cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Ultrasound prostate segmentation based on multidirectional deeply supervised V-Net

Purpose Transrectal ultrasound (TRUS) is a versatile and real-time imaging modality that is commonly used in image-guided prostate cancer interventions (e.g., biopsy and brachytherapy). Accurate segmentation of the prostate is key to biopsy needle placement, brachytherapy treatment planning, and motion management. Manual segmentation during these interventions is time-consuming and subject to inter- and intraobserver variation. To address these drawbacks, we aimed to develop a deep learning-based method which integrates deep supervision into a three-dimensional (3D) patch-based V-Net for prostate segmentation. Methods and materials We developed a multidirectional deep-learning-based method to automatically segment the prostate for ultrasound-guided radiation therapy. A 3D supervision mechanism is integrated into the V-Net stages to deal with the optimization difficulties when training a deep network with limited training data. We combine a binary cross-entropy (BCE) loss and a batch-based Dice loss into the stage-wise hybrid loss function for a deep supervision training. During the segmentation stage, the patches are extracted from the newly acquired ultrasound image as the input of the well-trained network and the well-trained network adaptively labels the prostate tissue. The final segmented prostate volume is reconstructed using patch fusion and further refined through a contour refinement processing. Results Forty-four patients' TRUS images were used to test our segmentation method. Our segmentation results were compared with the manually segmented contours (ground truth). The mean prostate volume Dice similarity coefficient (DSC), Hausdorff distance (HD), mean surface distance (MSD), and residual mean surface distance (RMSD) were 0.92 ± 0.03, 3.94 ± 1.55, 0.60 ± 0.23, and 0.90 ± 0.38 mm, respectively. Conclusion We developed a novel deeply supervised deep learning-based approach with reliable contour refinement to automatically segment the TRUS prostate, demonstrated its clinical feasibility, and validated its accuracy compared to manual segmentation. The proposed technique could be a useful tool for diagnostic and therapeutic applications in prostate cancer.
Independent Contributions of Discrete Dopaminergic Circuits to Cellular Plasticity, Memory Strength, and Valence in Drosophila

Summary Dopaminergic neurons play a key role in encoding associative memories, but little is known about how these circuits modulate memory strength. Here we report that different sets of dopaminergic neurons projecting to the Drosophila mushroom body (MB) differentially regulate valence and memory strength. PPL2 neurons increase odor-evoked calcium responses to a paired odor in the MB and enhance behavioral memory strength when activated during olfactory classical conditioning. When paired with odor alone, they increase MB responses to the paired odor but do not drive behavioral approach or avoidance, suggesting that they increase the salience of the odor without encoding strong valence. This contrasts with the role of dopaminergic PPL1 neurons, which drive behavioral reinforcement but do not alter odor-evoked calcium responses in the MB when stimulated. These data suggest that different sets of dopaminergic neurons modulate olfactory valence and memory strength via independent actions on a memory-encoding brain region.
An Online Semi-NMF Algorithm for Soft-Clustering of Financial Institutions

In this paper we develop and propose an online semi-non-negative matrix factorization framework to cluster firms by their stock returns. The model is motivated by an accounting balance sheet identity, where one of the estimated matrix factors can be seen as the percentage of holdings across different asset classes (stocks, bonds, etc.) for each firm -- an important input for risk analysis. We also show that our model is an extension of soft K-means clustering. To enhance the practical value of the proposed model (OSNMF), we also develop a fast estimation framework that can be readily applied to cluster firms in real-time as new data becomes available. The model is validated using synthetic and real data. Specifically, we apply our technique to recover asset holdings of mutual funds and ETFs from stock returns and show our estimates closely match their disclosed balance sheets.
TRPV1 in experimental autoimmune prostatitis.

Background Chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CP/CPPS) is a disorder that is characterized by persistent pelvic pain in men of any age. Although several studies suggest that the transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 (TRPV1) channel is involved in various pathways of chronic pain, the TRPV1 channel has not been implicated in chronic pelvic pain associated with CP/CPPS. Methods Male C57BL/6J (B6) and TRPV1 knockout (TRPV1 KO) mice (5-7 weeks old) were used to study the development of pelvic allodynia in a murine model of CP/CPPS called experimental autoimmune prostatitis (EAP). The prostate lobes, dorsal root ganglia (DRG), and spinal cord were excised at day 20. The prostate lobes were assessed for inflammation, TRPV1 expression, and mast cell activity. DRG and spinal cord, between the L6-S4 regions, were analyzed to determine the levels of phosphorylated ERK1/2 (p-ERK 1/2). To examine the therapeutic potential of TRPV1, B6 mice with EAP received intraurethral infusion of a TRPV1 antagonist at day 20 (repeated every 2 days) and pelvic pain was evaluated at days 20, 25, 30, and 35. Results Our data showed that B6 mice with EAP developed pelvic tactile allodynia at days 7, 14, and 20. In contrast, TRPV1 KO mice with EAP do not develop pelvic tactile allodynia at any time point. Although we observed no change in the levels of TRPV1 protein expression in the prostate from B6 mice with EAP, there was evidence of significant inflammation and elevated mast cell activation. Interestingly, the prostate from TRPV1 KO mice with EAP showed a lack of mast cell activation despite evidence of prostate inflammation. Next, we observed a significant increase of p-ERK1/2 in the DRG and spinal cord from B6 mice with EAP; however, p-ERK1/2 expression was unaltered in TRPV1 KO mice with EAP. Finally, we confirmed that intraurethral administration of a TRPV1 antagonist peptide reduced pelvic tactile allodynia in B6 mice with EAP after day 20. Conclusions We demonstrated that in a murine model of CP/CPPS, the TRPV1 channel is key to persistent pelvic tactile allodynia and blocking TRPV1 in the prostate may be a promising strategy to quell chronic pelvic pain.
James Franco and the queer art of failure

ABSTRACTFor 20 years, James Franco has carved out a celebrity reputation distinguished by its mercurial character. Does he aspire to full-fledged stardom or some new variant of character-actor stat...
Asparaginase formulation impacts hypertriglyceridemia during therapy for acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

Background Glucocorticoids and asparaginase, used to treat acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), can cause hypertriglyceridemia. We compared triglyceride levels, risk factors, and associated toxicities in two ALL trials at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital with identical glucocorticoid regimens, but different asparaginase formulations. In Total XV (TXV), native Escherichia coli l-asparaginase was front-line therapy versus the pegylated formulation (PEG-asparaginase) in Total XVI (TXVI). Procedure Patients enrolled on TXV (n = 498) and TXVI (n = 598) were assigned to low-risk (LR) or standard/high-risk (SHR) treatment arms (ClinicalTrials.gov identifiers: NCT00137111 and NCT00549848). Triglycerides were measured four times and were evaluable in 925 patients (TXV: n = 362; TXVI: n = 563). The genetic contribution was assessed using a triglyceride polygenic risk score (triglyceride-PRS). Osteonecrosis, thrombosis, and pancreatitis were prospectively graded. Results The largest increase in triglycerides occurred in TXVI SHR patients treated with dexamethasone and PEG-asparaginase (4.5-fold increase; P 1000 mg/dL) compared to native l-asparaginase (TXV): 10.5% versus 5.5%, respectively (P = .007). At week 7, triglycerides did not increase with dexamethasone treatment alone (LR patients) but did increase with dexamethasone plus asparaginase (SHR patients). The variability in triglycerides explained by the triglyceride-PRS was highest at baseline and declined with therapy. Hypertriglyceridemia was associated with osteonecrosis (P = .0006) and thrombosis (P = .005), but not pancreatitis (P = .4). Conclusion Triglycerides were affected more by PEG-asparaginase than native l-asparaginase, by asparaginase more than dexamethasone, and by drug effects more than genetics. It is not clear whether triglycerides contribute to thrombosis and osteonecrosis or are biomarkers of the toxicities.
A Configurable Wireless Optical Brain Monitor Based on Internet-of-Things Services

There is an increasing interest in understanding the brain in its natural state. This recently led to the wide adoption of portable brain monitors including functional Near- Infrared Spectroscopy (fNIRS) which uses near-infrared (NIR) light to capture the brain's hemodynamic responses, also known as cerebral oxygenation. Nowadays, fNIRS is used in clinical settings of various medical fields including neurology, neuroscience, clinical psychology, and psychiatry. Compared to its counterpart, functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI), fNIRS is portable and provides higher temporal resolution for scanning the hemodynamic response of the cortical layer of the brain. fNIRS has the potential to work as a smart wearable device to monitor a brain in an unconstrained setting. However, wearable implementation is challenging as the fNIRS system demands a complex circuit to drive NIR light sources and detect low intensity reflected light from the scalp. Also, the algorithm for the real-time controlling, configuration, data acquisition, and signal processing are complex for a wearable smart fNIRS. Currently available fNIRS systems are not intelligent, completely wearable or designed as a smart body sensor network (BSN) node. In this paper, we present our recent design of a configurable fNIRS system that acts as a BSN node controlled by a remote Graphical User Interface (GUI). The presented fNIRS system is based on an embedded board where we deployed a internet-of-things (IoT) based service-oriented architecture providing the functionality of montage configuration, fNIRS signal testing, calibration, channel selection, data collection and wireless data transmission to the GUI. This development can improve the flexibility of the fNIRS system regarding its use in natural environments where the brain functions of moving human subjects are monitored. We have experimentally evaluated working of the hardware, software, GUI and wireless data transmission, and capability of detecting hemodynamic responses.
A case of T-cell ALL with remarkable recovery after treatment with an innovative induction chemotherapy regimen

Introduction Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL) is the most common pediatric malignancy; most cases are derived from precursor B-cells; T-cell ALL comprises approximately 15% of cases. In the past, T-ALL has had lower cure rates than precursor-B ALL, often presenting with higher white blood cell (WBC) counts and extramedullary disease in the mediastinum or central nervous system (CNS). In recent years cure rates for T-ALL have improved significantly with intensive chemotherapy regimens. Case report An 8-year old male with no significant medical history presented with a 2-week history of increasing lethargy, headaches, abdominal …
Analytical Pumping Speed Models for Electric Propulsion Vacuum Facilities

Two analytical models for computing the pumping speed of a vacuum chamber are derived. The models focus on the vacuum systems used for testing electric propulsion devices. The node model is based o...
FASTCAR: Rapid alignment-free prediction of sequence alignment identity scores using self-supervised general linear models

Abstract Motivation Pairwise alignment is a predominant algorithm in the field of bioinformatics. This algorithm is quadratic — slow especially on long sequences. Many applications utilize identity scores without the corresponding alignments. For these applications, we propose FASTCAR. It produces identity scores for pairs of DNA sequences using alignment-free methods and two self-supervised general linear models. Results For the first time, the new tool can predict the pair-wise identity score in linear time and space. On two large-scale sequence databases, FASTCAR provided the best compromise between sensitivity and precision while being faster than BLAST by 40% and faster than USEARCH by 6–10 times. Further, FASTCAR is capable of producing the pair-wise identity scores of long DNA sequences — millions-of-nucleotides-long bacterial genomes; this task cannot be accomplished by any alignment-based tool. Availability FASTCAR is available at https://github.com/TulsaBioinformaticsToolsmith/FASTCAR and as the Supplementary Dataset 1. Contact hani-girgis@utulsa.edu Supplementary information Supplementary data are available online.
Xanthomatous nevus: A potential new entity.

Xanthomas are non-neoplastic, localized lipid deposits within the dermis and subcutis. They can present as papules, plaques, or nodules. Different clinical variants include eruptive, tuberous, tendinous, papular, plane, and verruciform xanthomas. They can occur at any age and can be idiopathic or suggest the presence of an underlying disorder of lipoprotein metabolism. The association between a xanthoma and congenital melanocytic nevus (CMN) has never been reported. Here, we present the first case and hypothesize on its etiology.
Review of the Management of Obstructive Sleep Apnea and Pharmacological Symptom Management

Nearly a billion adults around the world are affected by a disease that is characterized by upper airway collapse while sleeping called obstructive sleep apnea or OSA. The progression and lasting effects of untreated OSA include an increased risk of diabetes mellitus, hypertension, stroke, and heart failure. There is often a decrease in quality-of-life scores and an increased rate of mortality in these patients. The most common and effective treatments for OSA include continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP), surgical treatment, behavior modification, changes in lifestyle, and mandibular advancement devices. There are currently no pharmacological options approved for the standard treatment of OSA. There are, however, some pharmacological treatments for daytime sleepiness caused by OSA. Identifying and treating obstructive sleep apnea early is important to reduce the risks of future complications.
Identification of Sensitive Air Pollution Receptors in Yellowstone National Park

This project has three major objectives. The first is to collect and identify lichens from all representative substrates and vegetation types encountered in the study area, the Mammoth Hot Springs vicinity. The second is to establish permanent study plots on suitable substrates for subsequent sampling, using data from 1982-1983 as baseline information. The third objective is to specify lichen species present in this area of the Park that are sensitive to air pollutants.
DBA within the Organization

The activities of data base administration require that the DBA interact with several different groups, both within and outside the organization. These interactions and the dba’S role in each affect the proper location for the dba function within the organization. Thus, to understand the impact of alternative positions for dba within an organization, one must first understand the nature of these interfaces.
Mass transport in tumors: characterization and applications to chemotherapy.

Publisher Summary This chapter provides a unified framework for the characterization of convection, diffusion, binding, and metabolism of chemotherapeutic agents in tumors and normal tissues. Two theoretical approaches for the characterization of tumors and normal tissues are the lumped parameter compartmental model and distributed parameter models. In the lumped parameter approach, mass transport in the body is modeled by a set of interconnected lumped compartments that represent various body tissues. The distributed parameter approach incorporates parameters that characterize the diffusion and convection occurring within the vascular, interstitial, and intracellular spaces. Distributed parameter models are, thus, able to provide a more detailed analysis of the mass transfer processes within solid tumors so as to account for the effects of necrosis and nonuniform blood flow on the distribution of drug within a tumor. The experimental findings of various investigators for several species, drugs, and types of tumors are summarized and compared in the chapter. These findings include the determinations of tissue volumes and blood flow rates, a detailed analysis of the vascular morphology of solid tumors, quantification of drug transport parameters across capillary walls and cell membranes, and quantification of steadystate drug distributions, binding parameters, metabolism rates, and extravascular convection and diffusion constants. The mathematical models presented in the chapter are adequate for predicting drug distributions in normal and neoplastic tissues.
Verifiable privacy-preserving monitoring for cloud-assisted mHealth systems

Widely deployed mHealth systems enable patients to efficiently collect, aggregate, and report their Personal Health Records (PHRs), and then lower the costs and shorten their response time. The increasing needs of PHR monitoring require the involvement of healthcare companies that provide monitoring programs for analyzing PHRs. Unfortunately, healthcare companies are lack of the computation, storage, and communication capability on supporting millions of patients. To tackle this problem, they seek for the help from the cloud. However, delegating monitoring programs to the cloud may incur serious security and privacy breaches because people have to provide their identity information and PHRs to the public domain. Even worse, the cloud may mistakenly return the incorrect computation results, which will put patients' life in jeopardy. In this paper, we propose a verifiable privacy-preserving monitoring scheme for cloud-assisted mHealth systems. Our scheme allows patients to verify the correctness of computation results from the cloud without revealing their PHRs and identity information. In addition, our advanced schemes offer efficient PHR updates and PHR computations on complex monitoring programs. By detailed performance evaluation, we have shown the security and efficiency of our proposed scheme.
Fructose-2,6-bisphosphate synthesis by 6-phosphofructo-2-kinase/fructose-2,6-bisphosphatase 4 (PFKFB4) is required for the glycolytic response to hypoxia and tumor growth.

// Jason Chesney 1,* , Jennifer Clark 1,* , Alden C. Klarer 1 , Yoannis Imbert-Fernandez 1 , Andrew N. Lane 2 and Sucheta Telang 1 1 James Graham Brown Cancer Center, Departments of Medicine (Hematology/Oncology), Pediatrics and Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY 2 Current address: Markey Cancer Center, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY * These authors contributed equally to this work Correspondence: Sucheta Telang, email: // Keywords : Glycolysis, 6-Phosphofructo-2-Kinase, Fructose-2,6-Bisphosphatase, Prostate Cancer, Lung Cancer Received : July 03, 2014 Accepted : July 11, 2014 Published : July 13, 2014 Abstract Fructose-2,6-bisphosphate (F2,6BP) is a shunt product of glycolysis that allosterically activates 6-phosphofructo-1-kinase (PFK-1) resulting in increased glucose uptake and glycolytic flux to lactate. The F2,6BP concentration is dictated by four bifunctional 6-phosphofructo-2-kinase/fructose-2,6-bisphosphatases (PFKFB1-4) with distinct kinase:phosphatase activities. PFKFB4 is over-expressed in human cancers, induced by hypoxia and required for survival and growth of several cancer cell lines. Although PFKFB4 appears to be a rational target for anti-neoplastic drug development, it is not clear whether its kinase or phosphatase activity is required for cancer cell survival. In this study, we demonstrate that recombinant human PFKFB4 kinase activity is 4.3-fold greater than its phosphatase activity, siRNA and genomic deletion of PFKFB4 decrease F2,6BP, PFKFB4 over-expression increases F2,6BP and selective PFKFB4 inhibition in vivo markedly reduces F2,6BP, glucose uptake and ATP. Last, we find that PFKFB4 is required for cancer cell survival during the metabolic response to hypoxia, presumably to enable glycolytic production of ATP when the electron transport chain is not fully operational. Taken together, our data indicate that the PFKFB4 expressed in multiple transformed cells and tumors functions to synthesize F2,6BP. We predict that pharmacological disruption of the PFKFB4 kinase domain may have clinical utility for the treatment of human cancers.
Gene Regulation in N Mutants of Bacteriophage λ

Mutants (N(-)nin) of bacteriophage lambda in which the N gene product is not required for growth on wild-type Escherichia coli do not plate on recA bacterial mutants. Secondary mutants, selected for growth on recA, lie within the immunity region to the right of gene cI and appear identical to the cro mutants of Eisen et al. In an N(+) phage, a cro mutation causes enhanced and prolonged production of lambda exonuclease. N(-)cro phages make no detectable exonuclease, but show an increased rate of specific excision from lysogens and are excluded by P2 prophage. These properties, together with the ability to plate on recA, suggest that N(-)cro phages express genes to the left of N at a rate that is very low but higher than that for N(-)cro(+) phages. N(-)nin phages can integrate at the normal site on the bacterial chromosome, but specific excision from lysogens is immeasurably low.
Male-female differences in forearm skin tissue dielectric constant.

Summary Tissue dielectric constant (TDC) measurements at 300 MHz via the coaxial line reflection method are useful to evaluate local skin tissue water and its change, but virtually all available data relate to measurements on women. Because TDC values in part depend on skin thickness, we hypothesized that differences in male–female skin may be associated with male–female differences in TDC. To test this hypothesis, we compared TDC values in volar forearm skin of 60 young adult volunteers (30 men, 25·0 ± 2·5 years, 30 women, 27·4 ± 6·6 years) in the seated position using a probe with an effective measurement depth of 1·5 mm. Results showed that TDC values (mean ± SD) for men were significantly greater than for women (33·2 ± 4·0 versus 29·4 ± 2·7, P<0·001) constituting an overall difference of about 13%. This finding suggests that when TDC measurements are used in research or clinical studies in which both men and women are included in a common study population, it would be prudent to consider this difference in both experimental design and data interpretation. This is especially true if absolute TDC values are of interest in contrast to changes in TDC values on the same subject subsequent to time passage or secondary to an intervention. Despite greater TDC values measured in men, calculations of the impact of a greater male skin thickness indicate that the greater TDC values of men may or may not reflect a greater relative local skin tissue water in men compared to women.
Off-pump versus on-pump coronary bypass in high-risk subgroups ☆

Abstract Background . Cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) has pathophysiologic sequelae that may be more severe in high-risk subsets. We wanted to determine whether off-pump coronary bypass (OPCAB) could optimize outcomes. Methods . Our database of 242 OPCAB patients undergoing complete revascularization was compared to a base of 483 CABG patients undergoing CPB. Results were compared for the overall series and in the following high-risk subsets: 80 years of age or older, ventricular dysfunction (ejection fraction (EF) ≤ 0.25), prior neurologic event or renal failure, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and reoperation. Results . In the overall series, OPCAB significantly reduced the incidence of intraoperative transfusion requirements and showed a trend toward reduced morbidity in terms of postoperative neurologic and renal complications, prolonged ventilator requirement greater than 3 days, and bleeding requiring reexploration. Mortality was less in the OPCAB group (0.4% versus 2.7%, p = not significant). Similar results were achieved in the following high-risk subgroups (n = off-pump/on-pump): 80 years of age or older (n = 28/58), EF less than or equal to 25% (n = 13/26), preoperative neurologic event (n = 25/36), preoperative renal failure (n = 27/46), COPD (n = 33/43), and reoperation (n = 28/76). OPCAB decreased the incidence of prolonged ventilation in COPD patients (0/33 [0%] versus 4/43 [9.3%] p = not significant) and decreased the incidence of renal complications in the elderly (1/28 [3.6%] versus 9/58 [15.5%] p = not significant). Off-pump coronary bypass reduced but did not eliminate neurologic events in the elderly (2/28 [7.1%] versus 8/58 [13.8%] p = not significant). Conclusion : Off-pump coronary bypass significantly reduced the incidence of transfusion requirement compared to the CPB counterparts and had a consistent trend in reducing morbidity and mortality overall and in all high-risk subsets. Neurologic events are not eliminated in OPCAB.
Treating ordinal scales as interval scales: an attempt to resolve the controversy.

Ever since the Harvard psychologist S. S. Stevens (1946) advanced his ideas concerning the connections between measurement scales and statistical analysis, there has been a continuing controversy regarding the use of traditional descriptive and inferential statistics for ordinal-level variables. The exchange in Nursing Research between Armstrong and this writer (Armstrong, 1981; Knapp, 1984, Armstrong, 1984) is illustrative of the competing positions. In this commentary, an attempt will be made to sort out the dimensions of the controversy summarize some recent contributions that help to clarify the issues, and suggest a possible solution to the problem. The reader who is interested in the earlier history of conflicting views about scales and statistics is referred to the excellent and balanced review by Gardner (1975).
Factors Influencing the Development and Transfer of Automatic Processing

A study was performed to examine the role of consistency in the development and transfer of automatic processing. Subjects performed a rule-based memory search task in which they compared multidimensional probes to either one, two or three memory set rules. Results indicated that learning occurred in the absence of consistency at lower levels of task description (e.g. mappping of individual task components to responses) as long as higher level consistencies existed in the task (e.g. consistent mapping of task components to a conceptual framework). High positive transfer was obtained despite replacement of the exemplars of the memory set rules, suggesting that learning was not specific to the items encountered during training. On the other hand, the magnitude of positive transfer was reduced when the rules were replaced suggesting that most of the learning took place at the level of specific rules. Some evidence was also obtained for more general process-based learning.
Influenzal meningitis treated with chloromycetin

Summary After successful treatment with Chloromycetin by oral route of one infantwith meningitis due to H. influenzae , which was refractory to the usual therapeutic agents, four other infants with this disease were treated with Chloromycetin alone. The results were gratifying and encouraging, and to date recovery in all instances appears complete.
Impact of nepafenac 0.1% on macular thickness and postoperative visual acuity after cataract surgery in patients at low risk for cystoid macular oedema.

Impact of nepafenac 0.1% on macular thickness and postoperative visual acuity after cataract surgery in patients at low risk for cystoid macular oedema
INTRINSIC AND EFFERENT CONNECTIONS OF THE ENDOPIRIFORM NUCLEUS IN RAT

The endopiriform nucleus is a large group of multipolar cells located deep to the piriform cortex. The function of this nucleus is unknown, but studies with animal models suggest that it plays an important role in temporal lobe epileptogenesis. To address questions concerning mechanisms of epileptogenesis and to gain insights into its normal function, efferent axons from the endopiriform nucleus were labeled by anterograde transport from small extracellular injections of Phaseolus vulgaris leucoagglutinin. Several principles of organization were derived: (1) heavy local and long intrinsic connections are present throughout the endopiriform nucleus; (2) endopiriform efferents target cortical rather than nuclear structures; (3) extensive projections from the endopiriform nucleus extend to most basal forebrain areas including the piriform cortex, entorhinal cortex, insular cortex, orbital cortex, and all cortical amygdaloid areas. The perirhinal cortex, olfactory tubercle, and most subdivisions of the hippocampal formation receive light projections; (4) projections are highly distributed spatially within all target areas; (5) efferent axons from the endopiriform nucleus are unmyelinated and give rise to boutons along their entire course rather than arborizing locally; and (6) the endopiriform nucleus and piriform cortex share target areas, but efferents from the endopiriform nucleus lack the precise laminar order of those from the piriform cortex, and provide a heavy caudal to rostral pathway that is lacking in the cortex. The significance of these findings for the triggering of generalized seizures from the deep piriform region are discussed. An hypothesis for a role of the endopiriform nucleus in memory storage is presented.
Speed of 10 MHz sound in canine aortic wall: effects of temperature, storage and formalin soaking.

The speed of 10 MHz sound in excised canine thoracic aortic wall was measured over a temperature range from 23°C to 37°C. The effect of storage (for 24h) in Ringer's lactate solution upon the speed of sound was investigated. The effect of soaking in 10% formalin solution was also investigated. At 37°C, the speed of 10 MHz sound was 1·59 mm μs−1 in fresh samples. There was negligible difference between the speed of sound in fresh and 24h samples at 37°C. The temperature dependence of the speed of sound in aortic wall was slight. The effect of formalin soaking was to decrease the speed of sound very slightly at temperatures approaching 37°C, raising questions as to the validity of a model formalin stiffening for evaluation of the ultrasonic tissue signature in aortic wall.
Evolution of Body-Wall Musculature in the Platyhelminthes (Acoelomorpha, Catenulida, Rhabditophora)

In an effort to understand the phylogeny of the Platyhelminthes, the patterns of body-wall musculature of flatworms were studied using fluorescence microscopy and Alexa-488-labeled phalloidin. Species of the Catenulida have a simple orthogonal gridwork of longitudinal and circular muscles. Members of the Rhabditophora have the same gridwork of musculature, but also have diagonal muscles over their entire body. Although a few species of Acoelomorpha possessed a simple orthogonal grid of musculature, most species typically have distinctly different patterns of dorsal and ventral body-wall musculature that include sets of longitudinal, circular, U-shaped, and several kinds of diagonal muscles. Several distinct patterns of musculature were identified, including 8 patterns in 11 families of acoels. These patterns have proven to be useful in clarifying the phylogeny of the Acoelomorpha, particularly with regard to the higher acoels. Patterns of musculature as well as other morphological characters are used here for revisions of acoel systematics, including the return of Eumecynostomum sanguineum (Mecynostomidae) to the genus Aphanostoma (Convolutidae), the revision of the family Childiidae, and the formation of a new family, Actinoposthiidae.
The cost of infertility evaluation and therapy: findings of a self-insured university healthcare plan.

Abstract Objective: To assess the total costs of infertility coverage, determine the proportion of healthcare costs related to infertility, compare infertility costs to those of other diseases, and calculate a per member per month cost of an infertility benefit. Design: Historical prospective analysis. Setting: A university-based, self-insured, fee-for-service healthcare plan. Patient(s): Healthcare policy members from January 1993 through December 1995. Intervention(s): General and infertility-specific healthcare that included diagnostic tests for infertility, induction of ovulation, artificial insemination, donor gametes, in vitro fertilization, gamete intrafallopian transfer, zygote intrafallopian transfer, microsurgical epididymal sperm aspiration, embryo cryopreservation, and frozen embryo transfer. Main Outcome Measure(s): Healthcare costs, as calculated from the International Classification of Diseases, Volume 9 codes. Result(s): Total healthcare and infertility-specific costs of the university healthcare plan over a 3-year period were $86,445,642 and $680,921, respectively. Therefore, infertility accounted for 0.79% of the total university healthcare costs. The mean total and infertility-specific per member per month healthcare costs were $86.15 and $0.67, respectively. Conclusion(s): These data reveal that infertility costs account for only a small fraction of the total healthcare costs and can be attained at a nominal monthly fee.
Preparation and characterization of new and improved soluble-starches, -amylose, and -amylopectin by reaction with benzaldehyde/zinc chloride.

Abstract Seven different starches from potato, rice, maize, waxymaize, amylomaize-VII, shoti, and tapioca, and potato amylose and potato amylopectin have been reacted with benzaldehyde, catalyzed by ZnCl 2 , to give new water-soluble starches and water soluble-amylose and soluble-amylopectin. In contrast to the native starches, aqueous solutions of the modified starches could not be precipitated with 2-, 3-, or 4-volumes of ethanol. β-Amylase gave no reaction with the modified starches, in contrast to the native starches, indicating that the modification occurred exclusively at the nonreducing-ends, giving 4,6-benzylidene- d -glucopyranose at the nonreducing-ends. Reactions of α-amylase with native and modified potato and rice starches gave a decrease in the triiodide blue color and an increase in the reducing-value that were similar for the native- and modified-starches, indicating the modified starches had not been significantly altered by the modification. The benzaldehyde-modified starches and benzaldehyde-modified potato amylose and potato amylopectin components, therefore, have a starch structure very much like their native counterparts, in contrast to the Lintner, Small, and the alcohol/acid-hydrolyzed soluble-starches that have undergone acid hydrolysis. The benzaldehyde-modified starches and starch components have significantly higher water solubility than their native counterparts even though the structures of the modified starches had only been slightly altered from the structures of their native counterparts. They all gave crystal-clear solutions that did not retrograde.
Crystal structure of elastase-substrate complex at -55 °C

The structure of a specific acyl-enzyme intermediate in the elastase-catalysed hydrolysis of N-carbobenzoxy-L-alanyl-p-nitrophenol ester has been determined by X-ray diffraction at 3.5 A resolution. The acyl-enzyme was stabilised by cooling the crystal to −55°C during substrate addition and data collection.
Networks as an aid in transportation and contingency planning

As a mainstay of transportation analysis, network modeling is an alluring methodology around which to build decision aids for contingency planning. And yet, because contingencies in transportation are so diverse, any single methodological approach is best suited only for certain of these decisions. By summarizing varied uses of network optimization and current capabilities of network-planning computer systems, this paper identifies the strengths and weaknesses of network analysis in supporting various planning and control issues that arise in contingency planning. It also proposes a framework for designing decision aids that combine sensitivity analysis, scenario planning, and simulation methods with the enormous computational capabilities of network optimization. Illustrations of network analysis are given in the context of vehicle fleet planning, equilibrium analysis of urban traffic flow, and energy distribution systems.
The Evolution of Al-Li Base Products for Aerospace and Space Applications

A technical review of the physical, mechanical, and metallurgical variables that have influenced performance of Al-Li based alloys over the last 50 years is presented. First, the historic evolution of different alloys is discussed. Then, the microstructural features responsible for different mechanical properties are identified and discussed. The role of alloying additions is discussed. The shortcomings of a 2nd generation Al-Li alloys are introduced and the key alloy design principles used to overcome these are discussed. Finally, the performance parameters that play a major role in sizing several aircraft and space craft components are reviewed in a chronological perspective and compared with 3rd-generation Al–Li alloys. It is concluded that significant improvements have been made to position Al–Li alloys to enable improved performance of next generation of air and space craft.
Comitant esodeviation resulting from neurologic insult in children.

Abstract Purpose: Our purpose was to establish whether comitance was a common or uncommon finding in children with esodeviation associated with a neurologic insult. Methods: A retrospective chart review was performed of children with acquired esodeviation associated with an identifiable neurologic insult. Results: Examinations of 30 children seen over a 2-year period were analyzed. Twenty-two (73%) had brain tumors. Twelve (40%) had comitant esodeviation, and the other 18 (60%) had incomitant measurements. Of the patients with comitant esodeviation, 6 had normal abduction OU (two after recovery from bilateral sixth nerve palsies), and 6 had mild or minimal abduction deficits. Moderate or severe abduction deficits were associated with incomitant measurements. Conclusions: Comitant esodeviation can be common in children with identifiable neurologic insults.
Diseases of the Ear Canal

Otitis externa can be a complicated and difficult disease to diagnose and treat. Because of the unique physiology of the ear canal and common pathophysiology of otitis externa regardless of the underlying cause, the clinician must rely on history, dermatologic examination, and ancillary tests to determine the cause and appropriate therapy for a particular case.
Med24 and Mdh2 are required for Drosophila larval salivary gland cell death

The steroid hormone ecdysone triggers the rapid destruction of larval tissues through transcriptional cascades that culminate in rpr and hid expression and caspase activation. Here, we show that mutations in Mdh2 and Med24 block caspase cleavage and larval salivary gland cell death. Mdh2 encodes a predicted malate dehydrogenase that localizes to mitochondria. Consistent with this proposed function, Mdh2 mutants have significantly lower levels of ATP and accumulate late-stage citric acid cycle intermediates, suggesting that the cell death defects arise from a deficit in energy production. Med24 encodes a component of the Mediator transcriptional coactivator complex. Unexpectedly, however, expression of the key death regulator genes is normal in Med24 mutant salivary glands. This study identifies novel mechanisms for controlling the destruction of larval tissues during Drosophila metamorphosis and provides new directions for our understanding of steroid-triggered programmed cell death.
Design and implementation of an interdepartmental bioinformatics program across life science curricula.

Over the past 10 years, there has been a technical revolution in the life sciences leading to the emergence of a new discipline called bioinformatics. In response, bioinformatics-related topics have been incorporated into various undergraduate courses along with the development of new courses solely focused on bioinformatics. This report describes the design and implementation of an interdepartmental bioinformatics program throughout several life science programs. Using elements of the backward curricular design process, nine faculty members from the Biology, Microbiology, and Chemistry Departments at the University of Wisconsin – La Crosse incorporated bioinformatics in a coordinated manner into 10 courses. Key molecular biology concepts were first identified followed by development of bioinformatics exercises that centered on these concepts. An overview of how the program was constructed and implemented and a summary of the exercises that were designed will be presented.
Uptake of Amino Acids by Brain Microvessels Isolated from Rats after Portacaval Anastomosis

The uptake of amino acids by microvessels isolated from brains of rats was studied. Previous studies have demonstrated alterations in blood-brain amino acid transport after portacaval shunt in rats. In order to elucidate whether such changes in the blood-brain barrier were located in the microvessels, brain microvessels were isolated from both rats with portacaval shunt and controls. Brain microvessels from rats 2 weeks after shunt operations took up significantly greater amounts of 14C-labeled neutral amino acids, but not of glutamic acid, lysine, or alpha-methylaminoisobutyric acid than microvessels from sham-operated controls. Measurement of uptake kinetics showed a higher Vmax for phenylalanine and leucine uptake and a lower Vmax for lysine uptake in microvessels from shunted rats compared with control, whereas the respective Km's of uptake were similar in both preparations. The results suggest that changes in brain microvessel transport activity account for altered brain neutral amino acid concentrations after portacaval shunt and that such changes can be studied in vitro in isolated microvessels.
Increasing TeraGrid User Productivity through Integration of Information and Interactive Services

The TeraGrid user portal is a Web portal that aggregates and simplifies access to TeraGrid information and services for active TeraGrid users. The vision for the TeraGrid user portal is to become the resource that all TeraGrid users turn to for access, education, use and support of TeraGrid systems. The user portal is an operational activity of the TeraGrid project while also serving as a platform for software development and integration of TeraGrid services. The initial release of the TGUP in 2006 provided a single place for researchers to access documentation and user information, review the capabilities and current status of all resources, and learn how to get access to systems and support. Since the initial release, the development team has improved the initial capabilities and integrated many new features to make using the distributed resources of TeraGrid easier and further increase user productivity. The improvements and additions since the initial release cover three classes of TGUP features: informational services, interactive services, and user-centric services. This paper will describe some of the most important recent additions to TeraGrid User Portal capabilities, and will discuss planned future capabilities and their expected impact.
A molecular orbital and chemical study of aminoacetonitrile: a possible prebiotic peptide precursor.

Abstract In this report we present a detailed molecular orbital description of aminoacetonitrile using the iterative extended Huckel theory (IEHT) and, guided by these calculations, discuss some of its chemistry in the context of chemical evolution. The experimental work to be discussed indicates that under aqueous conditions similar to those thought to have prevailed on the primitive earth, aminoacetonitrile will not form polypeptide precursors by self-condensation, unless the nitrile carbon is “activated” in some fashion. Even under such conditions dipeptide yields are very low in aqueous media suggesting that such a pathway for prebiotic peptide formation was unlikely and extremely inefficient at best. The results of the theoretical analysis indicate that inability to self-condense resides primarily in the low electrophilicity of the nitrile carbon rather than in the reduced nucleophilicity of the amine nitrogen. However, hydrolysis and other competing reactions for which we indicate mechanisms consistent with its calculated properties, can convert aminoacetonitrile into amino and imino acids which could further have enriched the prebiotic soup and may have been involved ultimately in peptide formation through dehydration-condensation reactions.
Evaluating the Capacity to Generate and Preserve Nitric Oxide Bioactivity in Highly Purified Earthworm Erythrocruorin: A GIANT POLYMERIC HEMOGLOBIN WITH POTENTIAL BLOOD SUBSTITUTE PROPERTIES*

The giant extracellular hemoglobin (erythrocruorin) from the earth worm (Lumbricus terrestris) has shown promise as a potential hemoglobin-based oxygen carrier (HBOC) in in vivo animal studies. An important beneficial characteristic of this hemoglobin (LtHb) is the large number of heme-based oxygen transport sites that helps overcome issues of osmotic stress when attempting to provide enough material for efficient oxygen delivery. A potentially important additional property is the capacity of the HBOC either to generate nitric oxide (NO) or to preserve NO bioactivity to compensate for decreased levels of NO in the circulation. The present study compares the NO-generating and NO bioactivity-preserving capability of LtHb with that of human adult hemoglobin (HbA) through several reactions including the nitrite reductase, reductive nitrosylation, and still controversial nitrite anhydrase reactions. An assignment of a heme-bound dinitrogen trioxide as the stable intermediate associated with the nitrite anhydrase reaction in both LtHb and HbA is supported based on functional and EPR spectroscopic studies. The role of the redox potential as a factor contributing to the NO-generating activity of these two proteins is evaluated. The results show that LtHb undergoes the same reactions as HbA and that the reduced efficacy for these reactions for LtHb relative to HbA is consistent with the much higher redox potential of LtHb. Evidence of functional heterogeneity in LtHb is explained in terms of the large difference in the redox potential of the isolated subunits.
Cellular life histories and bow tie biology.

Considering the life-long influences of fetal growth biology, it is of interest to further elucidate the nature of the fetal growth process itself. Previous analyses of longitudinal fetal ultrasound data led to the hypothesis that hypoxia signals were important aspects of normal growth biology and directed attention to the place of oxygen as a basic nutrient. From the perspective of the cell, both hypoxia and lack of energy substrate trigger a common adaptive pathway through their effects on ATP availability. Comparative data from animal studies and cell culture provide evidence for an integrated energy/oxygen signaling system that acts redundantly and hierarchically with cellular differentiation programs, providing opportunities for developmental flexibility in response to variable ecologic or environmental challenge. The multinodal and interactive design of the fetal growth process suggests that it follows what has been described as the “bow tie” model of metabolism, with implications for robust and inventive approaches to cell, organ, and whole organism construction. Am. J. Hum. Biol. 17:66–80, 2005. © 2004 Wiley-Liss, Inc.