cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Stochastic variational multiscale analysis of the advection-diffusion equation: Advective-diffusive regime and multi-dimensional problems

Abstract We present the variational multiscale (VMS) formulation for the stochastic advection–diffusion equation in which the source of uncertainty may arise from random advective and diffusive fields (or material parameters), a random source term, or a combination among them. In this formulation, a stabilization parameter arises that, for the advection–diffusion equation, is a complicated function of the uncertain advection and diffusion parameters. To efficiently incorporate the stochastic stabilization parameter in the numerical method, we develop a projection-based approach to obtain an approximation of the stabilization parameter in the form of a generalized polynomial chaos (gPC) expansion. We demonstrate the current approach for problems which span the advective and diffusive regimes in the stochastic domain. Specifically, four cases are considered with multi-dimensional physical and stochastic domains. These cases include an advection-dominated case with an uncertain advection parameter, a case spanning both the advective and diffusive regimes with uncertain advection and diffusion parameters, a case with an uncertain source term, and a case with scalar transport under an uncertain advection field in a channel with multiple branches. For the latter case uniform and non-uniform meshes are employed. The expectation and variance from the stochastic Galerkin and VMS formulations are compared against their counterparts from analytical or Monte Carlo sampling methods where appropriate. In summary, an accurate and stable numerical solution is obtained using the VMS formulation with projection-based approximation of the stochastic stabilization parameter for multi-dimensional problems including non-trivial physical discretization.
Myd88 is required for disease development in a primary Sjögren's syndrome mouse model.

Sjogren's syndrome (SS) is an autoimmune disease that often results in diminished exocrine gland function. SS patients also experience systemic disease manifestations, including hypergammaglobulinemia and pulmonary and renal pathoses. MyD88 is a ubiquitously expressed adaptor molecule used by all immune cells that is required for IL-1 receptor (IL-1R), IL-18R, and most TLR signaling. The precise role of MyD88 in SS has not been evaluated, although this adaptor is critical for development of lupus, a related autoimmune disease. This study tested the hypothesis that Myd88-mediated signaling is required for local and systemic SS manifestations. To this end, we generated NOD.B10Sn-H2b /J (NOD.B10) mice that are deficient in Myd88 (NOD.B10 Myd88-/- ). We found that NOD.B10 animals that lack Myd88 show reduced exocrine and extraglandular inflammation. Moreover, these animals are protected from loss of salivary flow. Splenocytes from NOD.B10 Myd88-/- mice did not up-regulate activation markers or secrete IL-6 in response to a Myd88-dependent agonist, although BCR signaling remained intact. Finally, IgM, IgG, and anti-nuclear autoantibodies were reduced in NOD.B10 Myd88-/- mice compared with the parental strain. These data demonstrate that Myd88 is a crucial mediator of local and systemic SS disease manifestations.
Manifestations of classical physics in the quantum evolution of correlated spin states in pulsed NMR experiments

Multiple-pulse NMR experiments are a powerful tool for the investigation of molecules with coupled nuclear spins. The product operator formalism provides a way to understand the quantum evolution of an ensemble of weakly coupled spins in such experiments using some of the more intuitive concepts of classical physics and semi-classical vector representations. In this paper I present a new way in which to interpret the quantum evolution of an ensemble of spins. I recast the quantum problem in terms of mixtures of pure states of two spins whose expectation values evolve identically to those of classical moments. Pictorial representations of these classically evolving states provide a way to calculate the time evolution of ensembles of weakly coupled spins without the full machinery of quantum mechanics, offering insight to anyone who understands precession of magnetic moments in magnetic fields.
Role of the Operator in Dragline Energy Efficiency

Dragline operators, as controllers of one the most energy-intensive equipments in surface coal mines, play a significant role in dragline energy efficiency and thus mine profitability. The literature lacks work that explores monitoring system data and applies data-driven methods to gain a better understanding of dragline operation and develop more effective training approaches. This chapter provides a framework for assessing dragline energy efficiency performance using monitoring data and using such work to improve operator training. The first step in improving dragline performance is the assessment using data from dragline monitoring systems to estimate an overall performance indicator. Next, the analyst should apply a comprehensive algorithm to quantify the relationship between different operating parameters and the overall performance indicator. Finally, operators’ performance can be improved by using the results to optimize operator training.
Automated system for point shearwave elastography (pSWE) in rodent livers

Point shear wave elastography (pSWE) provides noninvasive measures of mechanical stiffness of biological tissue. Over the past decade, research has demonstrated that pSWE is effective at diagnosing a multitude of pathologies such as liver fibrosis and cancer. Life science researchers stand to benefit tremendously from access to pSWE but a number of challenges have limited its use in small animals. First, high frequency pSWE imaging suffers from transducer heating challenges and bandwidth requirements. Second, pSWE measurements are highly susceptible to variations in the environment and operator (e.g. precompression of tissue, transducer placement, etc.) which bias measurements and introduce error. Therefore, the objective of this work is to develop a robotically controlled, non-contact pSWE system capable of measuring liver stiffness in rodents.
Survival and Reproduction of Small Hive Beetle (Coleoptera: Nitidulidae) on Commercial Pollen Substitutes

Abstract An assay was developed to investigate the potential survival and reproduction of the small hive beetle, Aethina tumida Murray (Coleoptera: Nitidulidae), when provided artificial food resources in managed European honey bee, Apis mellifera Linnaeus (Hymenoptera: Apidae), colonies. Supplemental feeding was done to maintain the health of the hive, initiate comb building, expand colony numbers, and promote pollen foraging. To complement the protein requirement of honey bees, commercial pollen substitutes have been developed and are available for producers. Small hive beetles also exploit the pollen substitutes when present in the hive. Adult beetles were provided with 7 different commercial pollen substitutes and allowed to freely feed and oviposit over a period of 30 d. Beetles that survived the longest on the treatments did not necessarily produce the most larvae. The supplement Bee-Pro® supported the greatest survival, yet produced very low larval numbers. Global Patties® produced the most larvae;...
Business Process Reengineering and Manufacturing

The ability to link tasks electronically can both reduce costs and increase customer service levels, mainly due to the fact that fewer handoffs are required and the work-in-process moves smoothly through the system. The work-in-process can be a manufactured item or the information that is required to support the physical transformation activities. These information processes are sometimes referred to as administrative processes and may reflect the majority of expenditures for the firm.
Genetic and environmental influences on insomnia, daytime sleepiness, and obesity in twins.

STUDY OBJECTIVES To better understand the relationships of insomnia, sleepiness, and obesity. DESIGN Classic twin study. SETTING A community-based twin registry in Washington State. PATIENTS OR PARTICIPANTS One thousand forty-two monozygotic and 828 dizygotic twin pairs participating in the University of Washington Twin Registry. INTERVENTIONS N/A. MEASUREMENTS AND RESULTS Twins were, on average, 32 years old; 61% were women, and 19.5% were obese, defined as a body mass index > or = 28. Insomnia and sleepiness were endorsed by 19.3% and 3.7% of twins, respectively. Twin correlations were higher in monozygotic than dizygotic twins for insomnia (0.47 versus 0.15), sleepiness (0.37 versus 0.14), and obesity (0.82 versus 0.46). Heritability estimates were 57% for insomnia (p < .001; 95% confidence interval 47-63), 38% for sleepiness (p < .01; 95% confidence interval 16-46), and 73% for obesity (p < .001; 95% confidence interval 49-87). Multivariate genetic model fitting revealed that common additive genetic effects comprised 12.8% of the phenotypic correlation between insomnia and sleepiness (p < .01) and 10% of the phenotypic correlation between insomnia and obesity (p < .01). The phenotypic correlation between sleepiness and obesity was not due to common additive genetic effects. CONCLUSIONS Insomnia, sleepiness, and obesity are under strong genetic influence. Common genetic effects were observed between insomnia and both sleepiness and obesity, suggesting shared genetic contributions to these phenomena.
Diaspora in the Countryside: Two Mennonite Communities and Mid-Twentieth-Century Rural Disjuncture

Review of: " Diaspora in the Countryside: Two Mennonite Communities and Mid-Twentieth-Century Rural Disjuncture," by Royden Loewen.
An integrated network design and scheduling problem for network recovery and emergency response

Abstract Effective recovery and restoration of infrastructure systems play a crucial role in recovery after disasters. This issue is particularly critical when delivering time-sensitive services and commodities. Damage to infrastructure can lead to disruptions and diminished capacity to respond to emergencies. We model the interdependencies between infrastructure systems and service providers as a network model, where emergency responders deliver critical services while network recovery crews repair damage to critical infrastructure. We present a novel extension to the P-median problem, where the objective is to minimize the cumulative weighted distance between the emergency responders and the calls for service over the time horizon by coordinating the activities of two types of service providers. We locate emergency responders (facilities) on a network over a finite time horizon while network recovery crews install arcs. The installation part of the models is modeled as a scheduling problem with identical parallel servers (the repair crews), where an arc can be used by the emergency responders when installation is completed. We propose Lagrangian relaxation formulations of the models, which we solve using subgradient optimization. A feasible solution is obtained using the Lagrangian relaxation, which provides an upper bound to the original models. We test our models with both real-world data and data sets from Beasley’s OR Library to demonstrate the effectiveness of the algorithm in solving large-scale models. The results give insight into the optimal schedule for restoring critical arcs in a network when delivering critical services and commodities after a disruptive event.
Characterizing and Computing All Delete-Relaxed Dead-ends

Dead-end detection is a key challenge in automated planning, and it is rapidly growing in popularity. Effective dead-end detection techniques can have a large impact on the strength of a planner, and so the effective computation of dead-ends is central to many planning approaches. One of the better understood techniques for detecting dead-ends is to focus on the delete relaxation of a planning problem, where dead-end detection is a polynomial-time operation. In this work, we provide a logical characterization for not just a single dead-end, but for every delete-relaxed dead-end in a planning problem. With a logical representation in hand, one could compile the representation into a form amenable to effective reasoning. We lay the ground-work for this larger vision and provide a preliminary evaluation to this end
An efficient one-pot conversion of carboxylic acids into benzimidazoles via an HBTU-promoted methodology

Benzimidazole is a privileged, and routinely used pharmacophore in the drug discovery process. Herein, we report a mild, acid-free and one-pot synthesis of indole, alkyl and alpha-amino benzimidazoles through a novel HBTU-promoted methodology. An extensive library of indole-carboxylic acids, alkyl carboxylic acids and N-protected alpha-amino acids has been converted into the corresponding benzimidazoles in 80–99% yield. Since alpha-aminobenzimidazoles are highly useful synthons as chiral ligands for chemical catalysis, as well as for drug discovery endeavors, our reported method provides direct access to this scaffold in a simple, one-pot operation from commercially available carboxylic acids.
Videofluoroscopy Swallow Study: Technique and Protocol

The video fluoroscopic swallow study (VFSS) or modified barium swallow study (MBSS) is the current gold standard for the diagnosis and management of dysphagia. Deglutition is a complex neuromuscular activity consisting of four phases: an oral preparatory, oral, pharyngeal, and esophageal phase. Each of the phases is controlled by a different neurological mechanism. The voluntary oral preparatory and oral phases are controlled by the medial part of the temporal lobes and the limbic system of the cerebral cortex with contributions from the motor cortex and other cortical areas. The pharyngeal part of swallow starts at the end of the oral phase and subsequently is coordinated by the swallowing center in the pons and medulla oblongata. The reflex is initiated by the touch receptors in the pharynx as a bolus of food is pushed to the back of the oral cavity by the tongue, and by stimulation of the palate (palatal reflex). The sophisticated function of deglutition is guided by sensory input from the upper aerodigestive tract, central processing in the brain, and harmonious contraction and relaxation of numerous skeletal (e.g., tongue) and smooth (e.g., pharynx and esophagus) muscles controlled by several cranial nerves and the autonomic nervous system (ANS). Evaluation of this plethora of events by a single test is quite challenging. Thus, pretest assessment of patient’s physical and psychosocial health is of paramount importance to maximize sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of VFSS, as the test demands patient’s full cooperation. The VFSS provides a limited assessment of the esophageal phase of deglutition. Videofluoroscopic esophagogram is performed as a separate test for comprehensive evaluation of this phase of swallowing.
The impact of chemotherapy sequence on survival in node-positive invasive lobular carcinoma.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES We sought to evaluate the impact of chemotherapy sequence on survival by comparing node-positive invasive lobular carcinoma (ILC) patients who received neoadjuvant (NACT) and adjuvant (ACT) chemotherapy. METHODS cT1-4c, cN1-3 ILC patients in the National Cancer Data Base (2004-2013) who underwent surgery and chemotherapy were divided into NACT and ACT cohorts. Kaplan-Meier curves and Cox proportional hazards modeling were used to estimate unadjusted and adjusted overall survival (OS), respectively. RESULTS Five thousand five hundred fifty-one (35.6%) of 15 573 ILC patients treated with chemotherapy received NACT. NACT patients had similar rates of pT3/4 disease (26.6% vs 26.2%), nodal involvement (median 3 vs 4), and number of lymph nodes examined (median 13 vs 14) but higher rates of mastectomy (81.8% vs 74.5%, P < 0.001) vs ACT patients. 3.4% of NACT patients experienced pathologic complete response (pCR). Unadjusted 10-year OS was worse for NACT vs ACT patients (65.1% vs 54.4%, log-rank P < 0.001). After adjustment for known covariates, NACT continued to be associated with worse OS (hazard ratio [HR], 1.38; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.25-1.52). CONCLUSIONS In node-positive ILC, NACT yielded low rates of pCR, was not associated with lower rates of mastectomy or less extensive axillary surgery, and was associated with worse survival vs ACT, suggesting limited benefit for these patients.
A Mighty Power: The Defenses Employed by Utah’s Women against Disenfranchisement by the Edmunds-Tucker Act of 1887

In 1887, the U.S. Congress passed the Edmunds-Tucker Act, a law that disenfranchised the women of Utah Territory, even though they had the vote for more than a decade. Utah’s women, both Mormon and...
Using the Jupyter notebook as a tool for open science: an empirical study

As scientific work becomes more computational and data-intensive, research processes and results become more difficult to interpret and reproduce. In this poster, we show how the Jupyter notebook, a tool originally designed as a free version of Mathematica notebooks, has evolved to become a robust tool for scientists to share code, associated computation, and documentation.
Equilibrium Characteristics of Sand Beaches

Theoretical developments utilize the equation of wave-induced motion of a discrete bed particle to develop a criterion for classifying sand beaches according to their tendency to aggrade or degrade under a given incident wave. Laboratory experiments show this criterion to be more dependable than the conventional separation of summer and winter profiles solely according to deep water wave steepness. The experiments also show the theory to provide reasonable quantitative equilibrium profiles in the zone offshore of appreciable breaker influence and to predict, with considerable assurance, the offshore limit of profile modification. The extent of the agreement between experiment and a theory based solely on bed load considerations indicates the importance of bed load mechanics in the determination of equilibrium beach characteristics at least in the offshore zone of profile modification. Bed load movement probably plays a relatively small role in the net sediment transport causing the profile modification.
Virtual Crossmatching in Kidney Transplantation: The Wait Is Over.

Background Flow cytometric crossmatching is currently the method of choice for most transplantation programs before kidney transplantation. In July of 2017, our program implemented the virtual crossmatch, without a prospective physical crossmatch, for the majority of patients in the setting of a new kidney allocation system implemented by the United Network for Organ Sharing. Study Design A retrospective review was conducted to determine whether virtual crossmatching could reduce cold ischemia time (CIT). Secondary outcomes included the incidence of delayed graft function and 1-year patient and allograft failure. Results A total of 825 patients received a kidney transplant between December 1, 2014 and July 1, 2018; 505 were in the pre-implementation group and 227 were in the post-implementation group. The CIT decreased between the pre-implementation era to post implementation era from 16.67 ± 8.7 hours to 14.5 ± 8.2 hours (p = 0.002). On univariate analysis, delayed graft function (DGF) rates were similar between the 2 eras (19% vs 17%; p = 0.415), despite having more donations after cardiac death and higher Kidney Donor Profile Index donors in the post-implementation era. There was no difference in biopsy-proven acute rejection (n = 28 [5.6%] vs n = 8 [3.5%]; p = 0.226), 1-year graft loss (4% vs 3%; p = 0.304), or patient death (2% vs 1%; p = 0.567) rate between groups. On multivariable modeling for mean CIT and incidence of DGF, patients receiving transplants in the post-implementation era had an adjusted reduction in CIT of an estimated 2.35 hours (95% CI, 1.15 to 3.55; p Conclusions Kidney transplantation can be safely performed with virtual crossmatching, without a prospective physical crossmatch with improved CIT and potentially reduced DGF rate without increased risk of rejection.
Al-Bashir didn’t start the fire. Diversity, low contestedness, and the adoption of the Rome statute of the International Criminal Court

This paper contends that despite it functioning as a catalyst, the ICC “Africa problem” did not start with the arrest warrant against al-Bashir. To fully comprehend the current legitimacy crisis we...
10.10 – Solid Planet–Atmosphere Interactions

Planetary surfaces are coupled with planetary atmospheres through complex physical and chemical processes. On Mars and Venus, surface composition and climatic evolution are affected by volcanism, impacts, and atmosphere–surface interactions with limited and/or temporal influences from aqueous processes. Despite significant differences in environmental conditions on Mars and Venus, atmosphere–surface interactions reveal oxidation of surface materials by atmospheric gases and consumption of sulfur and halogens through weathering reactions. Atmosphere–surface interactions are altitude and latitude dependent owing to variations in surface temperature, pressure, and concentrations of atmospheric gases. On both planets, the composition of atmosphere and surface materials reveal past geological events, including intensive volcanic/impact degassing and resurfacing, as well as processes that occurred under wetter conditions. Although early atmospheric conditions could have favored formation of carbonates and hydrated minerals, current environments may not be feasible for carbonate formation.
Deep Learning for Resource Allocation of a Marine Vehicular Ad-Hoc Network

The marine vehicular ad-hoc network (M-VANET) is one of prospective architectures to provide Internet services to various users in the oceanic environment. When multiple users share a single spectrum band, it highly desirable to design a optimal strategy to allocate the transmission power while mitigating the mutual interference. In this paper, we apply the deep learning (DL) methodology to solve such a problem.
Efficiency losses from tax distortions vs. government control

Abstract Given the strong theoretical presumption that state enterprises are less efficient than private enterprises, why have countries often chosen state ownership? This paper explores the hypothesis that high tax rates can distort the decisions of private enterprises by enough that state ownership becomes preferable on efficiency grounds. The forecast is that state ownership should be seen primarily in settings with high (explicit or implicit) tax distortions to private behavior.
The Competitive Firm

Let us assume that there is a large number of firms that produce an identical product sold on the same market. The output generated by each firm is very small in comparison to the demand for that product. As a result, each firm cannot influence the price of its product: If the firm chooses to sell the product at a price slightly higher than that of its competitors it will lose its customers. If the firm sells below the market price, demand for its product increases, driving up the cost of production, thereby forcing the firm to increase its price. In such a perfectly competitive setting the price of a product is given for each firm. Perfect competition may be assumed for markets for final products or markets for production inputs, such as labor, capital, materials, energy, and information.
Comparison of national vertical and chart datums with WGS 84 (EGM96) geoid

In 2001, the National Imagery and Mapping Agency (NIMA) initiated a project with the Naval Surface Warfare Center (i) to examine transformations from national vertical data to the World Geodetic System 1984 and (ii) to address the potential for converting bathymetric depths from coastal hydrographic charts to WGS 84. This paper discusses findings obtained during the project. Systematic differences between various national vertical data and WGS 84 were determined and modeled. These models enable elevations or orthometric heights to be transformed with a better "fit" between local vertical data and the WGS 84 geoid. A concept for addressing hydrographic chart depth conversion based on GPS positioning of the chart data (e.g. Mean Low Low Water) was also examined. Results along the southeastern United States coast are presented.
John D. C. Little

The development of Operations Research (OR) after World War II (WWII) was greatly influenced by OR pioneers who applied their knowledge and experiences to the problems of business and industry. In parallel, they brought OR methods and practices into academia, and created the environment for the development and training of a new cadre of OR practitioners and researchers. In the forefront of this new group, we find John D. C. Little. From being the first to receive a Ph.D. in OR, John went on to leave his own lasting imprint on the field as a progenitor of the field of marketing science and its applications, the person behind the eponymous Little’s Law for queues, an influential academic leader, and a highly successful OR researcher, practitioner, and entrepreneur.
Relationship between particle size and impurity incorporation during crystallization of (+)-pseudoephedrine hydrochloride, acetaminophen, and adipic acid from aqueous solution.

Crystallization from solution is a technique widely used in various fields for separation and purification (1). During this process, structurally related impurities may be incorporated into the crystal lattice of the host crystals to form solid solutions (2,3). In addition, the solvent may also be incorporated into the host crystals as liquid inclusions containing dissolved impurities (1). The incorporated impurities and solvents may possess toxicological effects and may change the physicochemical properties, such as thermodynamic properties and dissolution rate of the crystallized products, (4). These changes may lead to batch-to-batch variations, which present serious problems of quality control in the pharmaceutical industry (5). It is therefore important to control the extent of impurity incorporation during the crystallization process. In a single batch, different kinetic parameters are associated with particles of different sizes. Therefore, the extent of incorporation of impurities and liquid inclusions may be size-dependent, because both processes are affected by the crystallization kinetics (6,7). This communication reports the relationship between the size of the particles crystallized in a single batch and the extent of incorporation of impurity and solvent.
Nutritional Support in Inborn Errors of Metabolism

Inborn errors of metabolism are disorders caused by genetic defects that produce problems in normal metabolic processes. [1] Although each single gene disease is relatively rare, many more diseases have had their genetic basis elucidated because of recent research into the human genome. In a normal metabolic pathway, a substrate is converted into a product in a chemical reaction catalyzed by an enzyme, sometimes helped by a coenzyme. A genetic mutation producing a defective enzyme or cofactor is usually responsible for these diseases. Signs and symptoms of these disorders may appear due to the accumulation in blood or in other tissues of the substrate, to the production of toxic metabolites because of the use of alternative metabolic pathways, or to the lack of the final product. They result from variations in the structure and function of enzymes or other proteins. The aim of treatment is to correct the biochemical abnormality and may include the following:
Invariant natural killer T (iNKT) cell exhaustion in sarcoidosis.

Invariant natural killer T (iNKT) cells are integral components of immune responses during many chronic diseases, yet their surface phenotypes, subset distribution, and polyfunctional capacity in this environment are largely unknown. Therefore, using flow cytometry, we determined iNKT cell phenotypic and functional characteristics in subjects with chronic inflammatory disease sarcoidosis and matched controls. We found that sarcoidosis subjects displayed lower iNKT-cell frequencies, which correlated with lung fibrosis, C-reactive protein levels, and other measures of clinical disease. The CD4−CD8− (double negative, DN) iNKT-cell population was selectively lower in diseased individuals and the remaining DN iNKT cells exhibited higher frequencies of the activation markers CD69 and CD56. Functionally, both total IFN-γ+ and the dual-functional IFN-γ+ TNF-α+ iNKT cells were decreased in sarcoidosis subjects and these functional defects correlated with total iNKT-cell circulating frequencies. As the loss of polyfunctionality can reflect functional exhaustion, we measured the surface antigens programmed death-1 receptor and CD57 and found that levels inversely correlated with dual-functional iNKT-cell percentages. These findings reveal that, similar to traditional T cells, iNKT cells may also undergo functional exhaustion, and that circulating iNKT-cell frequencies reflect these defects. Programmed death-1 receptor antagonists may therefore be attractive therapeutic candidates for sarcoidosis and other iNKT-cell-mediated chronic diseases.
Ring oscillator using InAlAs/InGaAs/InP enhancement/depletion-mode high electron mobility transistor direct-coupled FET logic inverters

The authors report the fabrication and characterization of E/D-mode 0.5 /spl mu/m gate-length direct-coupled FET logic (DCFL) inverters, and an 11-stage ring oscillator with a 3-stage output buffer, based on these inverters. Testing of discrete 0.5 /spl mu/m devices gave threshold voltages of 195 mV with a standard deviation of 9 mV for the E-HEMTs, and -365 mV with a standard deviation of 19 mV for the D-HEMTs. RF testing yields unity current gain cutoff frequencies (f/sub t/) of 70 GHz and 67 GHz for the E-HEMTs and D-HEMTs respectively. The inverters were tested for DC performance and the voltage transfer curve shows noise margins of 145 mV at supply voltages as low as 0.6 V. The ring oscillator was tested using a spectrum analyzer and shows propagation delays as low as 20.66 ps/stage, power dissipation as low as 120 /spl mu/W/stage, and power delay products as low as 2.65 fJ/stage. The fabrication process, inverters, and ring oscillator are described in detail.
Chemotherapeutics targeting immune activation by staphylococcal superantigens.

Abstract : Staphylococcal enterotoxin B (SEB) and related superantigenic toxins are potent activators of the immune system and cause a variety of diseases in humans, ranging from food poisoning to toxic shock. These toxins bind to both MHC class II molecules and specific V-beta regions of T cell receptors (TCR), resulting in the activation of both monocytes/macrophages and T lymphocytes. The interactions of these toxins with host cells lead to excessive production of proinflammatory cytokines and T cell proliferation, causing clinical symptoms that include fever, hypotension and shock. Different domains of SEB contributing to MHC class II or TCR interactions have been mapped and defined by mutagenesis, crystallography and other biochemical techniques. This review summarizes the in vitro and in vivo effects of staphylococcal superantigens, and the therapeutic agents to mitigate their toxic effects. Potential targets to prevent the toxic effects of bacterial superantigens include blocking the interaction of SEs with MHC or TCR, or other costimulatory molecules; inhibition of signal transduction pathways used by these superantigens; inhibition of cytokine and chemokine production; and inhibition of the downstream signaling pathways used by proinflammatory cytokines and chemokines. Early blockade of these targets proves to be useful in vitro and in vivo testing of therapeutics against SEB-induced toxic shock will also be reviewed.
Pulmonary input impedance spectra in models of chronically altered pulmonary hemodynamics

Pulmonary input impedance spectra were estimated in one-month-old lambs whose circulation had been altered during the first few days of life to mimic the pulmonary. hemodynamic states observed in infants and children with left-to-right shunts (high flow) and /or pulmonary vascular obstructive disease (high pressure). Spectral results obtained from the animal models were compared with those obtained from a computer simulation based on morphometric and hemorheologic data compiled for the 4 kg cat. Spectral features examined included the frequency of the first modulus minimum (indicative of the pulse wave reflection and/or pulse wave velocity) and characteristic impedance (average resistance to pulsatile flow). High flow (shunt-open/shunt-closed ratio>2.1) resulted in a slight spectral shift to the right with little change in characteristic impedance in both the lamb and the passive computer simulation models. High pressure (mean pulmonary artery pressure >28 mmHg) in the lamb model resulted in a marked shift to the right with a doubling of characteristic impedance. >
Developmental Role of Transcription Factor Isoforms Generated by Alternative Splicing

The production of transcription factor isoforms by developmentally regulated alternative splicing of pre-mRNAs is a widespread phenomenon. Frequently, differences in biochemical function among the isoforms can be predicted from sequence analysis, and in many instances such differences have been demonstrated in vitro or in cultured cells. A great variety of strategies for functional diversification can be classified into three main types: modulation of DNA binding specificity or affinity, production of activators and antagonists from the same gene, and modulation of dimerization properties. Despite obvious implications in many cases, the actual developmental consequences are understood only in a few instances. The roles inferred from these examples are diverse, ranging from developmental switches that have profound effects on pathways of differentiation to mechanisms that may optimize or fine-tune transcription factor function in different contexts.
Behavioral contrast and the automaintained key peck

In two experiments behavioral contrast was demonstrated during discrimination training in a positive automaintenance procedure. During the baseline condition in each experiment, a key was transilluminated for eight seconds by one of two colors (CS) following a variable intertrial interval signaled by a dark key. Keylight transillumination terminated with a response-independent food presentation. In the first experiment, food was eliminated during one CS for up to fifty sessions. After reinstatement of food following each CS, the discrimination was reversed. Six of the eight subjects showed positive behavioral contrast, i.e., response rates increased during the CS associated with food as they decreased during the CS associated with no food. The effect was replicated in Experiment II, but it did not occur when both the food and its associated CS were eliminated. These results were comparable to those obtained with operant discrimination training procedures (behavioral contrast) and with Pavlovian discrimination training. The results suggest that additivity theories of behavioral contrast may be insufficient to account for these data.
CORES: An automated method for generating three-dimensional models of protein/ligand complexes

We describe a new, automated method for building 3D models of small-molecule ligands complexed with proteins. Modeling templates are constructed from frameworks (i.e., ring systems and linkers) of ligands extracted from 3D structures of ligands complexed with proteins that are structurally related to the target protein. These templates are typically substructures of the target ligand and are used to build models that constrain the ligand's conformation and binding orientation in the active site of the target protein. The practical utility of the method is shown by demonstrating that most ligands containing related frameworks bind protein kinases in the same orientation. Moreover, models for 15 of 19 cdk2/ligand complexes in the protein data bank built using our method deviate from the X-ray structure by less than 2 A (rms). Finally, we show that over 70% of small-molecule protein kinase inhibitors published in J. Med. Chem. since 1993 can be modeled using a template extracted from a 3D protein kinase structure in the protein data bank.
Creating a Toxic Neighborhood in Los Angeles County: A Historical Examination of Environmental Inequity

The city of Commerce, a largely industrial and Latino city east of Los Angeles, contains a disproportionately high concentration of manufacturers that emit toxic chemicals. The coincidence of a min...
Repair of supravalvar aortic stenosis: cardiovascular morphometric and hemodynamic results.

Abstract Supravalvar aortic stenosis is associated with normal systolic pressure in the aorta and its branches with the singular exception of the coronary arteries, which are hypertensive. This uncommon lesion has been treated by patch aortoplasty of several types. We examined nemodynamics and morphometrics in 13 patients who underwent peration for Supravalvar aortic stenosis from 1979 through 1988. They ranged in age from 2 to 43 years (mean age, 14.5 ± 3.8 years [± standard error of the mean]). There were no operative deaths. Preoperative and postoperative (1 to 5 years) catheterization or echo-cardiography or a combination of these was done in all bai 3 patients (1 died late suddenly without a postmortem examination; 1 was lost to follow-up; and 1 has not yet been restudied). Pressure gradients across the stenosis in patients treated with a single-sinus patch (n = 4) were 65 ± 18 mm Hg preoperatively and 5 ± 3 mm Hg postoperatively ( p p p
Origin of lode-gold deposits of the Juneau gold belt, southeastern Alaska

Mesothermal gold-bearing quartz veins along the Juneau gold belt formed in the early Tertiary from H 2 O-CO 2 (±N 2 ,H 2 S,CH 4 )-rich, low-salinity fluids at temperatures of 200 to 325 °C and pressures in excess of 1 - 1.5 kbar. Isotopically heavy ore-forming fluids, with δ 18 O values between +8‰ and +12‰ and δD values of -20‰ to -30‰ , indicate a deep-seated fluid source. The data are compatible with a model of ore-fluid generation via metamorphic devolatilization within material subducted below the southern Alaska continental margin. Prograde metamorphic fluids infiltrated up zones of mechanically enhanced permeability associated with the Coast Range megalineament and formed the gold-bearing veins within brittle units at higher, retrograding crustal levels. Deposition of gold was accomplished by several mechanisms, including boiling, fluid-wall rock reactions, and decreases in pressure and temperature of the hydrothermal fluids.
Re-solving the cadherin-catenin-actin conundrum.

Cell-cell adhesion plays critical roles in establishing and maintaining tissue architecture and function (1, 2). In these roles, cell-cell adhesion must be adaptable and (depending on the biological circumstance) weak, dynamic, or strong. Different adhesion structures (adherens junctions, tight junctions, desmosomes) regulate cell-cell adhesion, and each comprises distinct membrane-bound adhesion proteins that interact with the cytoskeleton. Of the proteins that form these adhesion structures, the Ca2+-dependent classical cadherins found in adherens junctions have critical roles in controlling the specificity, organization, and dynamics of cell-cell adhesions. Cadherins are required for the formation of the first overt forms of tissue differentiation in early vertebrate and invertebrate development (3, 4). The specificity of adhesion among different cell types depends upon the strength of binding between and surface concentration of cadherins (5, 6). During Ca2+-dependent cell-cell adhesion, cadherins rapidly concentrate at sites of cell-cell contact through an active process involving the actin cytoskeleton (7), which reorganizes as cell-cell contacts form (8, 9). Actomyosin contractility may also play a role in cell-cell adhesion (10) and remodeling of cell and tissue structures in development (11, 12).
THE STANDARDIZATION APPROACH TO ASSESSING DIFFERENTIAL SPEEDEDNESS

An adaptation of the standardization approach to assessing differential item functioning that applies to all item responses, including omits and not reached, is described. Applications of this method to evaluate differential speededness show that there is evidence of differential speededness for Blacks and Hispanics, but not for Asian-Americans. There may be a dependency between differential speededness and test section location: Differential speededness may be more noticeable when the test section is located at the beginning of the test. Implications of these findings for evaluations of content-related differential item functioning and on differential test-taking strategies are described.
Improved Defect and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy Analysis for Prediction of Yield for HgCdTe Multilayer Heterostructures

The ability to accurately predict HgCdTe focal plane array (FPA) performance using nondestructive, postgrowth wafer analysis is of great importance. These predictions, if accurate, reduce costs by screening the wafers prior to processing, and selecting only those wafers that are most likely to yield FPAs that meet program specifications. In this paper, we examine the use of a macrodefect inspection tool, the NSX 1255, from August Technology. This inspection tool has the ability to measure defects 0.5 μm and larger and store the location and size data to a file. We have then, through the use of custom written software, been able to analyze these data on a wafer by wafer basis. We have also incorporated the use of a thin film transmission matrix model to analyze room-temperature Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) transmission spectra. This technique, which is applied to the entire wafer surface, can be used to determine the individual layer thicknesses as well as their compositions. Then, using analytical expressions for bandgap, absorption, and index of refraction, we can predict responsivity and quantum efficiency. Through the use of these two inspection tools and our analysis software, we are able to overlay FPA die information and perform statistics on a die-per-die basis. This allows us to effectively “pass” or “fail” each FPA based on the program specifications. We are then able to set a minimum criterion for the number of FPAs that pass on any given wafer. That wafer is then sent off to processing if it meets this criterion. Furthermore, knowing why a wafer fails before it reaches processing allows for real time feedback to the epilayer growth process. This allows for run-to-run adjustments in order to keep as many wafers within specifications as possible and increases yield overall.
Tumor angiogenesis in mice and men.

Over the past decade much research has focused on understanding the molecular pathways that regulate the development of a tumor-associated vasculature. In 1999, Lyden and colleagues showed that mice deficient in one to three Id1 or Id3 alleles could not support the growth of tumor xenografts due to defects in tumor-associated angiogenesis7. Three recently published manuscripts have now reexamined the role of Id genes in the development of a tumor-associated vasculature using more clinically relevant tumor model systems. Remarkably, all three studies have found strikingly different results compared to the original xenograft data published in 1999. Below we review the current understanding of the role of Id genes in the development of a tumor-associated vasculature given the most recent data and suggest ways in which animal tumor model systems might be put to better use to provide more clinically relevant information.
Sleep-related erections: Absence of change following presleep sexual arousal

We examined the effects of a brief period of sexual arousal before sleep on sleep-related erections (SREs) to add to our knowledge concerning those factors that affect SREs. Twelve subjects watched a 5 minute sexually explicit video before sleep. On other evenings they watched a dysphoric arousal video or a lecture (neutral) video. Sleep and SREs were recorded throughout the following night. Although the brief sexual arousal video produced a full or near full erection in all subjects, no significant effect on subsequent SREs occurred. We conclude that the control of SREs in young healthy subjects is insulated against the effect of a brief period of sexual arousal before sleep.
Characterization of human papillomavirus type 11-specific immune responses in a preclinical model.

Objectives/Hypothesis: Human papillomavirus (HPV) types 6 and 11 are associated with recurrent respiratory papillomatosis (RRP). Although a prophylactic vaccine has been developed that protects against HPV infection, a therapeutic vaccine is still needed for those patients infected with and/or suffering from persistent disease. Therefore, we developed a novel, therapeutic DNA vaccine targeting HPV-11 and characterized the in vivo immunologic responses generated against HPV-11 E6 and E7 after DNA vaccination in a preclinical model. Methods: We generated a DNA vaccine that encodes the HPV-11 E6 and E7 genes in a pcDNA3 backbone plasmid. We then vaccinated C57BL/6 mice with the pcDNA3-HPV11-E6E7 DNA plasmid. Splenocytes were harvested from these vaccinated animals and were incubated with overlapping peptides spanning either the HPV-11 E6 or E7 protein. The frequency of interferon-γ–releasing CD8+ T cell responses was then analyzed by flow cytometry. Results: Vaccinated mice with the HPV11-E6E7 DNA generated strong CD8+ T cell responses against the E6aa44-51 peptide. We determined that the epitope is presented by the MHC class I H2-Kb molecule. No significant E7 peptide-specific T cell responses were observed. Conclusions: We developed a novel DNA vaccine that targets the E6 gene of HPV-11. Characterization of the immunologic responses elicited by this DNA vaccine reveals that the E6aa44-51 peptide contains the most immunogenic region for the HPV-11 viral type. Knowledge of this specific T cell epitope and generation of a RRP preclinical model will allow for the development and evaluation of novel vaccine strategies targeting the RRP patient population. Laryngoscope, 2010
Spectral (600–1050 nm) time exposures (99.6 μs) of a lightning stepped leader

[1] A cloud-to-ground lightning stepped leader has been recorded with a slitless spectrograph at a recording rate of 10,000 images per second at a distance of 0.6 km. Five sequential images of the leader spectra were recorded with an exposure (integration) time of 99.6 μs each over a spectral range from 600 to 1050 nm. These are the first stepped leader spectra covering the range 600 to 1050 nm. The last three spectra, obtained immediately before the return stroke, were analyzed at an altitude of between 108 and 122 m above a struck vehicle. The spectral emissions in the near infrared are dominated by neutral nitrogen and oxygen emissions, and Hα, with only a few emission lines from singly ionized nitrogen. A singly ionized nitrogen line at 661.1 nm is present in the first analyzed image, but not in the two subsequent images at the same height, which suggests a cooling of the channel. The emissions are integrated over a 99.6 μs exposure time and therefore show no evidence of stepping. The ensuing negative return stroke was detected by the National Lightning Detection Network and had an estimated peak current of −15.2 kA. One subsequent stroke was outside the field of view of the spectrograph. The flash occurred on 11 September 2009 near New Underwood, South Dakota, and the exact location of the first stroke is known because it struck a car traveling on Interstate 90. The stepped leader two-dimensional speed increased in the last four steps from 1.53 × 105 to 2.42 × 105 m/s with an average of 2.03 × 105 m/s.