cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
[40] Variational methods in the theory of conformal mapping

Max Schiffer was twice honored by invitations to address the International Congress of Mathematicians, at Cambridge (Massachusetts) in 1950 and at Edinburgh in 1958. The articles (Schiffer, Proceedings of the International Congress of Mathematicians, Cambridge, Mass., 1950, American Mathematical Society, Providence, vol. 2, pp. 233–240, 1952; Schiffer, Proceedings of the International Congress of Mathematicians, Edinburgh, 1958, Cambridge University Press, New York, pp. 211–231, 1960) are written versions of his lectures. Both of the articles are devoted to the variational methods for which Schiffer was best known, but they are rather different in character. The paper (Schiffer, Proceedings of the International Congress of Mathematicians, Cambridge, Mass., 1950, American Mathematical Society, Providence, vol. 2, pp. 233–240, 1952) offers a broad discussion of variational methods and their relative merits, and it surveys a variety of applications. The paper (Schiffer, Proceedings of the International Congress of Mathematicians, Edinburgh, 1958, Cambridge University Press, New York, pp. 211–231, 1960), on the other hand, focuses more narrowly on applications to particular extremal problems in function theory such as coefficient problems, and it gives a fairly detailed account of technical advances in the use of variational methods. In this respect, (Schiffer, Proceedings of the International Congress of Mathematicians, Edinburgh, 1958, Cambridge University Press, New York, pp. 211–231, 1960) is somewhat dated, since the Bieberbach conjecture has now been proved [see commentaries on (Schiffer, Proc. London Math. Soc., 44(2), 432–449, 1938; Schiffer, Proc. London Math. Soc., 44(2), 450–452, 1938; Schiffer and Charzynski, Arch. Rational Mech. Anal., 5, 187–193, 1960)] and the conjecture \(\vert b_{n}\vert \leq \frac{2} {n+1}\) for functions of class Σ has been disproved for all n ≥ 3 [see commentaries on (Schiffer, Bull. Soc. Math. France, 66, 48–55, 1938; Schiffer and Garabedian, Ann. of Math., 61(2), 116–136, 1955; Schiffer et al., J. Analyse Math., 40, 203–238, 1981)]. The paper (Schiffer, Proceedings of the International Congress of Mathematicians, Edinburgh, 1958, Cambridge University Press, New York, pp. 211–231, 1960) also gives an extended description of Schiffer’s method for obtaining a lower bound for the first nontrivial Fredholm eigenvalue of a simply connected domain with analytic boundary curve. Schiffer and others returned repeatedly to this problem [see Kuhnau’s commentary on (Schiffer, Pacific J. Math., 7, 1187–1225, 1957; Schiffer, Pacific J. Math., 9, 211–269, 1959; Schiffer, Rend. Mat., 22(5), 447–468, 1963; Schiffer, Ann. Polon. Math., 39, 149–164, 1981)]. The lower bound is important numerically, because it allows an estimate on the rate at which the Neumann series converges to the solution of the classical Poincare–Fredholm integral equation associated with the solution of a Dirichlet problem. In his expository paper (Schiffer, Rend. Mat. 22(5), 447–468, 1963), Schiffer gives a clear and detailed account of this beautiful circle of ideas.
Follow the Reader: An Effective Strategy to Support Students Reading More Complex Text

This article describes how one second-grade teacher implemented Follow the Reader, her term for dyad reading. Common Core expects students to read increasingly complex texts. Teachers can implement dyad reading with this end in mind. It is a modified version of the neurological impress method in which a lead reader and an assisted reader sit side by side and read a shared text aloud in unison. As this article demonstrates, this strategy can be implemented successfully with small groups or an entire class and is effective with both English-proficient and English-learning children. She included fiction and nonfiction texts, daily class discussions, book logs to maintain student accountability, and discussion between partners about texts. She provided modeling for students and gave them time to practice procedures.
APSEN: Pre-screening Tool for Sleep Apnea in a Home Environment

This paper describes the APSEN system, a pre-screening tool for detecting sleep apnea in a home environment. The system was designed and evaluated in two parts; the apnea detection using SpO2 and the posture detection using IR images. The two parts can work together or independently. During the preliminary study, the apnea detection algorithm was evaluated using an online database, and the right algorithms for detecting the sleep posture were determined. In the overnight study, both of the subsystems were tested on 10 subjects. The average accuracy for the apnea detection algorithm was 71.51% for apnea conditions, and 98.68% for normal conditions. For the posture detection algorithms, during the overnight study, the average accuracies are 74.91% and 89.71% for SVM and CNN, respectively. The results represented in the paper indicate that the APSEN system could be used to detect apnea and postural apnea in a home environment.
FREEZE-DRYING METALS AND CERAMICS.

Freeze-dried coffee has made it big. Is there a place in the metals or ceramic industry for a similar process?
A load-managing photovoltaic system for electric vehicle charging

Electric vehicles have the potential to significantly reduce carbon emissions associated with transportation if they are charged with clean solar electricity. However, the cost and intermittency of conventional photovoltaic systems make it an expensive and unreliable option. In this paper we present a new topology for photovoltaic systems. Instead of managing the power from the photovoltaic array, our system manages the loads and matches them to the instantaneous maximum power available from the photovoltaic array. This results in a far simpler system than conventional systems. An operational system prototype has been implemented, and the preliminary results indicate that our system can exceed the efficiencies of traditional photovoltaic systems at a fraction of the cost. Our system is backed up by the electric grid, which eliminates its intermittency. The simultaneous benefit of reduced cost, improved efficiency, and improved reliability lead to a 25% lower levelized cost of electricity and allows for a practical way to charge electric vehicles with photovoltaics.
Antiandrogen therapy with spironolactone for the treatment of hidradenitis suppurativa

Background Hormonal therapy is a potential treatment for hidradenitis suppurativa (HS). However, few data exist describing the efficacy of spironolactone in treatment of HS. Objective To assess whether spironolactone treatment improves HS disease severity and patient-reported pain. Methods We performed a single-center chart review of female patients with HS who were treated with spironolactone between 2000 and 2017. Primary outcome measurements included the HS Physician's Global Assessment (HS-PGA), Hurley staging, inflammatory lesion count, fistula count, and a numeric rating scale for pain. Results On average, subjects were exposed to 75 mg of spironolactone daily over a 7.1-month follow-up period. Patients achieved significant disease improvement with regard to pain (Δ-1.5 [P = .01]), inflammatory lesions (Δ-1.3 [P = .02]), and HS-PGA score (Δ-0.6 [P Limitations Retrospective nature, limited sample size, and variations in severity measures documented were limiting factors. Conclusions Management of HS with spironolactone reduces lesion count, HS-PGA score, and pain. Lower doses appear to be effective and may be an appropriate option for patients with tolerability concerns.
Discovering the Alphabetic Principle: A Lost Opportunity for Educational Reform

We review the recently published report by the Committee on the Prevention of Reading Difficulties in Young Children from a behavior analytic perspective. The authors prescribe what children should learn to be successful readers based on the correlates of reading and the developmental progression of reading errors. The report offers no discussion of theoretical models that can be used by teachers and parents to reform reading instruction or specific procedures that have been shown to be effective at promoting various reading skills. We discuss these omissions in terms of the level of research included in the review, the authors' structural approach to synthesizing this research, and the constructivist orientation common to many early childhood educators. The paper concludes by identifying models and strategies from the behavior analysis literature that can be used to guide instruction and offers a modest suggestion for future reviews of reading research.
Vortex Patch Models

In this chapter we relax the assumption that the vorticity is distributed singularly and we describe solutions to the two-dimensional Euler equations in which it is uniformly distributed over compact planar regions. Since elliptical regions of constant vorticity play a particularly important role in the literature for reasons that are both physical and mathematical, much of the focus is on solutions and models based on this shape. We start by describing Kida’s (1981) exact solution of an unsteady elliptical region of constant vorticity, which persists in a background flowfield including strain and additional uniform vorticity. This solution generalizes the classical one described in Lamb (1932) of an isolated elliptical region undergoing self-induced rotation — a so-called Kirchhoff ellipse. It is also a time-dependent generalization of the steady state solutions discovered by Moore and Saffman (1971). The Kida vortex represents one of the few known exact, nonlinear, time-dependent solutions to the Euler equations, where vorticity is not distributed singularly. Our presentation combines the original approach of Kida (1981) with the more general approach of Neu (1984) that allows for out-of-plane strain and makes use of a Hamil-tonian formulation. We then use the Melnikov method to prove that in the presence of a three-dimensional time-periodic strain field, the elliptical vortex parameters oscillate chaotically, as was shown originally in the work of Bertozzi (1988) and more recently analyzed in Ide and Wiggins (1995).
Quantum Hardware I: Ion Trap Qubits

The DiVincenzo criteria, a list of necessities for the construction of a quantum computer is summarized herein. In reviewing the physics underpinning the trapped ion qubit paradigm, I introduce a rotor model for atoms/ions and demonstrate how single qubit gates, such as the phase and Hadamard gates, are realized in this framework. We use the latter to illustrate how ions respond to laser radiation, the mechanism by which ion qubits are addressed. We show how the Cirac-Zoller mechanism, and its generalization, enables the realization of two-qubit control gates. I provide a survey of trapped ion qubit systems, including optical and hyperfine qubit systems.
Capturing Phase Behavior of Ternary Lipid Mixtures with a Refined Martini Coarse-Grained Force Field

Whether lipid rafts are present in the membranes of living cells remains hotly disputed despite their incontrovertible existence in liposomes at 298 K. In attempts to resolve this debate, molecular...
Negotiating the Lender-of-Last-Resort: The 1913 Fed Act as a Debate Over Credit Distribution

“Lending of last resort” is one of the key powers of central banks. As a lender-of-last-resort, the Federal Reserve famously supports commercial banks facing distressed liquidity conditions, thereby mitigating destabilizing bank runs. Less famously, lender-of-last-resort powers also influence the distribution of credit among different groups in society and therefore have high stakes for economic inequality. The Fed’s role as a lender-of-last-resort witnessed an unprecedented expansion during the 2007-9 Crisis when the Fed invoked emergency powers to lend to a new set of borrowers known as “shadow banks”. The decision proved controversial and spurred legislative reform narrowing the Fed’s authority as well as an ongoing scholarly debate. Participants in this debate, the article argues, limited their focus to financial stability considerations, thereby neglecting those powers’ considerable distributive implications. The article contributes to the current literature by demonstrating the distributive stakes of lender-of-last-resort powers through a concrete historical example: the legislative debate around the 1913 Federal Reserve Act that established the Fed. During that time, three different groups debated the legal definition of “eligible collateral” that the Fed could accept from borrowers to secure emergency loans. The first group was corporate financiers, who were interested in supporting capital markets. The second group was the Democratic framers of the Act, who tried to divert credit away from corporate securities and into small businesses. The third group was farmers that needed credit for developing the agrarian periphery. I argue that each of these groups tried to shape the definition of eligible collateral in ways that would promote that group’s unique credit needs and reduce its borrowing costs. For us today, this history is an invitation to reconsider the distributive implications of the current lender-of-last-resort powers and revise them accordingly.
Robust Energy Calibration Technique for Photon Counting Spectral Detectors

This paper describes the implementation of a novel and robust threshold energy calibration method for photon counting detectors using polychromatic X-ray tubes. Methods often used for such energy calibration may require re-orientation of the detector or introduce calibration errors that are flux and acquisition time-dependent. Our newly proposed “differential intensity ratios” (DIR) method offers a practical and robust alternative to existing methods. We demonstrate this robustness against photon flux used in calibration, spectral errors such as pulse pile-up as well as the detector’s inherent spectral resolution limits. The demonstrated significant insensitivity of the proposed DIR signature to detector spectral distortions and energy resolution is a key finding. The proposed DIR calibration method is demonstrated using Medipix3RX detectors with a CdTe sensor under varying flux conditions. A per pixel calibration using the DIR method has also been implemented to demonstrate an improvement over the global energy resolution of the PCD.
Primary and Secondary Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease in Patients with Chronic Kidney Disease

Non-dialysis-dependent chronic kidney disease (NDD-CKD) patients are at an increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD)–related deaths in comparison with the general population. This review summarizes recent guideline recommendations and studies on primary and secondary prevention of traditional cardiovascular (CV) risk factors in those with NDD-CKD. The use of antiplatelet agents for primary prevention in CKD is not supported by clinical trial evidence; however, they offer potential benefits when used for secondary prevention of CVD in the absence of an elevated bleeding risk. Lipid-lowering therapy reduces CV risk and is recommended for all NDD-CKD patients. In light of recent clinical trial findings, current clinical practice guidelines recommend a blood pressure (BP) goal < 130/80 mmHg and support the use of renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system inhibitors. Evidence supporting intensive glycemic control is limited in those with diabetes and CKD. Newer oral glycemic agents such as sodium-glucose co-transporter type 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors and glucagon-like-peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists reduce urinary albumin excretion, slow kidney disease progression, and reduce CV events. Despite the absence of dedicated clinical trials in the CKD population, lifestyle modifications including smoking cessation, intentional weight loss, and regular physical activity should be recommended to those with CKD. Patients with NDD-CKD should be treated with statins and a BP target of 130/80 mmHg should be aimed for. Limited data exists for interventions targeting other CV risk factors in CKD patients. Future studies examining the impact of various interventions targeting different primary and secondary CV prevention strategies are needed to fill knowledge gaps and improve CV outcomes.
"Micronucleoli" in the Xenopus germinal vesicle.

The germinal vesicle of theXenopus oocyte contains 1500 or more extrachromosomal nucleoli that are assembled on amplified copies of the rRNA genes. Many of these nucleoli have diameters of 10–15 μm, but some are much smaller, ranging down to 1 μm or less. Morphologically the smaller nucleoli or “micronucleoli” resemble the similarly sized B snurposomes, but they can be recognized with appropriate antibody probes (e.g., anti-nucleolin and anti-fibrillarin). We describe here a sensitive fluorescent staining technique that uses avidin and propidium iodide to visualize the rDNA in the amplified nucleoli. Many large nucleoli stain about as brightly as haploid yeast nuclei on the same slides. They presumably contain about 12 Mb of DNA, equivalent to 900 rDNA repeats. The smallest micronucleoli display only a tiny dot of stain, which must correspond to relatively few rDNA repeats.
Clinical Outcomes of Malignancy-Related Neutropenic Fever Admissions in the United States: A 10-Year National Study

Background: Neutropenia and neutropenic fever are a major cause of in-hospital morbidity and mortality in cancer patients. In this study, we aim to analyze trends in hospital outcomes of cancer-related neutropenic fever admissions and investigate clinical predictors associated with outcomes. Methods: We queried the National Inpatient Sample (NIS) database (2008-2017), using ICD-9 and ICD-10 codes accordingly, to identify cancer-related neutropenic fever admissions in the US hospitals. Cases younger than 18 years of age and cases that did not have malignancy as a primary or secondary diagnosis were excluded. Baseline characteristics of survivors were compared with non-survivors. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS v26 (IBM Corp, Armonk, NY, USA). The adjusted odds ratio (aOR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) were calculated using the Cochran-Mantel-Haenszel test. A multivariate regression model was deployed to assess predictors of inpatient mortality. Complex weights were used throughout all calculations, enabling appropriate national projections. Results: A total of 159,065 records were identified using our inclusion and exclusion criteria, corresponding to 778,427 admissions nationally. The in-hospital mortality rate for all patients was 5.9%. Most common documented sources of infections were respiratory (24.3%), followed by urinary tract infections (13.2%), intraabdominal infections (7.6%), and skin and soft tissue infections (7.1%). Overall, sepsis was present in about quarter of the admissions, while acute kidney injury and respiratory failure were also prevalent (13.2% and 6.9%, respectively). On regression analysis, older age (OR 1.026; 95% CI, 1.025 - 1.027; P Conclusion: Despite the advances in risk stratification and frequent use of unified protocols that incorporate prophylactic growth factors in the therapeutic regimens, incidence of in-hospital mortality of febrile neutropenia appears to be unchanged over the decade between 2008 and 2017. We identified older age, metastatic disease, presence of chronic heart failure, liver disease, chronic kidney disease, coagulopathy, presence of acute kidney injury, sepsis, acute respiratory failure, encephalopathy, and septic shock as independent predictors of increased in-hospital mortality among patients admitted with febrile neutropenia. Further studies are needed to further explore predictors of poor outcomes in those patients. Download : Download high-res image (302KB) Download : Download full-size image Figure . Disclosures Anwer: Incyte, Seattle Genetics, Acetylon Pharmaceuticals, AbbVie Pharma, Astellas Pharma, Celegene, Millennium Pharmaceuticals.: Honoraria, Research Funding, Speakers Bureau.
Matching Competitor's Price in the Presence of Operational Frictions

Problem Description: A price match guarantee (PMG) is a retail offer to match a rival's retail price on the same product. We ask whether or not a brick-and-mortar retailer should offer a PMG, knowing that a consumer can buy the same product either from her or a competing, manufacturer-owned online store. Academic/Practical Relevance: We provide a new multi-channel framework that combines assortment, stocking, and pricing decisions in the presence of stochastic demand and quantity constraints. Previous structures at most addressed pricing and variety with deterministic demand. Methodology: We theorize that a manufacturer can simultaneously sell his output through an independent brick-and-mortar retailer and his online store. The manufacturer designs the product line and sets a wholesale price. He can develop the same product design for both channels. Or, he can create a separate product for each channel. The independent retailer responds to the product line design and the wholesale price by announcing a stocking quantity. Then, demand realizes, and both firms set retail prices in their stores. The brick-and-mortar retailer cannot sell more than what she ordered. Results: In the literature, PMGs are mostly seen as a profitable way to facilitate cartel pricing. Previous studies, however, did not consider the operational complexities of distributing goods to stores. In our model, which does consider such complexities, PMGs can be either profitable or unprofitable. We also find that the brick-and-mortar retailer might offer a PMG not to engage in cartel pricing but to be given a higher-quality product from the manufacturer that she would be otherwise. Finally, we find that retailers who provide PMGs may go beyond price-matching to adopt a price-beating policy. Managerial Implications: We explain that the optimality PMGs boils down to a parameter that describes order fulfillment efficiency online and a parameter that describes fulfillment efficiency at the brick-and-mortar store.
Redox‐responsive gene delivery from perfluorocarbon nanoemulsions through cleavable poly(2‐oxazoline) surfactants

The clinical utility of emulsions as delivery vehicles is hindered by a dependence on passive release. Stimuli-responsive emulsions overcome this limitation but rely on external triggers or are composed of nanoparticle-stabilized droplets that preclude sizes necessary for biomedical applications. Here, we employ cleavable poly(2-oxazoline) diblock copolymer surfactants to form perfluorocarbon (PFC) nanoemulsions that release cargo upon exposure to glutathione. These surfactants allow for the first example of redox-responsive nanoemulsions in cellulo. A noncovalent fluorous tagging strategy is leveraged to solubilize a GFP plasmid inside the PFC nanoemulsions, whereupon protein expression is achieved selectively when employing a stimuli-responsive surfactant. This work contributes a methodology for non-viral gene delivery and represents a general approach to nanoemulsions that respond to endogenous stimuli.
Curcumin suppresses growth of cervical cancer cells

4280 Bone is a favored location for several cancer metastases, especially for breast and prostate cancer and myeloma. Metastatic breast cancer cells can stimulate directly or indirectly osteoclast-mediated bone resorption, resulting in the increase of bone destruction. Breast cancer cells also secrete several factors, such as parathyroid hormone-related protein (PTHrP), interleukin-6 (IL-6) and IL-11. These factors stimulate stromal/osteoblastic cells to express osteoclastogenic factor. One key factor is the protein receptor activator of nuclear factor-kappa B ligand (RANKL), which is required to induce osteoclast formation and activity. Another factor, osteoprotegerin (OPG), is a soluble decoy receptor for RANKL and inhibits RANKL-induced osteoclastogenesis. The consequent bone resorption induces release of various growth factors from the bone matrix, such as TGF-I,II and IGF-I,II. The released growth factors stimulate cancer cell proliferation. This sequential process is called to ‘vicious cycle’. We investigated the inhibitory effect on the growth and PTHrP mRNA expression of human metastatic breast cancer cells, MDA-MB-231. We also examined the effects of Glycyrrhizae radix extract and isoliquiritigenin(ISL) on the expression of RANKL and OPG in human osteoblastic cells, hFOB1.19 treated with conditioned medium(CM) of MDA-MB-231 cells, CM-induced apoptosis of hFOB1.19 cells and RANKL-induced osteoclastogenesis in RAW264.7 cells, a murine monocytic cell line. We found that the extract of Glycyrrhizae radix and ISL inhibited the cell proliferation and induced apoptosis in MDA-MB-231 cells. ISL did not affect the expression of PTHrP mRNA. The mRNA level of RANKL was increased and the mRNA level of OPG was decreased in hFOB1.19 cells treated with CM, resulting in the increased RANKL/OPG mRNA ratio. The Glycyrrhizae radix extract and ISL significantly decreased the ratio of RANKL/OPG mRNA in hFOB1.19 cells treated with CM. The Glycyrrhizae radix extract and ISL also inhibited RANKL-induced osteoclast formation in RAW264.7 cells. These results suggest that the extract of Glycyrrhizae radix and ISL may block bone metastasis of breast cancer cells by inducing apoptosis of metastatic breast cancer cells, decreasing the ratio of RANKL/OPG mRNA in osteoblasts and inhibiting osteoclastogenesis. Based on these data, we investigated the molecular mechanisms underlying the effect of Glycyrrhizae radix extract and ISL on vicious cycle. In particular, we focused on COX-2 protein, which plays an important role for RANKL expression and osteoclastogenesis as well as metastasis.
Does Delegation Undermine Accountability? Experimental Evidence on the Relationship Between Blame Shifting and Control

A small but growing literature in experimental economics finds that principals can shift responsibility for blameworthy behavior to agents, even when those agents are effectively powerless. Prior work in this field measures blameworthy behavior only indirectly, however. It uses modified dictator games to measure attributions of blame for inequitable allocations of wealth. Yet participants might find inequitable allocations of wealth not blameworthy. Thus, such indirect measures leave open the possibility that prior work is not measuring blame shifting at all. This article corrects for a crucial shortcoming by providing a direct measure of blame-shifting behavior. It reports and discusses first-of-its-kind experimental evidence that shows that principals can delegate to powerless intermediaries in order to evade blame.
Mg-protoporphyrin-IX and δ-aminolevulinic acid synthesis from glutamate in isolated greening chloroplasts: Mg-protoporphyrin-IX synthesis

Abstract A crude plastid preparation from greening cucumber cotyledons was able to accumulate Mg-protoporphyrin-IX when incubated in the presence of glutamate. 14C from l -[U-14C]glutamate was incorporated into the porphyrin. The product was identified by its emission and excitation fluorescence spectra and by its chromatographic behavior on cellulose thin layers. The biosynthesis had a marked requirement for ATP and O2. α,α′-Dipyridyl, a metal ion-chelating agent which had been shown to stimulate the synthesis of Mg porphyrins and phorbins in etiolated bean leaves and other whole tissues, stimulated likewise the in vitro synthesis of Mg-protoporphyrin-IX by isolated greening chloroplasts. Freezing and thawing, which destroy organelle integrity, abolished the ability of these isolated plastids to biosynthesize Mg-protoporphyrin-IX.
Neural Models of Pattern Formation

Perhaps the most obvious, ubiquitous, important and complex spatial patterning processes are those associated with the nervous system such as pattern recognition and the transmission of visual information to the brain. This is a vast field of study. In this chapter we give only an introduction to some of the models, involving nerve cells, which have been proposed as pattern generators. Basic to the concept of neural activity is the nerve cell, or neuron. The neuron consists of a cell body with its dendrites, axon and synapses. It is a bit like a tree with the roots the dendrites, the base the cell body, the trunk the axon and the numerous branches the synapses. The cell receives information, from other cells, through its dendrites, passes messages along the axon to the synapses which in turn pass signals on to the dendrites of other cells. This neuronal process is central to brain functioning. The axons are the connectors and make up the white matter in the brain with the dendrites and synapses making up the grey matter.
Abstract 2888: Dendritic cell-targeted lentiviral vector vaccines overcome tolerance to generate a protective T-cell immune response to breast cancer antigens ERBB2 and α-lactalbumin

Breast cancer immunotherapy is a potent treatment option, with antibody therapies such as trastuzumab increasing 2-year survival rates by 50%. In contrast, active immunotherapy through therapeutic vaccination has yet to be proven clinically effective for breast cancer. One potential means of improving vaccine therapy is by delivering breast cancer antigens to dendritic cells (DCs) for enhanced antigen presentation. To achieve this in vivo, we have pseudotyped lentiviral vector vaccines with a modified Sindbis Virus glycoprotein that targets the C-type lectin DC-SIGN, which is expressed on DCs. We hypothesized that utilizing these DC-targeting lentiviral vectors as a breast cancer vaccine could lead to an improved immune response against self antigens found in breast cancer tumors. Such an improved immune response may help to prevent or slow tumor growth in breast cancer models. To test these hypotheses, we have constructed lentiviral vectors encoding each of the breast cancer antigens, human Her2 (ERBB2) and mouse alpha-lactalbumin (Lalba). Single injections were able to amplify antigen-specific CD8 T cells to 1.6% of total CD8 T cells in BALB/cJ mice and 0.7% in transgenic ERBB2 mice. This compares favorably with recently published vector vaccines, which have elicited 0.9% and Citation Format: Paul D. Bryson, Xiaolu Han, Norman Truong, Pin Wang. Dendritic cell-targeted lentiviral vector vaccines overcome tolerance to generate a protective T-cell immune response to breast cancer antigens ERBB2 and α-lactalbumin. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 105th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2014 Apr 5-9; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2014;74(19 Suppl):Abstract nr 2888. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2014-2888
Corporate Raiding Russian Style: Hostile Takeovers via Corruption and Fraud

Raiding along with corruption is the number one problem in Russia. Raiding is a hostile takeover that manifests a fight for property or other valuable assets that often involves corruption and fraud. In addition to production facilities, real estate and land are major targets of raiders. Raiding reaches far beyond private enterprises. Raids are organized against the state enterprises and state property as well. Documents show that disposal fields, industrial waste, oil refineries, private banks, public utility companies, electricity and oil distribution centers, facilities, and pipelines, abandoned state and private plants, entertainment centers, sea ports, construction sites, agricultural land, resort areas, economic quotas on exploitation of natural resources, resort areas, tanks and ammunition, technologies and technical documentation, TV companies, radio frequencies, and even dolphins are all targets of raiders. Essentially, anything of value is potentially an object for a raider attack. Oftentimes, raiding attacks are supported by the state organizations, including courts. The mechanisms used for raiding attacks vary and are likely to increase in variety and become more sophisticated. Confusing tax system and tax evasion charges are used for taking over large companies with the use of the state apparatus.
Regionalization of landscape characteristics to map hydrologic variables

By integrating groundwater, surface water and vadose zone systems, the terrestrial hydrologic system can be used to spatially map water balance characteristics spanning local to global scales, even when long-term stream gauge data are unavailable. The Watershed Characteristics Approach (WCA) is a hydrologic estimation model developed using a system-based approach focused on the regionalization of landscape characteristics to define unique hierarchical hydrogeological units (HHUs) and establish their link to hydrologic characteristics. Although the WCA can be used to map any hydrologic variable, its validity is demonstrated by summarizing results generated by applying the methodology to quantify the renewable groundwater flux at a spatial scale lacking long-term stream gauge monitoring data. Landscape components for 97 East-Central Minnesota (ECM) watersheds were summarized and used to identify which unique combinations of characteristics statistically influenced mean annual minimum groundwater recharge. These resulting combinations of landscape characteristics defined each HHU; as additional characteristics were applied, units were refined to create a hierarchical organization. Results were mapped to spatially represent the renewable groundwater flux for ECM, demonstrating how hydrologic regionalization can address knowledge gaps in multi-scale processes and aid in quantifying water balance components, an essential key to sustainable water resources management.
Multiple Sensory Inputs Are Extensively Integrated to Modulate Nociception in C. elegans

Sensory inputs are integrated extensively before decision making, with altered multisensory integration being associated with disorders such as autism. We demonstrate that the two C. elegans AIB interneurons function as a biphasic switch, integrating antagonistic, tonic, and acute inputs from three distinct pairs of sensory neurons to modulate nociception. Off food, animals reverse away from a noxious stimulus. In contrast, on food or serotonin, AIB signaling is inhibited and, although animals initiate an aversive response more rapidly, they continue forward after the initial backward locomotion is complete. That is, animals continue to move forward and feed even when presented with a noxious repellant, with AIB inhibition decreasing the repellant concentration evoking a maximal response. These studies demonstrate that the AIBs serve as an integrating hub, receiving inputs from different sensory neurons to modulate locomotory decision making differentially, and highlight the utility of this model to analyze the complexities of multisensory integration. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Dysfunctional sensory signaling and perception are associated with a number of disease states, including autism spectrum disorders, schizophrenia, and anxiety. We have used the C. elegans model to examine multisensory integration at the interneuron level to better understand the modulation of this complex, multicomponent process. C. elegans responds to a repulsive odorant by first backing up and then either continuing forward or turning and moving away from the odorant. This decision-making process is modulated extensively by the activity state of the two AIB interneurons, with the AIBs integrating an array of synergistic and antagonistic glutamatergic inputs, from sensory neurons responding directly to the odorant to others responding to a host of additional environmental variables to ultimately fine tune aversive behaviors.
Ribotyping—A new tool for molecular epidemiology: Pseudomonas cepacia as a model

Abstract Ribotyping is a method of determining the molecular epidemiology of bacterial pathogens by a Southern blot analysis of the RFLPs detected by using rRNA to probe chromosomal DNA. This genotyping method offers advantages over previously employed methods in that it does not rely on potentially unstable phenotypic markers and it is applicable to a wide variety of bacterial species. The utility of this method has been clearly demonstrated in our investigations of the epidemiology of P. cepacia among individuals with CF. These studies have provided evidence supporting the possibility of nosocomial acquisition of this pathogen, and have demonstrated that CF patients may remain colonized by the same P. cepacia strain for prolonged periods. Finally, by using ribotyping, we have demonstrated that person-to-person transmission of P. cepacia between CF patients can occur. Thus, our studies of P. cepacia serve as a model for the application of ribotyping to epidemiologic investigations. This method continues to gain acceptance as a powerful tool for epidemiologists and clinical microbiologists, and is currently being employed in studies of numerous bacterial pathogens.
Hierarchically nested channels for fast squeezing interfaces with reduced thermal resistance [IC cooling applications]

We report a simple method to improve bondline formation kinetics by means of a hierarchical set of channels patterned into one of the surfaces. These channel arrays are used to improve the gap squeezing and cooling of single and multiple flip chip electronic modules with highly viscous fluids and thermal pastes. They allow a fast formation of thin gaps or bond lines by reducing the pressure gradient in the thermal interface material as it moves in and out of the gap. Models describing the dynamics of Newtonian fluids in these "hierarchically nested channel" (HNC) interfaces combine squeeze flow and Hagen-Poiseuille theories. Rapid bond line formation is demonstrated for Newtonian fluids and selected particle-filled pastes. Modeling of particle-laden polymeric pastes includes Bingham and Hershel-Bulkley fluid properties. Bond line formation and thermal resistance is improved particularly for high viscosity-high thermal conductivity interface materials created from higher volumetric particle loadings or for thermal interface materials with smaller filler particle diameters.
Increasing Fragmentation of Disulfide-Bonded Proteins for Top-Down Mass Spectrometry by Supercharging.

Abstract The disulfide bond is an important post-translational modification to form and maintain the native structure and biological functions of proteins. Characterization of disulfide bond linkages is therefore of essential interest in the structural elucidation of proteins. Top–down mass spectrometry (MS) of disulfide-bonded proteins has been hindered by relatively low sequence coverage due to disulfide cross-linking. In this study, we employed top–down ESI–MS with Fourier-transform ion cyclotron resonance (FT-ICR) MS with electron capture dissociation (ECD) and collisionally activated dissociation (CAD) to study the fragmentation of supercharged proteins with multiple intramolecular disulfide bonds. With charge enhancement upon the addition of sulfolane to the analyte solution, improved protein fragmentation and disulfide bond cleavage efficiency was observed for proteins including bovine β-lactoglobulin, soybean trypsin inhibitor, human proinsulin, and chicken lysozyme. Both the number and relative abundances of product ions representing disulfide cleavage increase with increasing charge states for the proteins studied. Our studies suggest supercharging ESI–MS is a promising tool to aid in the top–down MS analysis of disulfide-bonded proteins, providing potentially useful information for the determination of disulfide bond linkages.
Phenoxyethanol: protein preservative for taxonomists

Pieces of chicken heart or skeletal muscle were placed in a dilute solution of the antimicrobial agent 2-phenoxyethanol and stored at room temperature. Under these conditions, the serum albumin, lactate dehydrogenase, and malate dehydrogenase in these tissues survived in easily detectable amounts for at least 2 weeks. The surviving proteins appeared to be identical with those of fresh tissues in physical, catalytic, and immunological properties. Phenoxyethanol also preserved heart and muscle proteins of representatives of other vertebrate classes. Tissue samples collected in the analysis by biochemical taxonomists.
The candida precipitin test in an immunosuppressed population.

Ninety-one immunosuppressed, high-risk patients suspected of having invasive candidiasis were tested during their septic episode for the presence of candida precipitin (CP) antibody using the counterimmunoelectrophoresis (CIE) method. In 12 patients, systemic candidiasis was confirmed but only 6 of these (50%) had candida precipitins. In 14 “questionable” cases who died without a definitive diagnosis, 8 (57%) had precipitin antibody. Of the 65 patients who did not have serious candida infection, 20 (31 %) had candida precipitins. In this population we found the presence of candida precipitins to be neither sensitive (50%) nor specific (69%) for the diagnosis of invasive candidiasis.
Non-invasive oxygen saturation monitoring in neonates.

Pulse oximetry is a valuable tool but one must not use it blindly. The practitioner must not forget basic assessment skills and be controlled by the machine, but must learn to control the machine available. This way one can ascertain “why” the infant is desaturating, the determine if there is a physiological or environmental cause for an infant’s desaturation.
CideB Protein Is Required for the Biogenesis of Very Low Density Lipoprotein (VLDL) Transport Vesicle

Nascent very low density lipoprotein (VLDL) exits the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) in a specialized ER-derived vesicle, the VLDL transport vesicle (VTV). Similar to protein transport vesicles (PTVs), VTVs require coat complex II (COPII) proteins for their biogenesis from the ER membranes. Because the size of the VTV is large, we hypothesized that protein(s) in addition to COPII components might be required for VTV biogenesis. Our proteomic analysis, supported by Western blotting data, shows that a 26-kDa protein, CideB, is present in the VTV but not in other ER-derived vesicles such as PTV and pre-chylomicron transport vesicle. Western blotting and immunoelectron microscopy analyses suggest that CideB is concentrated in the VTV. Our co-immunoprecipitation data revealed that CideB specifically interacts with VLDL structural protein, apolipoprotein B100 (apoB100), but not with albumin, a PTV cargo protein. Confocal microscopic data indicate that CideB co-localizes with apoB100 in the ER. Additionally, CideB interacts with COPII components, Sar1 and Sec24. To investigate the role of CideB in VTV biogenesis, we performed an in vitro ER budding assay. We show that the blocking of CideB inhibits VTV budding, indicating a direct requirement of CideB in VTV formation. To confirm our findings, we knocked down CideB in primary hepatocytes and isolated ER and cytosol to examine whether they support VTV budding. Our data suggest that CideB knockdown significantly reduces VTV biogenesis. These findings suggest that CideB forms an intricate COPII coat and regulates the VTV biogenesis. Background: Nascent VLDL exits the ER in a specialized large vesicle, the VTV. Results: CideB interacts with COPII proteins, and CideB ablation abrogates VTV biogenesis. Conclusion: CideB forms an intricate COPII coat and regulates the formation of the VTV. Significance: New physiological role of CideB provides new insight into the mechanism that controls intracellular VLDL trafficking and secretion.
Effectiveness of health promotion programs to increase motor vehicle occupant restraint use among young children

Abstract Objective: To review the effectiveness of nonlegislative community and clinical programs to increase the rate of child motor vehicle occupant restraint use among children under the age of 5 years. Method: This was a systematic review of the world’s published literature. The Cochrane Collaboration protocol was used to conduct the literature search. The following databases were searched for literature on this topic: MEDLINE, EMBASE, NTIS, PsychINFO, ERIC, Nursing and Allied Health, Transportation Research and Information Service, and EI Compendex. The bibliographies of relevant publications were used to search for additional references. Selection Criteria: Studies were included if they evaluated a clinical or community-based intervention designed to increase the use child restraint devices among motor vehicle passengers under the age of 5 years. Studies of the effects of legislation or law enforcement programs were excluded. All study design types, including randomized controlled trials, controlled trials, and controlled or uncontrolled pre/post evaluations, were included. Studies were excluded if there was either no control group or no baseline data with which to compare outcome data. Studies were also excluded if they did not use observed restraint use as at least one of the outcome measures. Data Collection: Each study was reviewed in depth with special attention to the strength of study design. Outcomes were assessed in terms of the absolute difference in observed restraint use within and/or between groups across study intervals. Results: A total of 18 studies met inclusion criteria for in-depth review. Pooling of results was not possible because of the large differences between studies with regard to study design, settings, target groups, intervention methods, and units of analysis. There were a total of three randomized controlled trials, four controlled trials without random individual or group assignment, three controlled pre-post evaluations, and eight uncontrolled pre/post studies. Among preschool programs, short-term absolute percentage point gains in seat belt use rates ranged from 12% to 52% but only from 8% to 14% one month or more after the intervention. Among community-based media campaigns, long-term child restraint use increased by an absolute margin of 5% to 14%. Of the eleven peri-partum counseling programs, long-term follow-up revealed gains of 6% to 27% with most between 10% to 15%. Many studies had serious design flaws that could overestimate the magnitude of the effect. Conclusions: Programs to increase the rate of child restraint use among child occupants of motor vehicles appear to have overall moderate short-term effectiveness. The magnitude of the positive program effects one or more months after the intervention appear to diminish substantially. There is a strong need for high quality randomized controlled trials to determine the long-term effectiveness of child restraint promotion programs.
Paleocene sea level movements with a 430,000 year quasi-periodic cyclicity

Sea level movements with quasi-periodicity of 430,000 years are identified in the marine sedimentary units of the Eastern Gulf Coastal Plain of Mississippi, Alabama and Georgia which represent a 5.8 million year record of strandline displacement during Paleocene time. Principal component analysis of the benthic foraminiferal fauna yielded six assemblages which when combined with two other qualitatively derived assemblages provided paleoecologic information which clearly reflects the influence of paleocirculation and paleoclimatic regime of the Eastern Gulf Coastal Plain. The presence of the planktonic foraminiferal taxa Subbotina trinidadensis and Planorotalites pseudomenardii as well as paleolatitudes ranging from 15{degree} N (for the Campeche Shelf) to 25{degree} N (for the Coastal Plain) emphasizes a paleoclimatic regime which is dominantly tropical. A paleoceanographic model was derived which suggests that normal marine waters were brought into the Gulf of Mexico by two major currents. Strandline displacements are related to transgressive and regressive sea level movements in an ice free Paleocene world. The well delineated 430,000 year quasi-periodic cycle observed in the sea level curve is identified as being astronomical in character. These results support the view that changes in the Earth's orbit may trigger changes in the geometry of the Earth's surface in a waymore » which causes sea level to oscillate with a quasi-periodicity of 430,000 years.« less