continuous uncertainties with the aim of developing measures for flexibility and reliability that can be integrated within a common framework. It will be then shown how some of these measures can be incorporated in the optimization of chemical processes. In particular, the problem of optimization of flexibility for multiproduct batch plants will be discussed.
Glia Maturation Factor Stimulates Release of Proinflammatory Mediators from Mast Cells

We have investigated if brain protein glia maturation factor (GMF) and Parkinson's disease (PD)-relevant toxin 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium (MPP+) and α-synuclein can activate mast cells to release ...
On effective data supply for multi-issue processors

Emerging multi-issue microprocessors require effective data supply to sustain multiple instruction processing. The data cache structure, the backbone of data supply, has been organized and managed as one large homogenous resource, offering little flexibility for selective caching. While memory latency hiding techniques and multi-ported caches are critical to effective data supply, we show in this paper that even ideal non-blocking multi-ported caches fail to be sufficient in and of themselves in supplying data. We evaluate an approach in which the first level (L1) data cache is partitioned into multiple (multi-lateral) subcaches. The data reference stream of a running program is subdivided into two classes, and each class is mapped to a specific subcache whose management policy is more suitable for the access pattern of its class. This sort of selective organization and caching retains more useful data in the L1 Cache, which translates to more cache hits, less cache-memory bus contention and overall improvement in execution time. Our simulations show that a multi-lateral L1 cache of (8+1)KB total size generally performs as well as, and in some cases better than, an ideal multiported 16 KB cache structure in supplying data.
The Role of Interleukin-12 in Preserving the Graft-Versus-Leukemia Effect of Allogeneic CD8 T Cells Independently of GVHD

Interleukin (IL)-12 is a potent immunostimulatory cytokine and inducer of Th1 cell activity and of cytotoxic T lymphocyte and natural killer cell function. This cytokine also has anti-tumor activity. Although IL-12 has been shown to be an important pathogenic cytokine in the induction of graft-versus-host disease (GVHD), injection of exogenous IL-12 to murine allogeneic bone marrow transplantation (BMT) recipients paradoxically leads to a significant delay in the onset of GVHD mortality in fully MHC plus multiple minor antigen-mismatched strain combinations, and to complete inhibition of GVHD in a single haplotype-mismatched murine BMT model. IL-12-induced inhibition of GVHD is associated with reduced donor T cell activation and expansion, in part through an interferon (IFN)-gamma-mediated mechanism. Fas-mediated apoptosis of donor T cells also plays a significant role in IL-12-induced GVHD protection. Importantly, IL-12 preserves the graft-versus-leukemia (GVL) effect of allogeneic CD8 T cells against EL4, a host-type leukemia/lymphoma, while inhibiting GVHD. Like the protective effect against GVHD, the GVL effect in IL-12-treated mice is dependent on IFN-gamma. Thus, treatment with IL-12 leads to separation of GVHD-promoting and GVL effects of allogeneic BMT via an IFN-gamma-dependent mechanism.
Incorporating face-to-face peer feedback in a group project setting

Abstract We present a teaching strategy in which students provide fellow group project members with face-to-face feedback on their performance over the course of the project. The first step in the strategy is a classroom session covering important elements of the feedback process. Student groups then meet for two face-to-face feedback sessions; the first session occurs midway through the project and the second session occurs after the group has completed the project. Both sessions provide students the opportunity to deliver and receive feedback. Students who take part in this process gain valuable experience that they can apply throughout their professional careers. While we incorporate this strategy into our Master of Accounting Science program, the ideas and teaching strategies are transferable to upper-division and masters-level accounting courses. The process can also be adapted to settings where less time is available. Our goal is to provide educators with information and ideas that will enable them to implement similar strategies in their own courses.
To Restore or Not to Restore? Assessing Pre-project Conditions of a Habitat Restoration Project on the New River, North Carolina

Despite continued emphasis on restoring streams to improve ecological function, there remains a dearth of data documenting pre-restoration conditions to clearly establish a need for restoration. Without establishing a clear, data-driven need for restoration, it is difficult to determine which restoration measures will be most effective. The study reported here offers a pre-project evaluation of a restoration on a headwaters stream in the Appalachian Mountains of North Carolina, USA. The authors conducted in-depth interviews with project sponsors, and reviewed the project environmental assessment and construction plans. Additionally, the authors evaluated available data, including benthic macroinvertebrate assemblages, fish com- munities, riverbed coarse particle size, and ambient water quality. Primary goals for the restoration project include halting erosion and improving aquatic habitat. The data that were used to justify the restoration and develop the environmental assessment and project plan, however, present temporal and spatial issues that may preclude effective evaluation of the need for the project and conducting valid post-project assessments. Available data reveal that current
Theoretical Restrictions on Farm‐Retail Price Transmission Elasticities: A Note

Zero restrictions implied by Gardner's (1975) model are exploited to develop a simple test for perfect price transmission. Applying the test to the domestic marketing channels for U.S. beef and pork, we reject the hypothesis of competitive market clearing for pork, but not for beef. A retest using the four-firm concentration ratio in U.S. meat packing as a proxy for market power affirms results from the simple test. [JEL Classification: Q11, Q13].
CHONDRAL AND OSTEOCHONDRAL INJURIES: MECHANISMS OF INJURY AND REPAIR RESPONSES

Acute and repetitive impact and torsional loading of joints can damage the articular surface, causing pain, joint dysfunction and effusions, and in some instances, progressive joint degeneration. These injuries often remain undetected and their incidence, pathogenesis, natural history, and optimal treatment remain poorly understood. Advances in arthroscopy and joint imaging have improved the ability of physicians to identify articular surface injuries, and reports of new methods of promoting restoration of articular surfaces have increased interest in their treatment. Three classes of chondral and osteochondral injuries can be identified based on the type of tissue damage and the repair response: (1) damage to the joint surface that does not cause visible mechanical disruption of the articular surface but does cause chondral damage and may cause subchondral bone injury, (2) mechanical disruption of the articular surface limited to articular cartilage, and (3) mechanical disruption of articular cartilage and subchondral bone. In most instances joints can repair damage that does not disrupt the articular surface if they are protected from further injury. Mechanical disruption of articular cartilage stimulates chondrocyte synthetic activity, but it rarely results in repair of the injury. Disruption of subchondral bone stimulates chondral and bony repair, but it rarely restores an articular surface that duplicates the biological and mechanical properties of normal articular cartilage. The extent and effectiveness of the chondral and osseous repair responses vary with age: in general younger individuals, especially skeletally immature people, have more effective repair of articular surface injuries. To be of value to patients a treatment of an articular surface injury must produce better short- and long-term results than the natural repair response. Thus, before selecting a treatment for a patient with a chondral or osteochondral injury the surgeon should define the type of injury and understand its likely natural history.
The management of ischemic heel ulcers and gangrene in the endovascular era.

Abstract Background The objective of this study was to compare the outcome of patients presenting with heel ulcers or gangrene (HEEL group) with those having lesions in other parts of the foot (non-HEEL group). Methods Treatment and outcomes of all HEEL and non-HEEL patients between June 2001 and October 2006 were compared. Results Three hundred eight patients were treated (71 HEEL and 237 non-HEEL). The HEEL group was more frequently nonambulatory, had lower albumin levels, and had gangrene. The primary amputation rate (11% vs 3%, P P = .015). The 24-month limb salvage and patency rates were similar; but survival was worse in HEEL patients. Serum albumin Conclusions Patients with ischemic heel ulcers or gangrene were more likely to undergo primary amputation; however, limb salvage rates were similar to those of non-HEEL patients after attempted salvage. Endovascular interventions currently play a significant role in the management of these patients. Gangrene, serum albumin
SU‐FF‐T‐65: Comparison of Dose to Rectum and Bladder with 3DCRT and IMRT Plans for the Treatment of Prostate

Purpose: Major goal of IMRT is to escalate dose to prostate while keeping doses to bladder and rectum equal to or less than that with 3DCRT. This study is to compare 3DCRT and IMRT to evaluate how far this goal has been achieved. Method and Materials: Dosimetry of 6-field 3DCRT and 5-field IMRT plans, generated for the same 32 patients, has been compared. With 3DCRT, prescription to SV and prostate was 45 and 75.6 Gy, respectively. With IMRT, prescription to SV and prostate was 45 and 81 Gy, respectively. IMRT required to keep doses to 30%, 50% and 70% of bladder and rectum less than 70%, 60% and 40% of 81 Gy and to cover 95% PTV with 95% isodose. Dose to rectum and bladder were estimated from DVH. Less than 5% difference in rectal and bladder doses between 3DCRT and IMRT was considered insignificant. Results: Higher the dose to rectum and bladder with 3DCRT, higher also was the dose with IMRT (P<0.001). Dose to 50% rectum with IMRT was equal to that with 3DCRT in 15 cases (47%) and more in 17 cases (53%). Dose to 10% of rectum with IMRT was equal to that with 3DCRT in 9 cases (28%) and more in 23 cases (72%). Dose to 50% and 10% bladder with IMRT were equal to that with 3DCRT in 7 cases (22%) and more in 25 cases (78%). Conclusion: Preliminary analysis suggested that the space between rectum and prostate+SV, and the volume of rectum and bladder in beams path are related to doses to these structures. Higher doses to rectum and bladder with IMRT are a result of trade-off between doses to PTV, rectum and bladder. This may be acceptable because percent dose coverage to 95% PTV is better with IMRT (93–98%) than with 3DCRT (86–93%).
Theory of light scattering by polymer solutions

The intermolecular contribution to light scattering by polymer solutions has been treated according to the smoothed Gaussian sphere model. Combining the results with the usual term for the individual molecule scattering we obtain for the reciprocal turbidity: The third virial term is also formulated. The angle dependent factor Q(θ) falls appreciably below unity at higher angles for large molecules in good solvents. Calculation of Q(θ) according to the theory is illustrated. Its replacement by unity may under some circumstances invite appreciable error.
X-ray standing wave imaging of the 1/3 monolayer Sn/Ge(111) surface

X-ray standing waves (XSW) are used to measure the structure of the $(\sqrt{3}\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}\sqrt{3})R30\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}$ to $(3\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}3)$ low-temperature phase transition for the $\frac{1}{3}$ monolayer Sn/Ge(111) surface. A three-dimensional direct-space imaging approach, based on the summation of several $\mathrm{hkl}$ XSW-measured Fourier coefficients, is demonstrated. At room temperature, the Sn atoms are found to occupy the ${T}_{4}$-adsorption sites with one-third of the Sn atoms 0.45 \AA{} higher than the remaining two-thirds. The $(3\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}3)$ phase has no significant change in the XSW-measured structural parameters. This is consistent with an order-disorder-type phase transition.
Modeling Wet Chemical Etching of Surface Flaws on Fused Silica

Fluoride-based wet chemical etching of fused silica optical components is useful to open up surface fractures for diagnostic purposes, to create surface topology, and as a possible mitigation technique to remove damaged material. To optimize the usefulness of etching, it is important to understand how the morphology of etched features changes as a function of the amount of material removed. In this study, we present two geometric etch models that describe the surface topology evolution as a function of the amount etched. The first model, referred to as the finite-difference etch model, represents the surface as an array of points in space where at each time-step the points move normal to the local surface. The second model, referred to as the surface area-volume model, more globally describes the surface evolution relating the volume of material removed to the exposed surface area. These etch models predict growth and coalescence of surface fractures such as those observed on scratches and ground surfaces. For typical surface fractures, simulations show that the transverse growth of the cracks at long etch times scales with the square root of etch time or the net material removed in agreement with experiment. The finite-difference etch model has also been applied to more complex structures such as the etching of a CO2 laser-mitigated laser damage site. The results indicate that etching has little effect on the initial morphology of this site implying little change in downstream scatter and modulation characteristics upon exposure to subsequent high fluence laser light. In the second part of the study, the geometric etch model is expanded to include fluid dynamics and mass transport. This later model serves as a foundation for understanding related processes such as the possibility of redeposition of etch reaction products during the etching, rinsing or drying processes.
Risk considerations in the economic assessment of low-input crop production techniques: an example from Swiss wheat production

The role of risks in the adoption of low-input wheat production in Switzerland is investigated using farm-level panel data. Due to governmental support with environmental payments, low-input wheat production is found to be on average more profitable. However, low-input production is also more risky, in particular due to higher yield variability. The here presented analysis reveals that these production risks could become a decisive factor in farmers' adoption decisions of risk-averse farmers if environmental payments were to be reduced or abolished.
Long-Term Renoprotective Effect of Sirolimus-Based Calcineurin Inhibitor-Free Immunosuppression after Cardiac Transplantation

Purpose There are few data about long-term renal effect of calcineurin inhibitor (CNI) withdrawal and substitution with sirolimus (SRL) after heart transplantation (HTPL). We evaluated long-term effect of SRL-based CNI-free immunosuppression using iothalamate clearance (Ci) test. Methods and Materials We evaluated 199 patients whose Ci was followed regularly after HTPL. We excluded patients with combined other organ transplantation, systemic renal disease, irregular follow-up and age 40 months and as CNI group (n=77) if CNI was not discontinued. Patients who used CNI and SRL simultaneously (n=11) or who used SRL 60 months later. Results Baseline Ci of SRL group was not significantly different between groups. In SRL group, Ci was significantly increased at 12 month (63±23 ml/min/m²) compared to baseline (54±21 ml/min/m², p=0.019) and maintained thereafter. However, Ci was significantly reduced at 30 month (51±16 ml/min/m²) compared to baseline (60±18 ml/min/m², p=0.001) in CNI group. [ figure 1 ] Among 166 patients who tried SRL substitution for CNI, 38 (22.9%) could not tolerate SRL and major causes were lung infiltration (5.4%) and diarrhea (5.4%) followed by malaise (4.8%) and edema (2.4%). Conclusions Sirolimus-based CNI-free regimen is useful for the preservation of renal function in long-term follow-up after HTPL. However, as intolerance rate of SRL is significant, careful assessment of side effect in individual patient is mandatory.
Densification and mechanical properties of TaC-based ceramics

Abstract Densification of TaC was enhanced while the grain growth was suppressed by adding 1 or 2 wt% B4C, which allowed mechanical properties to be analyzed. A relative density of >98% was achieved for TaC with B4C additions by hot pressing at 2100 °C. By comparison, additive-free TaC could be hot pressed to only 94% relative density at 2300 °C. X-ray diffraction analysis identified TaB2 in TaC–B4C ceramics, indicating that a reaction occurred during hot pressing. Mechanical properties including Young's modulus, flexure strength, Vickers’ hardness, and fracture toughness were studied. The Griffith equation was used to calculate critical flaw sizes from measured properties. This analysis combined with observations of fracture surfaces identified surface flaws induced by machining and subsurface impurities picked up during milling as the critical flaws.
Virology: HIV goes nuclear.

HIV-1 replicates itself by integrating into its host cell's DNA. Studies in cell culture reveal that nuclear-membrane proteins aid engagement of the viral DNA with that of its host before integration.
Kinetic evidence of anionic intermediates in the base-catalyzed cleavage of glycosidic bonds in the methyl D-glucopyranosides

Abstract A general, kinetic expression is presented for the rate of alkaline cleavage of glycosides in terms of the formation of anionic species as reactive intermediates that undergo a slow, rate-dependent, intramolecular displacement of the aglycon. Equilibrium and specific rate-constants have been determined for the degradation of the anomeric methyl D -glucopyranosides and methyl β-cellobioside. The difference in reactivity of the anomers is primarily due to the relative acidities of the hydroxyl groups involved in the intramolecular displacement process. The kinetic data confirm that these reactions of α- and β- D -glucopyranosides are facilitated by anchimeric assistance of the hydroxyl groups at C-6 and C-2, respectively.
Mutations at positions 547-553 of rat glucocorticoid receptors reveal that hsp90 binding requires the presence, but not defined composition, of a seven-amino acid sequence at the amino terminus of the ligand binding domain.

Glucocorticoid receptors (GRs) must heterocomplex with hsp90 to have an open steroid binding cleft that can be accessed by steroid. We reported that a seven-amino acid sequence (547-553 of rat GR) overlapping the amino-terminal end of the ligand binding domain is required for hsp90 binding to GR. We have now conducted saturation mutagenesis of this sequence, which appears to be part of the surface where the ligand binding cleft merges with the surface of the ligand binding domain. No single point mutation causes significant changes in any of a variety of biochemical and biological properties in addition to hsp90 binding. A triple mutation (P548A/T549A/V551A) increases by >100-fold the steroid concentration required for half-maximal induction without affecting the level of maximal induction or coactivator response. Interestingly, this triple mutant displays reduced binding of steroid and hsp90 in whole cells, but it possesses wild type affinity for steroid and normal hsp90 binding capacity under cell-free conditions. This phenotype of a dramatic shift in the dose response for transactivation would be expected from an increase in the rate of disassembly of the triple mutant GR.hsp90 heterocomplex in the cell. Mutation of the entire seven-amino acid region to CAAAAAC maintains the presence of a critical alpha-helical structure and heterocomplex formation with hsp90 but eliminates steroid binding and transcriptional activation, thus disconnecting hsp90 binding from opening of the ligand binding cleft and steroid binding.
Predictors of depressive symptoms post-acute coronary syndrome.

Objective: We examined the influence of gender on the prevalence of acute coronary syndrome (ACS) and the severity of depressive symptoms post-ACS. Methods: Patients received a Zung self-assessment questionnaire at hospital discharge for unstable angina (UA) or acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and returned it by mail. Major depressive symptoms were diagnosed based on a summed depressive symptoms (SDS) score of >50. Depressive symptomatology was modeled by stepwise multivariable logistic regression with the following predictors: gender, age, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, history of smoking, hypercholesterolemia, peripheral vascular disease, prior stroke, prior myocardial infarction (MI), and prior percutaneous coronary intervention or coronary artery bypass graft surgery. We also modeled severity of depressive symptoms via stepwise multiple linear regression with the same predictor variables. Results: A total of 944 patients were surveyed: 716 men and 228 women, mean (SD) age, 67 (13) years and 71 (12) years, respectively. Of these patients, 250 (35%) men and 103 (45%) women had depressive symptoms (P = 0.005). No significant difference was observed between men and women in rates of cardiac catheterization; severity of coronary artery disease; treatment with antiplatelet agents, β-blockers, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, or statins; or percutaneous or surgical revascularization rates during or post-ACS. Significant predictors of the presence of depressive symptoms were female gender (odds ratio [OR] = 1.64; 95% CI, 1.19-1.28), diabetes mellitus (OR = 1.42; 95% CI, 1.03-1.97), prior MI (OR = 1.56; 95% CI, 1.15-2.20), and smoking (OR = 1.41; 95% CI, 1.01-1.97). Variables significantly associated with a higher severity of depressive symptoms were female gender, prior MI, smoking, and stroke. Men with prior MI had significantly higher mean (SD) SDS scores than did men without prior MI in all age groups (48.4 [11] vs 44.6 [11], respectively; P < 0.001). In addition, significantly more men with prior MI had depressive symptoms compared with those without prior MI (45% vs 32%; P = 0.001). However, prior MI did not appear to affect SDS scores in women (49.1 [12] for prior MI vs 48.5 [12] for no prior MI; P = NS), and there was no significant difference in the percentage of women who had depressive symptoms with or without a history of prior MI. Depressive symptoms were much more severe in women with UA (SDS = 49.0 [12]) compared with women with AMI (SDS = 45.0 [12]; P = NS), or men with AMI (45.0 [12]; P = 0.004) or UA (46.0 [11]; P = 0.007) (analysis of variance, P = 0.003). Conclusions: Female gender is a significant independent predictor of depressive symptoms and their severity post-UA and post-AMI. History of prior MI is associated with a higher frequency and severity of depressive symptoms in men. These findings call for routine screening for depressive symptoms in men with prior MI and in women who present with ACS.
Perception of long-distance coarticulation: An event-related potential and behavioral study

In this study we explore listeners' sensitivity to vowel to vowel (VV) coarticulation, using both event-related potential (ERP) and behavioral methodologies. The stimuli used were vowels “colored” by the coarticulatory influence of other vowels across one, three or five intervening segments. The paradigm used in the ERP portion of the study was intended to elicit the mismatch-negativity (MMN) component, a negative deflection typically seen at central midline scalp sites about 200 ms after the presentation of a “deviant” acoustic stimulus occurring among a train of “standard” acoustic stimuli. VV coarticulation at near and medium distances was associated with significant MMN-like effects, which however were not observed in response to the longest distance coarticulatory contrasts. Subjects' ERP results did not predict their performance on the behavioral task, which found evidence of listener sensitivity to even the furthest distance coarticulatory effects. Although the MMN has previously been shown to be sensitive to phonemic contrasts, this is the first study using ERP methodology to investigate the subphonemic processing associated with the perception of coarticulation.
Vocal responses to left visual stimuli following forebrain commissurotomy.

Abstract Four forebrain commissurotomized patients, 12–15 yr post-surgery, along with one partially commissurotomized and three normal control subjects, were presented with a variety of stimuli to either the LVF (left visual field) or RVF. Three of four “split-brain” patients could name LVF numbers and two of four could name LVF letters. Irrespective of their accuracy, and unlike control subjects, all “split-brain” patients named LVF stimuli about twice as slowly as RVF stimuli. In addition, three of four patients could vocally categorize LVF stimuli into two classes (yes-no, odd-even, more or less than five). In this case, like the control subjects, they respond to LVF stimuli as quickly as to RVF stimuli. The results support an hypothesis that “split-brain” patients may transfer information from the right to the left cerebral hemisphere when making two-choice verbal categorizations of LVF stimuli, but are able to name some simple LVF stimuli directly from the right hemisphere. Combining categorization and naming tasks, however, can elicit interference, suggesting that the two tasks are not completely autonomous.