cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Summary of the WY-CUSP Characterization Program

The goals of the WY-CUSP program were to improve estimates of geological CO2 reservoir storage capacity, to evaluate the long-term integrity and permanence of confining layers, and to manage injection pressure and produced brine at the Rock Springs Uplift CO2 storage site. In the process of achieving these goals, a new and substantially more effective strategy and technology has been developed to achieve the most accurate performance assessments and resultant risk reductions for detailed geologic CO2 storage site characterization. The strategies and technologies used to perform the tasks resulting in achieving the project goals are the subject of this work—optimizing CO2 storage efficiency at the Rock Springs Uplift study site and elsewhere. The ultimate mission of the WY-CUSP program, managed by the University of Wyoming Carbon Management Institute—delivery of a certified commercial CO2 storage site in Wyoming that could be used as a surge tank for CO2 utilization—has been accomplished.
Maternal urinary phthalates and sex-specific placental mRNA levels in an urban birth cohort.

Prenatal urinary concentrations of phthalates in women participants in an urban birth cohort were associated with outcomes in their children related to neurodevelopment, autoimmune disease risk, and fat mass at 3,5,7, and 8 years of life. Placental biomarkers and outcomes at birth may offer biologic insight into these associations. This is the first study to address these associations with candidate genes from the phthalate and placenta literature, accounting for sex differences, and using absolute quantitation methods for mRNA levels. We measured candidate mRNAs in 180 placentas sampled at birth (HSD17B1, AHR, CGA, CYP19A1, SLC27A4, PTGS2, PPARG, CYP11A1) by quantitative PCR and an absolute standard curve. We estimated associations of loge mRNA with quartiles of urinary phthalate monoesters using linear mixed models. Phthalate metabolites (N = 358) and mRNAs (N = 180) were transformed to a z-score and modeled as independent, correlated vectors in relation to large for gestational age (LGA) and gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). CGA was associated with 4 out of 6 urinary phthalates. CGA was 2.0 loge units lower at the 3rd vs. 1st quartile of mono-n-butyl phthalate (MnBP) (95% confidence interval (CI): −3.5, −0.5) in male placentas, but 0.6 loge units higher (95% CI: −0.8, 1.9) in female placentas (sex interaction p = 0.01). There was an inverse association of MnBP with PPARG in male placentas (−1.1 loge units at highest vs. lowest quartile, 95% CI: −2.0, −0.1). CY19A1, CYP11A1, CGA were associated with one or more of the following in a sex-specific manner: monobenzyl phthalate (MBzP), MnBP, mono-iso-butyl phthalate (MiBP). These 3 mRNAs were lower by 1.4-fold (95% CI: −2.4, -1.0) in male GDM placentas vs. female and non-GDM placentas (p-value for interaction = 0.04). The metabolites MnBP/MiBP were 16% higher (95% CI: 0, 22) in GDM pregnancies. Prenatal concentrations of certain phthalates and outcomes at birth were modestly associated with molecular changes in fetal placental tissue during pregnancy. Associations were stronger in male vs. female placentas, and associations with MnBP and MiBP were stronger than other metabolites. Placental mRNAs are being pursued further as potential mediators of exposure-induced risks to the health of the child.
Update on the use of PCSK9 inhibitors in adults: Recommendations from an Expert Panel of the National Lipid Association

An Expert Panel convened by the National Lipid Association was charged with updating the recommendations on the use of proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9) antibody therapy that were provided by the 2015 National Lipid Association Recommendations for the Patient-Centered Management of Dyslipidemia: Part 2. Recent studies have demonstrated the efficacy of these agents in reducing low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol and have confirmed their excellent safety profile. A cardiovascular outcomes study has shown that these agents reduce incident atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) events in patents with stable ASCVD and concomitant risk factors. The current update provides the Expert Panel's evidence-based recommendations on the clinical utility of PCSK9 inhibitors in patients with stable ASCVD, progressive ASCVD, LDL-C ≥ 190 mg/dL (including polygenic hypercholesterolemia, heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia and the homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia phenotype) and very-high-risk patients with statin intolerance.
Outflow tract ventricular arrhythmias : Electrocardiographic features in relation to mapping and ablation.

Ventricular arrhythmia arising from the outflow tracts can manifest itself as frequent premature ventricular complexes (PVCs), salvos of ventricular tachycardia (VT), and/or sustained VT. It is amenable to management with medication and catheter ablation without need for an intracardiac defibrillator. The electrocardiogram (ECG) is a crucial tool in the management of these patients as it is can help localize the site of origin, thereby helping guide the electrophysiologist. An appreciation of the unique anatomy of the outflow tracts as well as their relationships with the surrounding structures is essential in interpreting the ECG. In this review, we examine the ECG features of the various outflow tract arrhythmia morphologies with a focus on anatomy and provide an approach to the ablation of these abnormal rhythms.
Lineage tracing reveals dynamic changes in oligodendrocyte precursor cells following cuprizone‐induced demyelination

The regeneration of oligodendrocytes is a crucial step in recovery from demyelination, as surviving oligodendrocytes exhibit limited structural plasticity and rarely form additional myelin sheaths. New oligodendrocytes arise through the differentiation of platelet-derived growth factor receptor α (PDGFRα) expressing oligodendrocyte progenitor cells (OPCs) that are widely distributed throughout the CNS. Although there has been detailed investigation of the behavior of these progenitors in white matter, recent studies suggest that disease burden in multiple sclerosis (MS) is more strongly correlated with gray matter atrophy. The timing and efficiency of remyelination in gray matter is distinct from white matter, but the dynamics of OPCs that contribute to these differences have not been defined. Here, we used in vivo genetic fate tracing to determine the behavior of OPCs in gray and white matter regions in response to cuprizone-induced demyelination. Our studies indicate that the temporal dynamics of OPC differentiation varies significantly between white and gray matter. While OPCs rapidly repopulate the corpus callosum and mature into CC1 expressing mature oligodendrocytes, OPC differentiation in the cingulate cortex and hippocampus occurs much more slowly, resulting in a delay in remyelination relative to the corpus callosum. The protracted maturation of OPCs in gray matter may contribute to greater axonal pathology and disease burden in MS.
Autoimmune demyelinating disease results from the combined effects of T cell affinity and increased bond lifetime for self antigen.

A fundamental question for autoimmunity is how T cells become activated to attack self in the periphery. Antigen recognition by T cells is often characterized by affinity, defined as the strength and therefore likelihood of interaction between TCR and peptide:MHC (pMHC), with the assumption that higher affinity T cells will be more pathogenic. However, our analyses of polyclonal and monoclonal CD4+ T cells reveal a wide range of affinities for myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (MOG) responsive T cells in EAE. We argue a finer degree of detail than affinity as the sole predictor of function because high and low affinity T cells promote paralytic disease. Affinity for antigen becomes a key factor in the kinetics of T cell activation, but is just one parameter. T cells also generate dynamic forces during this process and force adds a level of mechanical regulation to the TCR-pMHC bond by shortening or enhancing bond lifetimes. This is important because the lifetime contributes to functional potency of the response. For the first time, we report the bond lifetime of MOG specific T cells under applied force and demonstrate that upon activation, the T cells biophysically change, exhibiting similar lifetimes regardless of high or low affinity designation. This is novel because high, not low, affinity TCRs are predicted to exhibit long lifetimes. Comparatively, activated myelin specific T cells generate bond lifetimes similar to cells with foreign antigen specificity. In all, our data support a kinetic proofreading model of T cell activation linking antigen discrimination, actin remodeling and availability of intracellular chemical messengers where with time, high and low affinity T cells are essentially equipotent contributors to autoimmunity.
Ebstein’s Malformation: Does Echocardiographic Assessment Determine Surgical Repair?

Ebstein’s malformation is a complex lesion whose spectrum varies from the serious, when there is marked valvar dysplasia and deformity, to being relatively benign in nature. It is, therefore, impossible to provide a single option for treatment without understanding both the developmental aspects of this lesion and the fetal and neonatal presentations affecting not only the heart, but also other organs such as the lungs. An echocardiographer approaching this condition must take cognizance of many issues that are of critical importance when approaching the echocardiogram, which, while it cannot determine the repair on its own, is certainly a major determinant in deciding the type of repair needed.
Dynamic-Stability Characteristics of Premixed Methane Oxy-Combustion

This work explores the dynamic stability characteristics of premixed CH4 /O2 /CO2 mixtures in a 50kW swirl stabilized combustor. In all cases, the methane-oxygen mixture is stoichiometric, with different fractions of carbon dioxide used to control the flame temperature (Tad ). For the highest Tad ’s, the combustor is unstable at the five-quarter wave mode. As the temperature is reduced, the combustor jumps to the three quarter mode and then to the quarter wave before eventually reaching blowoff. Similar to the case of CH4 /air mixtures, the transition from one mode to another is predominantly a function of the Tad of the reactive mixture, despite significant differences in laminar burning velocity and/or strained flame consumption speed between air and oxy-fuel mixtures for a given Tad . High speed images support this finding by revealing similar vortex breakdown modes and thus similar turbulent flame geometries that change as a function of flame temperature.Copyright © 2011 by ASME
Privatizing criminal stigma: Experience, intergroup contact, and public views about publicizing arrest records:

Current U.S. policy allows private companies to publish arrest records prior to conviction in print and online sources, yet little is known regarding the extent to which people actively search for ...
Motile Suspension-Feeders in Estuarine and Marine Ecosystems

Motile suspension-feeders are defined as macroinvertebrates, fishes, and mammals that strain multiple small particles from the water column during each feeding event. Motile suspension-feeders include some of the most economically and ecologically important species in estuarine, coastal, and open ocean ecosystems. Major fisheries are based on fishes such as anchovies, herrings, and mackerels that feed either mainly or partially on plankton. A variety of mechanisms are used to procure, extract, and select food particles, but particles are not selected and targeted individually. Selectivity for certain-size particles coupled with pulses of high abundance can have major effects on food web and ecosystem structure. Although benthic and motile suspension-feeders share many characteristics, two major distinctions can be identified. Unlike benthic species, water column based forms do not create the kind of stable structures that provide habitat and affect hydrography. A unique character of the motile forms is the ability to migrate, often over long distances, effectively transferring nutrients and energy and otherwise impacting multiple ecosystems.
The impact of age at the time of radiotherapy for localized prostate cancer on the development of second primary malignancies

Abstract Purpose There is a known increased risk of second primary malignancy (SPM) in patients with prostate cancer (CaP) treated with radiotherapy (RT). It is unclear how age at diagnosis influences the risk of SPMs. Materials and methods Using the 1973 to 2013 Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program, we studied the impact of age on SPMs (defined as a bladder or rectal tumor) after localized CaP treatment with radical prostatectomy (RP) or RT. SPM risk was compared using inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW)-adjusted cumulative incidence function and competing-risk proportional hazard models. Overall survival (OS) in patients with SPM was compared using Kaplan Meier and Cox regression analyses. Results A total of 579,608 patients met inclusion criteria, and 51.8% of the cohort was treated with RT. The 10- and 20-year cumulative incidences of competing risk (IPTW adjusted) of SPMs were 1.9% (95%CI = 1.8–1.9%) and 3.6% (95%CI = 3.4–3.7%) after RP vs. 2.7% (95%CI = 2.6–2.8%) and 5.4%(95%CI = 5.3–5.6%) after RT. IPTW-adjusted competing risk hazard ratio (HR) of SPM after RT compared to RP was increased in the entire cohort (HR 1.46; 95%CI = 1.39–1.53, P P P P P = 0.112). At 10 years, SPM-specific mortality occurred in 28.9% of patients treated with RT, though OS with SPM was worse in the youngest patients: Age P = 0.002), Age 55–64 HR = 1.60 (95%CI = 1.42–1.81, P P P = 0.009). All of the age categories had similar median follow-up times. Conclusion At 10 years there is a 1.8% increased incidence of SPM after RT compared to RP, of which
Using a Decision Support Algorithm for Referrals to Post-Acute Care

Abstract Objectives Although hospital clinicians strive to effectively refer patients who require post-acute care (PAC), their discharge planning processes often vary greatly, and typically are not evidence-based. Design Quasi-experimental study employing pre-/postdesign. Aimed at improving patient-centered discharge processes, we examined the effects of the Discharge Referral Expert System for Care Transitions (DIRECT) algorithm that provides clinical decision support (CDS) regarding which patients to refer to PAC and to what level of care (home care or facility). Setting and participants Conducted in 2 hospitals, DIRECT data elements were collected in the pre-period (control) but discharging clinicians were blinded to the advice and provided usual discharge care. During the postperiod (intervention), referral advice was provided within 24 hours of admission to clinicians, and updated twice daily. Propensity modeling was used to account for differences between the pre-/post patient cohorts. Measures Outcomes compared between the control and the intervention periods included PAC referral rates, patient characteristics, and same-, 7-, 14-, and 30-day readmissions or emergency department visits. Results Although 24%–25% more patients were recommended for PAC referral by DIRECT algorithm advice, the proportion of patients receiving referrals for PAC did not significantly differ between the control (3302) and intervention (5006) periods. However, the characteristics of patients referred for PAC services differed significantly and inpatient readmission rates decreased significantly across all time intervals when clinicians had DIRECT CDS compared with without. There were no differences observed in return emergency department visits. Largest effects were observed when clinicians agreed with the algorithm to refer (yes/yes). Conclusions/Implications Our findings suggest the value of timely, automated, discharge CDS for clinicians to optimize PAC referral for those most likely to benefit. Although overall referral rates did not change with CDS, the algorithm may have identified those patients most in need, resulting in significantly lower inpatient readmission rates.
The Structural Violence of Hyperincarceration - A 44-Year-Old Man with Back Pain.

The Structural Violence of Hyperincarceration After an uninsured Puerto Rican man with back pain, other chronic conditions, and a history of incarceration admits to a doctor at a free clinic that h...
Globalization and Cultural Conflict in Developing Countries: The South African Example

Globalization requires more than physically linking the world. For it to continue apace, there must alsobe a set of shared cultural understanding. Part of the process of globalization is the need t...
Tip-Patched Nanoprisms from Formation of Ligand Islands.

We apply the concept of “island formation” established for planar substrates, where ligands laterally cluster as they adsorb, to preparing nanoparticles (NPs) with precisely sized surface patches. ...
THE EFFECTS OF CHRONIC PAIN AND LONELINESS ON FUNCTIONING AMONG LATINO AND WHITE OLDER ADULTS

The detrimental effects of loneliness and chronic pain on functioning in later life are well documented, yet there is little evidence of whether these patterns hold across racially diverse older adults. Guided by the Biopsychosocial Model of Assessment, Prevention, and Treatment of Chronic Pain, we used data from Waves 2 and 3 of the National Social Life, Health, and Aging Project (NSHAP) to examine the additive and interactive effects of loneliness and chronic pain on Elemental and Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (ADLs & IADLs) among a sample of 1046 Latino and White adults aged 50 and over. Using linear regression analyses, our final models (Adjusted R-squares: .316 & .304) included demographic characteristics, physical and mental health, medication, health behaviors and social factors. In this sample, approximately 33% experienced chronic pain, 50% reported at least transitory loneliness and 22% experienced both. Neither loneliness nor chronic pain was independently associated with functioning impairment. However, these two factors in combination were associated with lower scores on ADLs and I-ADLs. In addition, Latinos who reported chronic pain were more likely to report lower scores on ADLs only. Results highlight variations in the detrimental effects of loneliness and chronic pain for white and Latino elders. Findings suggest the need for interventions that address chronic pain and loneliness simultaneously. Future studies should examine how culturally-grounded experiences of loneliness and chronic pain may contribute to worsening of functioning among diverse groups of Latino elders.
Turning up the heat on HIV-1.

The introduction of antiretroviral therapy (ART) in the 1990s has turned the once fatal condition of HIV-1/AIDS into a chronic illness. However, it has failed to fully eradicate the virus, which remains in a latent state in a small number of CD4+ T cells in individuals on ART. One promising therapeutic strategy called “shock and kill” utilizes small-molecule latency-reversing agents (LRAs) to “shock” the virus out of latency, resulting in the “killing” of previously latent, now virus-producing cells by way of viral cytopathic effects or immune cytolytic mechanisms. While many LRAs are able to reverse viral latency of in vitro models of HIV-1 latency, most have little to no effect in resting CD4+ T cells from HIV+ patients. In PNAS, Timmons et al. (1) demonstrate that latency reversal for many LRAs depends on heat shock factor 1 (HSF1), a mediator of the stress response known to induce HIV-1 transcription. Their work not only sheds light on latency-reversing mechanisms but also explains the discrepancies in LRA activity between HIV-1 latency models based on immortalized vs. primary cells. The central bottleneck in studying HIV-1 latency is the lack of methods to home in on the elusive population of latently infected cells in HIV+ patients. Consequently, surrogate models in immortalized immune cell lines were developed to allow for mechanistic studies of HIV-1 latency. Their known proviral sequence, uniform integration site, and convenient scalability make cell lines, such as Jurkat-Latent (J-Lats), a pillar of molecular latency studies (2, 3). However, they do have limitations, which also extend to in vitro primary T cell models, in recapitulating latent infection in vivo (4). It remains the gold standard to validate any results obtained in J-Lats or primary T cell models in resting T cells from HIV+ patients on ART. Nevertheless, … [↵][1]1To whom correspondence may be addressed. Email: mott{at}gladstone.ucsf.edu. [1]: #xref-corresp-1-1
Control of a two-pressure distillation column

Abstract A recent paper explored the separation of the close-boiling mixture 1,2 propanediol (PDO) and ethylene glycol (EG). The optimum operating pressure using a traditional single vessel was 282 kPa with a reboiler duty of 399 kW. However, the vapor–liquid equilibrium shifts with pressure such that higher pressure is favorable in the PDO-rich region. An interesting steady-state design was developed that splits the column into a high-pressure rectifier (4.9 bar) and a low-pressure stripper (2.38 bar). A compressor (32 kW) moves vapor from the top of the stripper into the bottom of the rectifier. The hot vapor leaving the top of the rectifier at 244 °C provides all the heat required in the reboiler at the base of the stripper (234 °C). This novel design reduces energy cost by 85%. An effective control structure for this complex process is developed in this paper. A small auxiliary reboiler and condenser are used to stabilize the system and to handle large disturbances in throughput and feed composition.
The Semiotics of Insurrection: Farocki and Ujică's Videograms of a Revolution

Der Fokus auf die Chronologie der rumanischen Revolution von 1989 und die sparsame Verwendung von Autorenkommentaren in Videogramme einer Revolution (1992, Deutschland) von Harun Farocki und Andrej Ujica verbergen die tiefere thematische Beschaftigung des Films mit Signifikation. Damit die Revolution erfolgreich sein konnte, mussten die mit dem Regime von Nicolae Ceaușescu verbundenen Zeichen durch neue ersetzt werden. Es war jedoch erforderlich, dass Letzteres den Zuschauern des nationalen Fernsehens – dem wichtigsten Mediensender der Revolution – bekannt vorkam, um verstanden zu werden. Einige der fruheren Kommentare zu Videogramme weisen auf dieses Paradox hin, bieten jedoch keine ausfuhrliche Analyse der komplexen und sich entwickelnden Dynamik zwischen den verschiedenen Zeichen im Film: zwischen jenen, die von den Vertretern des Regimes verwendet wurde, und jenen, die die Revolutionare verwendeten und jenen Zeichen, die Videogramme als ein spezifisches Kinowerk markieren. In diesem Artikel, der die bedeutungsbildenden Implikationen in Videogramme beleuchtet, wird argumentiert, dass die Beschaftigung des Films mit der Produktion und Rezeption von Zeichen als Mittel der Reflexivitat fungiert, was charakteristisch fur Farockis gesamtes Werk ist.
Pediatric Ambulatory Central Line–Associated Bloodstream Infections

BACKGROUND: Inpatient pediatric central line–associated bloodstream infections (CLABSIs) cause morbidity and increased health care use. Minimal information exists for ambulatory CLABSIs despite ambulatory central line (CL) use in children. In this study, we identified ambulatory pediatric CLABSI incidence density, risk factors, and outcomes. METHODS: Retrospective cohort with nested case-control study at 5 sites from 2010 through 2015. Electronic queries were used to identify potential cases on the basis of administrative and laboratory data. Chart review was used to confirm ambulatory CL use and adjudicated CLABSIs. Bivariate followed by multivariable backward logistic regression was used to identify ambulatory CLABSI risk factors. RESULTS: Queries identified 4600 potentially at-risk children; 1658 (36%) had ambulatory CLs. In total, 247 (15%) patients experienced 466 ambulatory CLABSIs with an incidence density of 0.97 CLABSIs per 1000 CL days. Incidence density was highest among patients with tunneled externalized catheters versus peripherally inserted central catheters and totally implanted devices: 2.58 CLABSIs per 1000 CL days versus 1.46 vs 0.23, respectively (P CONCLUSIONS: Ambulatory pediatric CLABSI incidence density is appreciable and associated with health care use. CL type, patients with low albumin, prophylactic antimicrobial agents, and placement setting may be targets for reduction efforts.
Effects Induced by a Weak Static Magnetic Field of Different Intensities on HT‐1080 Fibrosarcoma Cells

In this study, we investigated the effects of weak static magnetic fields (SMFs) on HT-1080 human fibrosarcoma cells. Exposures to SMFs for four consecutive days were varied from 0.5 to 600 µT for treated units, while exposures to control units were held at 45 µT. Growth rates were measured by comparing cell counts, whereas membrane potentials, mitochondrial calcium, mitochondrial superoxide (O2 - ), nitric oxide (NO), hydrogen peroxide (H2 O2 ), intercellular pH, and oxidative stress were measured by using fluorescent dyes. The relative cell growth rates vary with the angle of the SMFs. Increases in the magnitude of the SMFs increased concentrations of mitochondrial calcium and membrane potential and decreased intracellular pH. H2 O2 , an important reactive oxygen species (ROS), increases at 100 and 200 µT, decreases at 300 and 400 µT and increases again at 500 and 600 µT. Overall, oxidative stress increases slightly with increasing SMFs, while superoxide and NO concentrations decrease. These results indicate that weak SMFs can accelerate and inhibit cell growth rates and induce alterations in ROS. Changes in ROS and oxidative stress are important for various cell functions. Calcium influx into mitochondria was one of the initial steps into the corresponding changes. Bioelectromagnetics. 2021. © 2021 Bioelectromagnetics Society.
Pleistocene Park, and other designs on deep time in the Interwar United States

Precisely how to reconstruct the planetary past is not predetermined. This article compares three contemporary plans, dreamed up in the United States during the Interwar and Depression years, that ...
Case 40: A Tragic Case

You are working in a small hospital in Western Sahara. It is 4 a.m. and you are not on call but your anesthesia colleague rings you from the hospital. He tells you his tragic tale:The colleague tells you he is devastated and that ENT has now booked an emergent bronchoscopy in a 2-year-old for removal of a foreign body from the trachea. He feels he can’t do it as he is too upset and asks you to come in. You say you will do it.
Home Health Agency Applications

The home health care industry has been growing steadily in the United States. Home health care is defined as “skilled nursing, therapy, aide service, or medical social work provided to beneficiaries in their homes” (Medicare Payment Advisory Committee (MedPAC) 2005a, p. 106). The beneficiaries must be confined to the home and need intermittent, part-time home health care services. In the early- to mid-1980s, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), then Health Care Financing Administration (HCFA), had very strict eligibility criteria and annual limits on coverage for home health care. Annual spending only increased at a rate of 1 % from 1985 to 1988. A court decision broadened the guidelines for home health coverage in 1989, and it was transformed from a benefit primarily for short-term post acute hospital care to longer-term chronic disease care. Afterward, home health care spending grew at an annual rate of 30 % from 1989 to 1997 (Government Accountability Office (GAO) 2000).
The Centralized Reliability Data Organization (CREDO); an Advanced Nuclear Reactor Reliability, Availability, and Maintainability Data Bank and Data Analysis Center

The Centralized Reliability Data Organization (CREDO) is a data bank and data analysis center, which since 1985 has been jointly sponsored by the US Department of Energy’s (US DOE’s) Office of Technology Support Programs and Japan’s Power Reactor and Nuclear Fuel Development Corporation (PNC). It focuses on reliability, availability and maintainability (RAM) data for components (e.g. valves, pumps, etc.) operating in advanced nuclear reactor facilities. As originally intended, the purpose of the CREDO system was to provide a centralized source of accurate, up-to-date data and information for use in RAM analyses necessary for meeting DOE’s data needs in the areas of advanced reactor safety assessments, design and licensing. In particular, creation of the CREDO system was considered an essential element needed to fulfill the DOE Breeder Reactor Safety Program’s commitment of’identifying and exploiting areas in which probabilistic methods can be developed and used in making reactor safety Research and Development (R&D) choices and optimizing designs of safety systems’.1
Metabolism of arabinosyladenine in herpes simplex virus-infected and uninfected cells : Correlation with inhibition of DNA synthesis and role in antiviral selectivity

Abstract The metabolism of 9-β- D -arabinofuranosyladenine (ara-A, vidarabine) and its effects on DNA synthesis were compared in uninfected and herpes simplex virus type-1 (HSV-1)-infected KB cells. In the absence of an inhibitor of adenosine deaminase, ara-A was deaminated to 9-β- D -arabinofuranosylhypoxanthine and phosphorylated to ara-A-5′-mono-, di- and triphosphates in both types of cells. When an inhibitor of adenosine deaminase (coformycin) was added to cell cultures, nucleotides were the only metabolites detected—primarily the 5′-triphosphate of ara-A (aATP). Detailed studies performed in the presence of coformycin established that the net rate and extent of aATP formation were the same in uninfected and HSV-1-infected cells. After a 12-hr exposure to 50 μM ara-A, intracellular concentrations of aATP were approximately 40 μM. Levels of aATP correlated directly with inhibition of total DNA synthesis. Approximately 0.7 μM aATP was required for 50% inhibition of total DNA synthesis in both uninfected and HSV-1-infected cells. Following removal of ara-A-containing culture medium, aATP levels in uninfected cells declined with a half-life of 3.2 hr. In marked contrast, the half-life in HSV-1-infected cells was 9.3 hr; this may explain why as little as a 3-hr exposure to ara-A resulted in a significant HSV-1 titer reduction. Taken together, the data show that when ara-A was removed from culture medium, levels of aATP persisted longer in HSV-1-infected cells thereby prolonging antiviral activity. This effect could be important in vivo where levels of ara-A oscillate with dosing schedule.
A lightweight communication architecture for small UAS Traffic Management (SUTM)

Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) operations at low altitude are growing rapidly and it is causing safety issues. UAS Traffic Management (UTM) is an effort for safely managing the low-altitude UAS operations. While its major concerns are for medium to large UASs, there is also a great need for managing smaller scale UASs (sUAS). The number of incidents caused by sUASs invading the controlled airspace is growing at an alarming rate. It is very difficult to track small UASs, let alone communicate with their operators. To monitor and coordinate the operations of small UASs, a specialized UTM system for small UASs (sUTM) is necessary. Through sUTM, the current Air Traffic Management (ATM) controllers will be able to monitor and establish communication with the sUAS operators when necessary. Conversely the sUAS operators can have a better situational awareness and avoid safety incidents. In this research, we analyze the requirements of sUTM, define their functions, and design the communication architecture. The proposed sUTM system consists of an sUTM server in the cloud and a portable sUTM unit deployed in the field. The portable sUTM unit manages multiple sUAS, and relays all communication from the sUASs to the sUTM server in the cloud. The sUTM server monitors sUAS activities, coordinates the flight continuously throughout the flight, communicates with the ATM, and enables two-way real-time communication between the UAS operator and the ATM controller. The sUTM can be augmented with a third-party UAS reporting tool for better coverage. A proof-of-concept prototype has been developed and demonstrated with simulated data.
Strength of default mode resting-state connectivity relates to white matter integrity in children.

A default mode network of brain regions is known to demonstrate coordinated activity during the resting state. While the default mode network is well characterized in adults, few investigations have focused upon its development. We scanned 9–13 year old children with diffusion tensor imaging and resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging. We identified resting state networks using Independent Component Analysis and tested whether the functional connectivity between the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) and posterior cingulate cortex (PCC) depends upon the maturation of the underlying cingulum white matter tract. To determine the generalizability of this relationship, we also tested whether functional connectivity depends on white matter maturity between bilateral lateral prefrontal cortex (lateral PFC) within the executive control network. We found a positive relationship between mPFC-PCC connectivity and fractional anisotropy of the cingulum bundle; this positive relationship was moderated by the age of the subjects such that it was stronger in older children. By contrast, no such structure-function relationship emerged between right and left lateral PFC. However, functional and structural connectivity of this tract related positively with cognitive speed, fluency, and set-switching neuropsychological measures.
The Strength of Association Between Surrogate End Points and Survival in Oncology: A Systematic Review of Trial-Level Meta-analyses

Importance The strength of association between surrogate end points and survival in oncology is important to understand because surrogate end points are frequently used in oncology clinical trials, supporting US Food and Drug Administration approvals and National Comprehensive Cancer Network guideline recommendations. Objective To identify and evaluate trial-level meta-analyses of randomized clinical trials quantifying the association between a surrogate end point and overall survival in medical oncology. Trial-level correlations test whether treatments that improve the surrogate end point also improve the final end point and are widely considered the strongest evidence to validate a surrogate end point. Evidence Review Our literature search was built on earlier reported data sets and updated with Google Scholar and MEDLINE searches conducted on December 26, 2014. For MEDLINE, search terms included (“regression” or “correlation”) and “surrogate” and “end point [or endpoint]” and (“oncology” or “cancer”). For Google scholar, search terms included (“regression” or “correlation”) and “surrogate end point [or endpoint]” and “overall survival” and “trial level.” A total of 108 abstracts were retrieved, and 62 articles were read in full in addition to articles identified through prior reviews. Findings We found 36 articles in which 65 specific correlations between a surrogate end point and survival were identified. Surrogate end points were studied in the neoadjuvant, adjuvant, locally advanced, and metastatic settings. The most common sources for trials included in the 36 articles were systematic reviews of the published literature (10 of 36; 28%), and published literature and meeting abstracts (14 of 36; 39%). Four meta-analyses (11%) used a convenience sample, and only 5 studies (14%) attempted to include unpublished trials by surveying clinical trial registries. Among these 5 studies, only 352 of 684 eligible trials (51.1%) were included in the analyses. More than half of reported correlations (34 of 65; 52%) were of low strength ( r ≤ 0.7). Approximately a quarter (16 of 65; 25%) were of medium strength ( r > 0.7 to r r ≥ 0.85) with survival. Conclusions and Relevance Most trial-level validation studies of surrogate end points in oncology find low correlations with survival. All validation studies use only a subset of available trials. The evidence supporting the use of surrogate end points in oncology is limited.
Isolation of ΦX174 Specific Messenger Ribonucleic Acids In Vivo and Identification of Their 5′ Terminal Nucleotides

Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) and ribonucleic acid (RNA) hybridization in formamide at low temperature was applied to hybridization of PhiX174 replicative form DNA and in vivo PhiX174 specific messenger RNA (mRNA) with some modification. We found that PhiX174 mRNA up to molecular weight 1.2 x 10(6) could be hybridized to and eluted from DNA without apparent breakage of phosphodiester bonds and the 5' terminal guanosine triphosphate and adenosine triphosphate of the RNA. By alkali hydrolysis of the purified in vivo PhiX174 mRNA and subsequent thin-layer chromatography of the digest, we isolated the 5' terminal nucleotides and identified them as 2'- or 3'-monophosphate guanosine 5'-triphosphate (pppGp) and 2'- or 3'-monophosphate adenosine 5'-triphosphate (pppAp). By comparing the in vitro and in vivo synthesized PhiX174 mRNA, a difference in the pppAp-pppGp ratio was observed. In the in vitro RNA, this ratio was 1.5, whereas in the in vivo RNA it was 5.5.
Functional Genomics and Enzyme Evolution

Computational analysis of complete genomes, followed by experimental testing of emerging hypotheses — the area of research often referred to as “functional genomics” - aims at decyphering the wealth of information contained in genome sequences and at using it to improve our understanding of the mechanisms of cell function. This review centers on the recent progress in the genome analysis with special emphasis on the new insights in enzyme evolution. Standard methods of predicting functions for new proteins are listed and the common errors in their application are discussed. A new method of improving the functional predictions is introduced, based on a phylogenetic approach to functional prediction, as implemented in the recently constructed Clusters of Orthologous Groups (COG) database (available at http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/COG). This approach provides a convenient way to characterize the protein families (and metabolic pathways) that are present or absent in any given organism. Comparative analysis of microbial genomes based on this approach shows that metabolic diversity generally correlates with the genome size -parasitic bacteria code for fewer enzymes and lesser number of metabolic pathways than their free-living relatives. Comparison of different genomes reveals another evolutionary trend, the non-orthologous gene displacement of some enzymes by unrelated proteins with the same cellular function. An examination of the phylogenetic distribution of such cases provides new clues to the problems of biochemical evolution, including evolution of glycolysis and the TCA cycle
Phenobarbital treatment and major depressive disorder in children with epilepsy: a naturalistic follow-up.

Of an original cohort of 39 epileptic patients, 28 were observed for a median of 26.5 months after an initial psychiatric interview. As had been noted in the original cohort, treatment with phenobarbital, as compared with treatment with carbamazepine or no anticonvulsant, was associated with higher rates of depression (38% vs 0%, P = .04). Depression associated with phenobarbital treatment at intake did not remit spontaneously on follow-up as long as phenobarbital use continued. Those patients treated with phenobarbital who were previously depressed and whose medication was changed to either carbamazepine or no medication showed nonsignificant trends toward declines in both the frequency and severity of depressive symptoms. These results provide further evidence that treatment with phenobarbital increases the risk for depression in epileptic patients and should be avoided when clinically feasible, particularly in patients with a personal or family history of affective disorder. Epileptic patients who receive phenobarbital because of clinical considerations should be monitored closely for symptoms of an affective disorder, and if depression is detected, a change to an alternative anticonvulsant may result in amelioration of depressive symptomatology.
Laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy using mid-infrared femtosecond pulses

We report on a laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) experiment driven by mid-infrared (2.05-μm) fs pulses, in which time-resolved emission spectra of copper were studied. Ab-initio modeling is consistent with the results of new fs measurements at 2.05 μm and traditional 800-nm fs-LIBS. Ablation by mid-infrared fs pulses results in a plasma with a lower plasma density and temperature compared to fs-LIBS performed at shorter laser wavelength. LIBS driven by mid-infrared fs pulses results in a signal-to-background ratio ∼50% greater and a signal-to-noise ratio ∼40% lower than fs-LIBS at near-infrared laser wavelength.
Analysis of RNA Export Using Xenopus Oocytes

This unit describes a procedure for monitoring RNA export in Xenopus oocytes. The technique involves synthesizing labeled RNA in vitro and microinjecting the RNA into oocyte nuclei. Following incubation the oocytes are dissected into nuclear and cytoplasmic fractions. These samples are then processed for RNA analysis, allowing the extent of export to be quantitatively assessed.
Satellite communications for aeronautical applications: recent research and development results

Communications systems have always been a critical element in aviation. Until recently, nearly all communications between the ground and aircraft have been based on analog voice technology. But the future of global aviation requires a more sophisticated ‘information infrastructure’ which not only provides more and better communications, but integrates the key information functions (communications, navigation and surveillance) into a modern, network-based infrastructure. Satellite communications will play an increasing role in providing information infrastructure solutions for aviation. Developing and adapting satellite communications technologies for aviation use is now receiving increased attention as the urgency to develop information infrastructure solutions grows. The NASA Glenn Research Center is actively involved in research and development activities for aeronautical satellite communications, with a key emphasis on air traffic management communications needs. This paper describes the recent results and status of NASA Glenn's research program.
Physicochemical property distributions for accurate and rapid pairwise protein homology detection

The challenge of remote homology detection is that many evolutionarily related sequences have very little similarity at the amino acid level. Kernel-based discriminative methods, such as support vector machines (SVMs), that use vector representations of sequences derived from sequence properties have been shown to have superior accuracy when compared to traditional approaches for the task of remote homology detection. We introduce a new method for feature vector representation based on the physicochemical properties of the primary protein sequence. A distribution of physicochemical property scores are assembled from 4-mers of the sequence and normalized based on the null distribution of the property over all possible 4-mers. With this approach there is little computational cost associated with the transformation of the protein into feature space, and overall performance in terms of remote homology detection is comparable with current state-of-the-art methods. We demonstrate that the features can be used for the task of pairwise remote homology detection with improved accuracy versus sequence-based methods such as BLAST and other feature-based methods of similar computational cost. A protein feature method based on physicochemical properties is a viable approach for extracting features in a computationally inexpensive manner while retaining the sensitivity of SVM protein homology detection. Furthermore, identifying features that can be used for generic pairwise homology detection in lieu of family-based homology detection is important for applications such as large database searches and comparative genomics.
Sputter ripples and radiation-enhanced surface kinetics on Cu(001)

We have measured the temperature and flux dependence of the wavelength of surface ripples spontaneously formed by low-energy sputtering of a Cu(001) surface. We find that the temperature dependence of the ripple wavelength is non-Arrhenius, with a greater apparent activation at high temperature than at low temperature. Furthermore, the dependence of the wavelength on flux changes significantly with temperature. In the high-temperature regime, the wavelength decreases as the ion flux increases, while at low temperature, the wavelength is essentially independent of flux. We explain these results by a quantitative model that includes the mechanisms controlling the concentration of mobile defects on the surface in the two temperature regimes. At low temperature, mobile defects are induced by the ion beam while at higher temperature, the defects are thermally generated.
Data Linkages for Research on Outcomes of Long-Term Care

Medicaid claims were linked with a sample of data gathered for nursing home quality assurance and case mix reimbursement (N = 14,917). This generated patient level records of medical resource use combined with standardized assessments of health and functional status. We describe the linkage process and the characteristics of the combined set of information — its strengths, limitations, and potential uses. The two data sources, one cross-sectional and the other longitudinal, complemented one another and provided a more complete description of patient resource use and health status. However, methodological and ethical issues must be resolved before data linkages are used routinely for research.
An Energy-efficient Buffer Cache Replacement Algorithm

Power consumption is an increasingly impressing concern for data servers as it directly affects running costs and system reliability. Prior studies have shown that most memory space on data servers are used for buffer caching and thus cache replacement becomes critical. This paper investigates the tradeoff between these two interacting factors and proposes an energy-aware cache replacement algorithm. On a cache miss, it evicts a victim block from the most recently accessed memory chip. Simulation results based real-world TPC-R I/O trace show that our algorithm can save up to 12.2% energy with marginal degradation in hit rates.
Molecular theory of selectivity based on solute structure for nematic liquid-crystalline phases in gas—liquid chromatography

Abstract A molecular theory, based on a lattice model, is presented. The theory addresses the enhancement in selectivity experienced by structural isomers (solute components) from the orientational order of nematic phases (solvent components) in gas—liquid chromatography. A variety of molecular structures of solutes are treated in the context of the model: thin and thick rods, plates, cubes, and semiflexible chains. Representative solvent molecules, mimicking low-and high-temperature nematogens, are considered. Each consists of a rigid, rodlike core and, in general, semiflexible pendant groups. Selectivity enhancements are determined relative to the bulky cubic solutes for model isomers having the same reduced molecular volume, ṽ2. The results are discussed in terms of the calculated orientational order of the solute molecules and other molecular-level effects. It is seen that the selectivity enhancement for a conformationally rigid isomer increases as its molecular-structural indicator, g2 = 3(ṽ2 − q2), decreases, where q2 is its reduced molecular area.