cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The role of inducible nitric oxide synthase in cardiac allograft rejection

Time for primary review 29 days. Cardiac transplantation is an effective therapy for end-stage heart failure with one and five year survival rates about 80% and 65% respectively [1]. Despite these good results, cardiac allograft rejection remains a problem which produces impaired ventricular performance and death of cardiac myocytes ultimately causing congestive heart failure, low cardiac output, hypotension and reduced pressor responses to catecholamines. Chronic allograft rejection also results in the development of transplant-associated coronary atherosclerosis, a vasculopathy that produces myocardial ischemia, infarction and sudden death and is the leading cause of death in cardiac transplant recipients after the first year [2]. Although there is a large body of evidence concerning the immunological interactions involved in cardiac allograft rejection, knowledge concerning the cellular and biochemical mechanisms responsible for contractile dysfunction and for death of heart muscle cells remains incomplete. Since an inflammatory reaction in the myocardium is an intrinsic component of the pathological changes observed during cardiac allograft rejection, our laboratory undertook an investigation of the participation of nitric oxide synthases, particularly the inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), in the manifestations of cardiac allograft rejection. The five electron oxidation of l-arginine to l-citrulline and biologically active nitric oxide (NO) is important to a large variety of physiological and pathological processes [3, 4]. NO synthesis is accomplished by the three isoforms of NOS, the neuronal NOS (nNOS, NOS 1) originally identified in brain, inducible NOS (iNOS, NOS 2) originally identified in macrophages and endothelial NOS (eNOS, NOS 3) originally identified in endothelial cells. Constitutive nitric oxide synthases (nNOS and eNOS) require calcium and calmodulin as cofactors and generate low amounts of NO. Small amounts of NO released by endothelial cells in response to hormones or sheer stress interact with soluble guanylyl cyclases to increase the formation … * Corresponding author. Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, Columbia University, 630 West 168th Street, New York, NY 10032, USA. Tel.: +1 (212) 305-9052; Fax: +1 (212) 305-4648.
Interruption of the aortic arch: Preoperative and postoperative clinical, hemodynamic and angiographic features

Interruption of the aortic arch, studied in 10 patients, was associated with a variety of other cardiac anomalies in 8 patients and was an isolated anomaly in 2. Clinical and angiographic evaluation in the former group revealed congestive heart failure and generalized cyanosis in early infancy, pulmonary and systemic arterial hypertension and a variety of intracardiac and aortic shunts. The two patients with an isolated anomaly had clinical and hemodynamic features not dissimilar from those of severe coarctation but interruption of the aortic arch was demonstrated on aortography. Surgical treatment was successful in four of the eight infants with associated anomalies and in both children with the isolated defect. Postoperative angiography revealed several related complications and the status of the aortic reconstruction. Clinical and angiographic recognition of this lesion is important because operative intervention has been successful in an increasing number of patients.
Nucleon core size and nucleon-nucleon spin-orbit forces

Abstract Information on the rms radius of quarks in nucleons is deduced from the nucleon-nucleon spin-orbit forces when the latter are derived from a simple quark model of nucleons in (ls)3 spatial configurations with one-gluon-exchange and/or one-meson-exchange quark-quark interactions. Values of 0.3–0.5 fm appear to be favored. Some of the uncertainties and limitations of these estimates are briefly discussed.
Comorbidity of test anxiety and other anxiety disorders in children

Elementary school children with clinically significant test anxiety, as determined by self-report and a clinical interview, were assessed for the incidence of other fears and anxiety. The results indicated that test-anxious children reported more fears and general worries than their non-test-anxious peers. As expected, the test-anxious children experienced more negative cognitions and subjective distress when taking a test. Furthermore, the fear of negative evaluation was not limited to an actual test, since these children also reported identical symptoms when engaged in a second social-evaluative task. Finally, 60% of the test-anxious sample met DSM-III criteria for an anxiety disorder. The results are discussed in terms of the relationship of text anxiety to more complex social-evaluative dysfunctions, more pervasive anxiety conditions, DSM-III anxiety disorders, and the utility of test anxiety as an indicator of the presence of these more pervasive anxiety states.
Focused Ethnographic Bibliography: Standard Cross-Cultural Sample

This bibliography consists, for each society in the Standard Sample, of (1) the sources cited by each of the major studies that contributed extensive sets of coded ethnographic variables; (2) any n...
The complexity of Mexican American identity: A reply to Hecht, Sedano, and Ribeau and Mirandé and Tanno

Abstract The debate engendered by the groundbreaking article of Hecht, Ribeau, and Sedano is continued here. The efforts of Hecht et al. are to be applauded, but the essay and ensuing exchange with Mirande and Tanno highlight some basic conceptual inadequacies in exploring Mexican American identity and its relationship to communication. This essay extends the terms of the debate to include a call for precision and accuracy in assessing the types and moments of particular identities used by Mexican Americans. Researchers must be careful in their terminologies because of the ideological and cultural trajectories of Mexican American identities.
Generation of counterpropagating nonlinear interacting traveling waves by localized noise

Abstract We investigate the interaction between external noise and spatial degrees of freedom for two coupled complex Ginzburg-Landau equations for counterpropagating traveling waves. Among the qualitatively new features caused by the nonlinear cross-coupling between the waves we find: transitions from convectively unstable to absolutely unstable behavior and vice versa, transition from subcritical to convectively or absolutely unstable supercritical behavior and a partial annihilation of colliding slugs, localized structures occurring between two stable laminar flow regimes. We also include a comparison with recent experimental results obtained near the convective onset in binary fluid mixtures.
Positron emission tomography and its use to image the occupancy of drug binding sites

The development of positron emission tomography (PET) and the ability to synthesize compounds labeled with the short-lived positron emitters 11C and 18F has made possible the imaging and quantification of drug binding sites in the human body. By conducting PET studies with an appropriate radioligand before and after treatment with a drug, the fraction of the total number of binding sites that is occupied by the drug (the “occupancy” of the site) can often be determined. To the extent that occupancy is a good indicator of pharmacological activity, such PET experiments can aid the development of drug dosage regimens. Some of the general issues involved in PET studies of drug occupancy are discussed. There have been many such studies involving antipsychotic drugs and dopamine D2 receptor radioligands. Since neuroleptics have been extensively reviewed elsewhere, only the major findings are discussed here. Other binding sites (and drug classes) in the dopamine system to which this methodology has been applied include: the dopamine transporter (stimulant drugs) and monoamine oxidase A and B (antidepressant drugs). Occupancy studies are also possible for many drug targets beyond the dopamine system. Drug Dev. Res. 59:194–207, 2003. © 2003 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
The Thermal Structure of an Active Region Observed Outside the Solar Disk

In the present work we analyze an extensive active region spectrum observed by the SUMER instrument on board SOHO with the aim of determining the thermal structure of the emitting plasma. We found that the plasma is made of three distinct, isothermal components, whose physical properties are similar to coronal hole, quiet-Sun, and active region plasmas. The temperatures of the coronal hole-like and quiet-Sun-like plasmas are in excellent agreement with previous measurements obtained outside active regions. We also used a DEM diagnostic technique to check the robustness of our results and found that the DEM curves are compatible with the presence of three distinct nearly isothermal plasmas if the individual DEM measurements are smoothed over a small temperature interval. Larger intervals lead the resulting DEM curves to a more multithermal behavior, raising the question of whether multithermal active region DEM curves available in the literature are real or an artifact of oversmoothing. The results are compared with measurements of the temperature of individual loop structures in the literature and discussed in light of a new picture of the solar corona.
Effect of Surgical Approach on 30-Day Mortality and Morbidity After Elective Colectomy: A NSQIP Study

The aim of this study was to evaluate the laparoscopic approach and pre- and postoperative conditions as predictors of 30-day mortality and morbidity in elective colectomy. Elective colectomies were identified in the 2005–2008 American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database. Multivariate logistic regression was used to model 30-day mortality and morbidity following elective colectomy. Propensity scores were calculated to decrease selection bias. During the period studied, 14,321 patients underwent open colectomy and 10,409 underwent laparoscopic colectomy. Factors that significantly influenced mortality included male gender [odds ratio (OR) 1.4, confidence interval (CI) 1.07–1.9]; age (OR 1.07, CI 1.05–1.08); comorbidities including dyspnea, ascites, congestive heart failure, dialysis, or disseminated cancer; and postoperative conditions including reintubation (OR 2.6, CI 1.6–4.0), renal failure (OR 3.8, CI 2.1–6.9), stroke (OR 6.44, CI 2.4–17.6), and septic shock (OR 13.1, CI 8.76–19.4). While laparoscopy was not independently associated with mortality, it was associated with decreased postoperative morbidity including reintubation (OR 0.74, CI 0.59–0.91), renal failure (OR 0.60, CI 0.4–0.91), septic shock (OR 0.74, CI 0.59–0.92), wound infection (OR 0.58, CI0.44–0.77), and pneumonia (OR 0.71, CI 0.59–0.86). Based on this analysis, laparoscopy was associated with a decrease in 30-day postoperative morbidity for colectomy. However, after adjusting for preoperative comorbidities and postoperative morbidities, laparoscopy did not independently influence mortality after colectomy.
Horizontal transfer of methoprene by Tribolium castaneum (Herbst) and Tribolium confusum Jacquelin du Val

Abstract In food facilities the majority of insect populations typically occur within hidden locations with limited direct exposure to insecticides, but there is potential for dispersing insects to transport insecticides into hidden areas and transfer insecticide to other individuals (i.e., horizontal transfer). In a series of laboratory experiments, the potential for transfer of the insect growth regulator methoprene between treated and untreated Tribolium castaneum (Herbst) and Tribolium confusum (Jacquelin du Val) individuals was evaluated. In the first experiment, late-instar larvae were exposed to methoprene or water treated individuals in flour and their ability to develop successfully was determined. For T. castaneum , survival time for individuals exposed to methoprene treated individuals was shorter than those exposed to control individuals, but the difference was not significant for T. confusum . For both T. castaneum and T. confusum , the number of individuals that were able to successfully survive exposure and complete development without externally visible deformities was significantly reduced for individuals exposed to methoprene treated pupae or larvae relative to controls, but not when exposed to methoprene treated adults. In the second experiment, early-stage larvae, late-stage larvae, and pupae were similar in susceptibility to horizontal transfer of methoprene, even though they were exposed as immatures for different lengths of time. In a third experiment, the potential for sublethal effects due to horizontal transfer of methoprene was evaluated, but no difference in reproduction and oviposition was found for normal appearing adults that developed when exposed to methoprene treated or and control individuals. This is the first report indicating that methoprene can be transferred between stored-product insects and further research is needed to determine the impact this potentially has on pest populations.
Background Elimination in Spectra Generated by Fourier Transform Spectrometers

Two methods are described for reducing or eliminating the background of single-beam spectra obtained by Fourier transform spectrometers incorporating analog data-reduction systems. One method simply involves increasing the amplifier gain so that the central spike of the interferogram is clipped. The second method involves the use of an electronic device which eliminates the central part of the interferogram. Both methods lead to spectra having flat backgrounds, but distortion of the spectrum may also be caused.
Anther culture as a probable source of resistance to tobacco black shank caused by Phytophthora parasitica var 'nicotianae'.

Anther-derived doubled haploid (ADH) tobacco lines possessing a high level of resistance to tobacco black shank, Phytophthora parasitica (Dast.) var 'nicotianae' (B. de Haan) Tucker (Ppn), have been identified from a cross of two tobacco cultivars susceptible to this disease. The objective of this study was to investigate the origin of black shank resistance in ADH lines developed from two susceptible parental cultivars: 'Ovens 62' and 'Ky 15'. In addition to the ADH lines, sexually-derived F2∶8 lines were produced using the single seed descent (SSD) method. Seventy-five ADH lines and 75 SSD lines along with two black shank resistant and three susceptible controls (including parental cultivars) were evaluated under field conditions for resistance to Ppn in 1989 and 1990. Lines were assigned at random to five sets and were planted in a randomized complete block design with three replications/set. A disease index was computed from weekly stand counts of the number of surviving plants per plot for each tobacco line. The 1989 experiment revealed resistance to Ppn in 8 ADH lines, numbers 29, 31, 32, 40, 68, 69, 74, 76, and 1 SSD line, number 32. The 8 ADH lines continued to show resistance in 1990, but SSD line number 32 exhibited a susceptible reaction. There were no other resistant SSD lines.A second field experiment was conducted in 1990 using the putative resistant ADH lines and SSD line nr. 32, which expressed resistance to black shank in 1989. In addition, 12 randomly selected lines from the original 150 ADH and SSD lines were evaluated along with the same five controls as in the previous experiment to further substantiate the resistance of the ADH lines. Lines were planted in a randomized complete block design with eight replications. ADH lines continued to express resistance. SSD line nr. 32 did not show any resistance nor did any other line derived through the single seed descent procedure.These results support the hypothesis that anther culture can generate a high level of black shank resistance. The basis for this resistance is postulated to be due to gene amplification of factors that regulate host response to the black shank fungus.
Prophylaxis of amygdala kindling-induced epileptogenesis: comparison of a GABA uptake inhibitor and diazepam

The prophylactic effect of an inhibitor of synaptosomal GABA uptake, SK&F 89976-A (N-[4,4-diphenyl-3-butenyl]-nipecotic acid), on the development of amygdala kindled seizures was studied in adult female rats. For comparative purposes, the action of diazepam was also investigated. Dosages of SK&F 89976-A and diazepam which were previously shown to be the ED50 for seizure inhibition in fully kindled rats (15 mg/kg and 2 mg/kg i.p., respectively) were administered daily 30 min prior to amygdala stimulation in naive, unkindled rats. Both drugs inhibited the evolution of full kindled seizure activity and markedly suppressed kindling-associated increases in the duration of behavioral and electrographic seizures. Control rats developed fully kindled stage 5 seizures after 8.9 +/- 1.1 amygdala stimulations but drug-treated rats did not progress beyond an early stage of kindled seizures as long as the animals were treated with the drugs (22 days). Diazepam produced significant CNS depressant effects throughout the course of administration but SK&F 89976-A prevented kindling with no depressant side effects. The ability of SK&F 89976-A and diazepam to inhibit the development of full amygdala kindled seizures may be related to enhancement of central inhibitory GABAergic systems.
BLOOD GROUPS OF APES AND MONKEYS: I. THE A-B-O BLOOD GROUPS IN BABOONS.

Saliva and serum from 124 baboons have been tested for A-B-H specificity. All the baboons were secretors and could be classified into one of the three groups, A, B, and AB; there were no baboons of group O. Occasional seeming contradictions to the Landsteiner rule, namely, baboons with A in the saliva and anti-A in the serum were shown to be due to two different kinds of serological specificity of A, one shared by saliva and red blood cells and designated as As and the other peculiar to red cells alone and designated as Ac. Baboons of groups A and AB have only As, and so can produce antibodies of specificity anti-Ac- A similar explanation accounts for previous observations of occasional spider monkeys with B in the saliva and anti-B in the serum. Analysis of population data and family material indicates that the A-B-O groups are inherited by allelic genes in baboons as in man.
Interaction of mitochondria and lactic dehydrogenase in reductive biosynthesis.

Abstract A multi-enzyme system consisting of purified lactic dehydrogenase and mitochondria reduces DPN in the presence of lactate. The mitochondria greatly alter the external DPNH-DPN ratio by oxidizing pyruvate which is formed from lactate concomitantly with DPNH. The rate-limiting step in the overall reaction is the oxidation of pyruvate and the rate of formation of DPNH is dependent on the ability of mitochondria to maintain low levels of pyruvate. Some of the kinetic and thermodynamic properties of this reconstructed system are described as well as its possible relationship to reductive biosynthesis.
A comparison of modeled and observed intensity profiles for C2, C3, CN, and the continuum for P/Halley

Model intensity profiles have been compared with those observed for the C2, C3, CN, and continuum emissions of Comet Halley, in order to constrain the dust and gas parameters. While most of the parameters were consistent with expected values, the lifetimes of C3 and its parent were unexpectedly small. The day:night production rate ratio, which was about 1:1 for the gas, covered the 4:3-1:0 range in the case of the dust.
A comparison of the mystery motivator and the Get 'Em On Task interventions for off-task behaviors

Attending to instruction is a critical behavior for academic success. Many elementary school teachers, however, identify disruptive and inattentive classroom behaviors as key barriers to students’ successful educational performance. This study examined the impact of two class-wide positive behavior support programs. The Mystery Motivator and Get ‘Em On Task interventions were implemented in an alternating treatments design with fifth grade participants to decrease off-task behaviors. Results indicated that both interventions effectively decreased off-task behavior at the class-wide level. Implications and suggestions for future research on evidence-based behavioral interventions are discussed. C
Surface chemistry of gas sensors: H2S on WO3 films

Abstract The surface chemistry that drives the macroscopic electrical response of WO 3 hydrogen sulfide detectors has been studied by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) on well-defined surfaces prepared in ultra-high vacuum (UHV). H 2 S has been shown to interact chemically with the WO 3 such that oxygen is removed from the surface. The oxidation and reduction of oxygen vacancies in the surface is the principal mechanism by which the device operates.
Slow mixing of Glauber dynamics for the hard-core model on the hypercube

For λ > 0, let πλ be the probability measure on the independent sets of the hypercube {0,1}d in which I is chosen with probability proportional to λ|I|. We study the Glauber dynamics, or single-site-update Markov chain, whose stationary distribution is πλ, and show that for values of λ tending to 0 as d grows, the convergence to stationarity is exponentially slow in the volume of the cube. The proof combines a conductance argument with combinatorial enumeration methods.
A parallel implementation of the nested decomposition algorithm for multistage stochastic linear programs

Multistage stochastic linear programs can represent a variety of practical decision problems. Solving a multistage stochastic program can be viewed as solving a large tree of linear programs. A common approach for solving these problems is the nested decomposition algorithm, which moves up down the tree by solving nodes and passing information among nodes. The natural independence of subtrees suggests that much of the computational effort of the nested decomposition algorithm can run in parallel across small numbers of fast processors. This paper explores the advantages of such parallel implementations over serial implementations and compares alternative sequencing protocols for parallel processors. Computational experience on a large test set of practical problems with up to 1.5 million constraints and almost 5 million variables suggests that parallel implementations may indeed work well, but they require careful attention to processor load balancing.
Correlation of locomotor activity and brain infarction in rats with transient focal ischemia

Abstract Occlusion of middle cerebral artery (MCAo) is commonly used to generate stroke in experimental animals. Different behavioral assays have been used to evaluate the severity of lesions or recovery after treatment in this model. In this study, we examined the correlation between the size of infarction and locomotor activity after transient MCAo in adult Sprague-Dawley rats. The right middle cerebral artery was occluded for 30–90-min by ligation with a 10-O suture. At 2 days after MCAo, animals were individually placed in a 3-D infrared activity chamber for 1 h to measure their horizontal, vertical, stereotypic and rotational activity. Body asymmetry was examined using an elevated body swing test. Volume of infarction was measured by triphenyltetrazolium chloride staining. We found that there is a significant correlation between the volume of infarction and vertical movement, such as vertical activity, vertical movement number and vertical movement time. There is also a significant correlation between the infarction volume and body asymmetry. In conclusion, our data suggest that vertical locomotor activity and body asymmetry are useful behavioral indices to estimate the size of lesioning in rodents after MCAo.
Offshore oil spills: analysis of risks

Abstract The methods used by the US Department of the Interior to estimate risks of accidental oil spills attendant with offshore oil production and transportation are described. Both the likelihood of spill occurrence and hypothetical spill trajectories are considered. Five separate applications of the risk assessment work are summarized.
Mu-opioid receptor is associated with phosphatase activity

A preparation of purified mu opioid receptor from bovine brain hydrolyzes p-nitrophenylphosphate. This phosphatase activity has a pH optimum of 9.0, a Km of 9.0 microM, and is stimulated by Mn++ and Mg++ ions. Evidence that the observed activity is not due to a contaminant in the opioid receptor preparation includes 1) the activity is associated primarily with 60,000 molecular weight material which is much smaller than bovine brain alkaline phosphatase; and 2) the activity could not be absorbed by antibodies specific for bovine alkaline phosphatase. Thus this appears to be the first demonstration of enzymatic activity associated with an opioid receptor.
Absence of teratogenicity of intrauterine copper wire in rats, hamsters and rabbits

Abstract Adult female rats, hamsters and rabbits were bred and after implantation a copper ring was transfixed through the uterine lumen near the uterotubal junction. The copper ring was left in situ throughout pregnancy and the lactation period. The possible teratological effects of copper were examined. Gestation, parturition and lactation were not affected by the copper. There were no macroscopic anatomical deformities noted in F 1 and F 2 generations. The fertility of F 1 and F 2 generations was normal. There were no significant differences in body weights and organ weights between offspring of copper treated and untreated mothers in either sex of the F 1 and F 2 generations. Histological examination of the ovaries, uteri and adrenals of Parent females showed no deviation from normal. The female and male reproductive tissues of F 1 and F 2 generations did not show abnormalities histologically. It can be concluded from this study that according to the conditions of these experiments, copper wire does not influence reproductive function and produces no teratological effects in rats, hamsters and rabbits.
Analysis of multiple event related potential components in a tone discrimination task.

Abstract Subjects performed in a tone discrimination task at two levels of difficulty, and a reaction time response was required on half of the trials. Four prominent components of the event-related potential waveform (N1, P2, N2, and P3) were analyzed. The results suggested that P2 represents the beginning of a central process responsible for stimulus identification and the initiation of decision making, while N2 and possibly P3 represent the end of this process. The notion that the P3 component is an unusually important sign of central processing is questioned, and the notion that P3 represents a central process of memorial update is also questioned. It seems more likely that N2 or P3 represent the end of a central process started at the time of P2.
A parametric analysis of linear integer programming problems

Abstract Parametric programming may be utilized to obtain restrictions to linear programming relaxations to linear integer programming problems. The purpose of such approaches is to reduce the size of the subproblems that appear subsequent to solving the relaxed linear programming problem. The optimal dual variables to the linear programming problem provide information regarding the difference between the continuous linear programming optimal objective function value and that of the integer linear programming objective function value.
Prostate Cancer Knowledge Among Low Income Minority Men

Purpose: We identified sociodemographic characteristics that predict poor disease understanding in low income, uninsured men with prostate cancer.Materials and Methods: A total of 399 low income, uninsured men with prostate cancer participating in the Men’s Health Survey done by researchers at University of California-Los Angeles Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center completed questionnaires assessing their knowledge of prostate cancer. Logistic regression was used to identify sociodemographic factors, eg age, education level, language preference, ethnicity and relationship status, associated with poor prostate cancer knowledge.Results: Most subjects were Latino (54% or 213 of 399), spoke English (53% or 213 of 399) and had a high school education or less (86% or 344 of 399). In the multivariate model increasing age (p <0.014) and less than a high school education (p <0.012) were associated with lower knowledge of disease, while Latino ethnicity and relationship status were not.Conclusions: Among low income...
An Idealized Study of the Structure of Long, Partially Mixed Estuaries*

Classic models of estuarine circulation are reexamined using a three-dimensional, primitive equation numerical ocean model. The model is configured using an idealized estuary/shelf domain with rectangular cross section, constant vertical mixing, and steady riverine discharge. Tidal dispersion is neglected, so the analysis does apply to well-mixed estuaries and lagoons. Estuarine scales for the length of steady-state salt intrusion, vertical stratification, and estuarine exchange flow estimated from steady-state model results are found to have the same functional relationships to vertical mixing and riverine discharge as the classic analytic solutions. For example, for steady-state conditions, the stratification is found to be virtually independent of the strength of vertical mixing. The estuarine structure was controlled by the interior estuarine circulation, and not by limited exchange at the mouth. Thus, the numerical solutions were not ‘‘overmixed,’’ although the solutions showed a dependence on freshwater flux functionally similar to the overmixed solution. Estuarine adjustment time scales are also estimated from the simulations, and they are related to the steady-state estuarine scales. Two classes of nonsteady solutions are examined: the response to a step change in riverine discharge and estuarine response to changes in vertical mixing. Spring/neap tidal variations are examined by modulating the (spatially constant) vertical mixing with a fortnightly period. Unlike the steady solutions, there is a clear dependence of stratification on mixing rate in the time-dependent solutions. The simulations involving changes in riverine discharge show asymmetries between response to increasing and decreasing river flow that are attributed to quadratic bottom drag.
Toward genome-wide identification of Bateson-Dobzhansky-Muller incompatibilities in yeast: a simulation study.

The Bateson–Dobzhansky–Muller (BDM) model of reproductive isolation by genetic incompatibility is a widely accepted model of speciation. Because of the exceptionally rich biological information about the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae ,t he identification of BDM incompatibilities in yeast would greatly deepen our understanding of the molecular genetic basis of reproductive isolation and speciation. However, despite repeated efforts, BDM incompatibilities between nuclear genes have never been identified between S. cerevisiae and its sister species S. paradoxus. Such negative results have led to the belief that simple nuclear BDM incompatibilities do not exist between the two yeast species. Here, we explore an alternative explanation that such incompatibilities exist but were undetectable due to limited statistical power. We discover that previously employed statistical methods were not ideal and that a redesigned method improves the statistical power. We determine, under various sample sizes, the probabilities of identifying BDM incompatibilities that cause F1 spore inviability with incomplete penetrance, and confirm that the previously used samples were too small to detect such incompatibilities. Our findings call for an expanded experimental search for yeast BDM incompatibilities, which has become possible with the decreasing cost of genome sequencing. The improved methodology developed here is, in principle, applicable to other organisms and can help detect epistasis in general.
Diverse Routing in Networks with Probabilistic Failures

We develop diverse routing schemes for dealing with multiple, possibly correlated, failures. While disjoint path protection can effectively deal with isolated single link failures, recovering from multiple failures is not guaranteed. In particular, events such as natural disasters or intentional attacks can lead to multiple correlated failures, for which recovery mechanisms are not well understood. We take a probabilistic view of network failures where multiple failure events can occur simultaneously, and develop algorithms for finding diverse routes with minimum joint failure probability. Moreover, we develop a novel Probabilistic Shared Risk Link Group (PSRLG) framework for modeling correlated failures. In this context, we formulate the problem of finding two paths with minimum joint failure probability as an Integer Non-Linear Program (INLP), and develop approximations and linear relaxations that can find nearly optimal solutions in most cases.
Managing micronutrient deficiencies in the bariatric surgical patient

Bariatric surgery is associated with development of several micronutrient deficiencies that are predictable based on the surgically altered anatomy and the imposed dietary changes. The three restrictive-malabsorptive procedures—Roux-en-Y gastric bypass, biliopancreatic diversion, and biliopancreatic diversion with duodenal switch, pose a greater risk for micronutrient malabsorption and deficiency than the purely restrictive laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding. The newer laparoscopic gastric sleeve (LGS) procedure poses a unique risk due to partial resection of the stomach. Metabolic and clinical deficiencies of two minerals (iron and calcium) and four vitamins (thiamine, folate vitamin B12, and vitamin D) have been well described in the literature. Deficiency of vitamin A and copper are reported less often. This chapter reviews the pathophysiology, clinical presentation, screening tests, and treatment for each micronutrient deficiency. With careful monitoring and adequate supplementation, these deficiencies are largely avoidable and treatable.
Circulation Research and Human Genetic Studies

June 26, 2010, marked the 10th anniversary of the completion of the draft sequence of the human genome,1,2 an achievement that was the pinnacle of the Human Genome Project, started approximately 11 years earlier and officially completed in 2003.1–3 The Human Genome Project offered the first systematic glimpses into the sequence of a haploid genome.1–3 It facilitated immensely the identification of the genes and mutations responsible for single gene disorders. However, an individual extent of the DNA sequence variations (DSVs) in the human genome remained largely unknown until the publication of Craig Venter’s diploid genome in 2007.4 By revealing the extent and complexity of variations in the human genome, the findings ushered in new insights into the remarkable genetic diversity of our species. Particularly intriguing was the finding that ≈45% of Venter’s genes were polymorphic and that his genome contained ≈4 million DSVs, including >3 million single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), ≈10 000 nonsynonymous (ns) SNPs, and several hundred thousand structural variations (SVs). Some SVs involved several million DNA base pairs (bps) and multiple genes, resulting in copy number variations (CNVs). Because of their size, often involving large DNA segments, the SVs accounted for three-fourths of the variant nucleotides. The success in sequencing the human genome was achieved using the ingenious DNA sequencing method developed by Frederick Sanger and Walter Gilbert.5 However, this technique (for which Sanger and Gilbert were awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1980) was relatively costly and time-consuming and, therefore, not practical for routine whole-genome sequencing. Thus, clinical application of the information content of the DSVs had to await the development of more efficient DNA sequencing methods. The introduction of the array-based 454 pyrosequencing technology in 2005 ushered in the era of Next-Generation or massively parallel DNA sequencing.6 This technique has …
RF phase distribution systems at the SLC

Through the use of existing RF coaxial waveguides, and additional installation of phase reference cables and monitoring equipment, a stable RF distribution for the SLC (Stanford Linear Collider) has been achieved. With the use of interferometry as part of an active feedback, and using phase and amplitude detectors to keep all RF devices correctly phased, the long-term stability of the Stanford Linear Accelerator seems to just meet the needs and requirements of the SLC. Higher frequencies, longer distances, and lower emittance specifications require that the next generation of engineers produce an accelerator with an intrinsically more stable RF distribution system. >
Influence of intramolecular cross-links on the molecular, structural and functional properties of PEGylated haemoglobin.

The influence of intramolecular cross-links on the molecular, structural and functional properties of PEGylated {PEG [poly(ethylene glycol)]-conjugated} haemoglobin has been investigated. The sites and the extent of PEGylation of haemoglobin by reductive alkylation are not influenced by the presence of an αα-fumaryl cross-link at Lys-99(α). The propylated hexaPEGylated cross-linked haemoglobin, (propyl-PEG5K)6-αα-Hb, exhibits a larger molecular radius and lower colloidal osmotic pressure than propylated hexaPEGylated non-cross-linked haemoglobin, (propyl-PEG5K)6-Hb. Perturbation of the haem microenvironment and the α1β2 interface by PEGylation of haemoglobin is reduced by intramolecular cross-linking. Sedimentation velocity analysis established that PEGylation destabilizes the tetrameric structure of haemoglobin. (Propyl-PEG5K)6-Hb and (propyl-PEG5K)6-αα-Hb sediment as stable dimeric and tetrameric molecules, respectively. The ββ-succinimidophenyl PEG-2000 cross-link at Cys-93(β) outside the central cavity also influences the molecular properties of haemoglobin, comparable to that by the αα-fumaryl cross-link within the central cavity. However, the influence of the two cross-links on the oxygen affinity of PEGylated haemoglobin are very distinct, indicating that the high oxygen affinity of PEGylated haemoglobin is not a direct consequence of the dissociation of the haemoglobin tetramers into dimers. αα-Fumaryl cross-linking is preferred to modulate both oxygen affinity and molecular properties of PEGylated haemoglobin, and cross-linking outside the central cavity could only modulate molecular properties of PEGylated haemoglobin. It is suggested that PEGylation induces a hydrodynamic drag on haemoglobin and this plays a role in the microcirculatory properties of PEGylated haemoglobin.
THE MECHANISM OF ACTION OF COLCHICINE Colchicine Binding to Sea Urchin Eggs and the Mitotic Apparatus

Colchicine forms a complex in vivo with a protein present in fertilized or unfertilized sea urchin eggs; similar binding was obtained in vitro with the soluble fraction from egg homogenates. Kinetic parameters and binding equilibrium constant were essentially the same in vivo and in vitro. The binding site protein was shown to have a sedimentation constant of 6S by zone centrifugation. The protein was present in extracts of the isolated mitotic apparatus at a concentration which was several times higher than in whole-egg homogenates. It was extracted from the mitotic apparatus at low ionic strength under conditions which lead to the disappearance of microtubules. No binding could be detected to the 27S protein, previously described by Kane, which is a major protein component of the isolated mitotic apparatus. The properties of the colchicine-bindinG protein, (binding constant, sedimentation constant, Sephadex elution volume) are similar to those obtained with the protein from mammalian cells, sea-urchin sperm tails, and brain tissue, and thus support the conclusion that the protein is a subunit of microtubules.
How do multiple environmental cycles in combination determine reproductive timing in marine organisms? A model and test

Summary 1Each of the multiple environmental cycles – the light–dark, tidal, semilunar, lunar and seasonal cycles – may have an independent, specific effect on reproductive timings of marine organisms and can alone or in combination produce a variety of temporal reproductive patterns. Assuming that each ecological interaction with these fluctuating environmental cycles generates a unique functional relationship between a component of fitness and the timing of reproduction, a model is proposed that predicts that all fitness components are multiplicative and therefore the reproductive timing is entrained or driven by a cycle(s) having a sharp functional curve of the relevant fitness component. 2According to this model, many of the reproductive patterns, ranging from diel to lunar, commonly seen in marine organisms were explained by changing relative kurtosis among functional curves of fitness components. Each curve could also differ in its optimum and skewness, making various intermediates and modifications possible. 3As a model system for the model to be applied, intraspecific variation in the timing of spawning by a puffer, Takifugu niphobles (Jordan & Snyder) was examined. The patterns of daily variation in a day's spawning time within a population and geographical variation in spawning days among populations indicated that (1) the semilunar cycle (i.e. spring–neap tide cycle) has no direct influence on spawning days, (2) a combination between the functional curves of the fitness components associated with the light–dark and tidal cycles produce an apparent biweekly, semilunar spawning rhythm, (3) the curves may be skewed toward earlier and later times, respectively, and (4) their form may differ among populations. 4This model approach argues that to understand the ecology and evolution of temporal patterns of reproduction, one must properly decouple and evaluate the form of the functional curve of a fitness component associated with each of the multiple environmental cycles.
Design of a magnetization gradient ferrite substrate integrated waveguide isolator to mitigate higher order mode effects

We demonstrate a new magnetization gradient ferrite approach to mitigate the insertion loss degradation effects of higher order modes in a substrate integrated waveguide isolator. Using a layered gradient magnetization ferrite structure to form a saturation magnetization profile, insertion losses were decreased. Measured insertion losses of the gradient isolator were ~0.1-1 dB compared to 2-4 dB of insertion loss using the nominal isolator. Both simulated and measured results are shown.
Acquired tracheoesophageal fistula from an ingested penny

Summary Ingestion of foreign bodies is common in children. Here we present a unique case of a tracheoesophageal fistula from an ingested penny produced post 1982, highlighting the reaction of the zinc content of the penny with gastric acid to cause erosion of the esophagus. We also present the orderly foreign body removal through a tracheostomy as the penny's diameter was greater than the cricoid.
EVALUATION OF EPOXY RESINS FOR USE IN HOT, WET ENVIRONMENTS

Eleven commercial and experimental epoxy resin systems were tested for water solubility, diffusion coefficients, and changes in glass transition temperatures under hot, wet conditions. Water solubilities were on the order of 1–5%, which compare well with the literature. Water diffusion coefficients were approximately 10−8 cm2/s, which also compare well with the literature. Most fit either short-term or long-term Fickian diffusion forms. The glass transitions of some, but not all, of the epoxies changed with water absorption.
An analysis of hourly deposition data

A scavenging-type model is propsed for the analysis of hourly data of nitrate or other pollutants in precipitation. The model would, in principle, allow for the separate estimation of the cloud-water pollutant contribution and the air-column contribution. In turn, these may be interpreted as regional and local contributions. As an illustration, the model was fitted to data from four precipitation events. Estimation of the model parameters was done on an event-specific basis except for pooling of the scavenging rate parameter. On propose un modele tenant compte d'un phenomene de vidange pour l'analyse de donnees prelevees a toutes les heures et se rapportant aux nitrates ou a d'autres polluants atmospheriques dans les precipitations. En principe, le modele devrait permettre d'estimer separement la contribution polluante propose au nuage et a celle de la colonne d'air. La premiere peut etre interpretee comme une contribution regionale et la seconde comme une contribution locale. En guise d'illustration, le modele a ete ajuste a des donnees prelevees durant quatre periodes de precipitation. L'estimation des parametres du modele a ete fait sur la base de chaque periode sauf pour l'estimation du taux de vidange ou un regroupement a ete efective.
Discriminative Cluster Refinement: Improving Object Category Recognition Given Limited Training Data

A popular approach to problems in image classification is to represent the image as a bag of visual words and then employ a classifier to categorize the image. Unfortunately, a significant shortcoming of this approach is that the clustering and classification are disconnected. Since the clustering into visual words is unsupervised, the representation does not necessarily capture the aspects of the data that are most useful for classification. More seriously, the semantic relationship between clusters is lost, causing the overall classification performance to suffer. We introduce "discriminative cluster refinement" (DCR), a method that explicitly models the pairwise relationships between different visual words by exploiting their co-occurrence information. The assigned class labels are used to identify the co-occurrence patterns that are most informative for object classification. DCR employs a maximum-margin approach to generate an optimal kernel matrix for classification. One important benefit of DCR is that it integrates smoothly into existing bag-of-words information retrieval systems by employing the set of visual words generated by any clustering method. While DCR could improve a broad class of information retrieval systems, this paper focuses on object category recognition. We present a direct comparison with a state-of-the art method on the PASCAL 2006 database and show that cluster refinement results in a significant improvement in classification accuracy given a small number of training examples.
Secure Routing and Intrusion Detection in Ad Hoc Networks

Numerous schemes have been proposed for secure routing and intrusion detection for ad hoc networks. Yet, little work exists in actually implementing such schemes on small handheld devices. In this paper, we present a proof-of-concept implementation of a secure routing protocol based on AODV over IPv6, further reinforced by a routing protocol independent intrusion detection system (IDS) for ad hoc networks. Security features in the routing protocol include mechanisms for nonrepudiation and authentication, without relying on the availability of a certificate authority (CA) or a key distribution center (KDC). We present the design and implementation details of our system, the practical considerations involved, and how these mechanisms can be used to detect and thwart malicious attacks. We discuss several scenarios where the secure routing and intrusion detection mechanisms isolate and deny network resources to nodes deemed malicious. We also discuss shortcomings in our approach, and conclude with lessons learned and ideas for future work