cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Library-Specific Uses of the Dialog Databases Through Westlaw Academic Passwords

Academic law libraries now have access to many Dialog databases through the transparent interface of Westlaw. This is available at a moderate charge under the academic contract with West. Many of these databases are of special interest to librarians, and are being underutilized. This paper surveys some available databases with special library uses, and notes special aspects of searching the Dialog databases through the Westlaw interface.
Development of standard interface and control software for MiniMover-5 robots and IBM PC/ATs

Abstract The control system of MiniMover-5 has become obsolete today. But, the robot mechanism itself is still a good laboratory equipment for the educational environment. Therefore, replacing its control system with IBM PC or its compatible becomes a cost-saving alternative for educational laboratory development. This project utilizes the standard 8-bit parallel printer port of an IBM PC to connect the Minimover with PC itself. No additional interface board is required. A Microsoft C-based control software was developed to replace the original ARMBASIC control software.
POPULATION GENETICS OF FOREST TREES: IMPLICATIONS FOR THE APPLICATION OF IN VITRO TECHNIQUES

Differences between forest trees and other organisms include higher DNA levels, higher levels of heterozygosity per individual, a greater proportion of polymorphic loci, a higher average number of alleles per loci, and generally lower levels of population structuring. Forest management practices are generally less intensive than those commonly applied to domesticated crop plants. Because of this and the long generation time and infrequent harvest schedule, the elements of risk are greater than for other domesticated plant species. Appropriate strategies for implementing in vitro techniques that take these differences into account are discussed.
Entity consolidation and alignment in semi-structured data sources

A large portion of collected data is stored in semi-structured form, i.e., organized or related through columns or lists but without any formal schema or metadata. For example, many government organizations and companies feature employee directories and project affiliations in HTML tables on their websites. Making sense of these requires automatic methods for data alignment, matching and/or merging. Here, we describe Guspin, a tool for automatically consolidating entities and for aligning data across semi-structured data sources. Our project, based on principles of information theory, measures the relative importance of data, leveraging them to quantify the similarity between entities. We have applied our technology to discover duplicates and perform alignments for data sources provided by the Environmental Protection Agency and California environmental agencies.
Isolation and characterization of human nuclear and cytosolic multisynthetase complexes and the intracellular distribution of p43/EMAPII

In this study, the human multienzyme aminoacyl–tRNA synthetase “core” complex has been isolated from the nuclear and cytosolic compartments of human cells and purified to near homogeneity. It is clear from the polypeptide compositions, stoichiometries, and three-dimensional structures that the cytosolic and nuclear particles are very similar to each other and to the particle obtained from rabbit reticulocytes. The most significant difference observed via aminoacylation activity assays and densitometric analysis of electrophoretic band patterns is a lower amount of glutaminyl–tRNA synthetase in the human particles. However, this is not enough to cause major changes in the three-dimensional structures calculated from samples negatively stained with either uranyl acetate or methylamine vanadate. Indeed, the latter samples produce volumes that are highly similar to an initial structure previously calculated from a frozen hydrated sample of the rabbit multisynthetase complex. New structures in this study reveal that the three major structural domains have discrete subsections. This information is an important step toward determination of specific protein interactions and arrangements within the multisynthetase core complex and understanding of the particle’s cellular function(s). Finally, gel filtration and immunoblot analysis demonstrate that a major biological role for the cytokine precursor p43 is as an integral part of the multisynthetase complex.
Abstract 4225: Thymoquinone induces cell death in glioblasotma cell through production of reactive oxygen species and induction of DNA damage

Proceedings: AACR 102nd Annual Meeting 2011‐‐ Apr 2‐6, 2011; Orlando, FL Glioblastoma is the most aggressive and common type of brain tumors in humans. Surgical resection followed by radiation and chemotherapy is the current standard treatment; however, due to up-regulation of several survival pathways, tumor recurrence is quite common with a median survival of 12 to 15 months. Therefore, there is an urge for more effective therapeutic strategies for the treatment of glioblastoma. Over years the use of natural compounds as anticancer agents acquired great importance. Thymoquinone (TQ) is the bioactive component of the volatile oil extracted from the black seed, Nigella sativa. TQ has shown anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-neoplastic actions in in-vitro and in-vivo models with a selective cytotoxicity for human cancer cells compared to several normal cells. Here, we report that TQ greatly inhibited cell proliferation of radioresistant glioma cells (U87 and T98) in a concentration-dependent manner. Moreover, TQ mediated reactive oxygen species-induced DNA breaks in glioma cells, as detected by the appearance of post-DNA damage sensitive marker γH2AX. Our results also showed that TQ up-regulated p53 in U87 cells while down-regulated phospho-Akt in T98 cells in a dose-dependent manner. Current investigations are ongoing to use TQ in combination with ionizing radiation as a promising modality to overcome resistance, thereby reducing ionizing radiation doses used for glioma treatment. This work was supported by NIH grants CA93413, ES2388 and ES12991 to A. A. W. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 102nd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2011 Apr 2-6; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2011;71(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 4225. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2011-4225
Language Policy Development for Interpreter Services at the Executive Office for Immigration Review

RESUMENPlanification del uso del lenguaje en la Oficina Ejecutiva de InmigracionDebido al râpido creciemento de la poblacion de imigrantes legales e ilegales, las agencias del gobierno de los Estados Unidos de America necesitan con frecuencia los servicios de interpretes. Una de estas agencias es la Oficina Ejecutiva de Asuntos de Inmigracion (EOIR), rama del Departamento de Justicia donde se ventilan casos de deportation, exclusion y asilo politico. Este articulo presenta una perspectiva historica de la planificacion del uso del lenguaje y el desarrollo de la politica para los servicios de interpretacion de la Oficina Ejecutiva de Inmigracion durante la ultima decada.RESUMOEvoluigo de lingvopolitiko por interpreta] servoj ce la Usona Plenumoficejo por Enmigrada KontroloRapide kreskas la nombro de laulegaj kaj kontraŭlegaj enmigrantoj en Usono, kaj sekve la registaraj instancoj ofte bezonas interpretajn servojn. Unu tia instanco estas la Plenumoficejo por Enmigrada Kontrolo (EOIR), branco de la Usona Fako pri Justico, kiu traktas kazojn pri deporto, ekskludo kaj politika azilo. La nuna artikolo donas dekjaran historian superrigardon pri lingvoplanaj klopodoj kaj lingopolitika evoluigo sur la tereno de interpretaj servoj ce EOIR.
Nanodisc-solubilized membrane protein library reflects the membrane proteome.

The isolation and identification of unknown membrane proteins offers the prospect of discovering new pharmaceutical targets and identifying key biochemical receptors. However, interactions between membrane protein targets and soluble ligands are difficult to study in vitro due to the insolubility of membrane proteins in non-detergent systems. Nanodiscs, nanoscale discoidal lipid bilayers encircled by a membrane scaffold protein belt, have proven to be an effective platform to solubilize membrane proteins and have been used to study a wide variety of purified membrane proteins. This report details the incorporation of an unbiased population of membrane proteins from Escherichia coli membranes into Nanodiscs. This solubilized membrane protein library (SMPL) forms a soluble in vitro model of the membrane proteome. Since Nanodiscs contain isolated proteins or small complexes, the SMPL is an ideal platform for interactomics studies and pull-down assays of membrane proteins. Sodium dodecyl sulfate–polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis analysis of the protein population before and after formation of the Nanodisc library indicates that a large percentage of the proteins are incorporated into the library. Proteomic identification of several prominent bands demonstrates the successful incorporation of outer and inner membrane proteins into the Nanodisc library.
The mean flow structure around and within a turbulent junction or horseshoe vortex. I - The upstream and surrounding three-dimensional boundary layer

An experimental study of the mean flow structure upstream, around, and in a turbulent junction or horseshoe vortex is presented for the case of an incompressible subsonic flow. Mean velocity field and turbulent kinetic energy field measurements (obtained with hot film anemometry) and local wall shear stress measurements are used to monitor the upstream and surrounding three-dimensional turbulent boundary layer-like flow away from separation. Freestream or edge velocity and floor static pressure results are reported.
Predicting Crown Size and Shape from Simple Stand Variables

In an early paper, Berlyn (1962) argued that stem and crown form and size are linked, as both reflect time integrals of production within the crown. Berlyn's results suggest that dimensional relationships among tree components should remain fundamentally stable. Here, I develop predictive relationships relating crown size and shape to stem size for Pinus strobus (L.) in New Hampshire. Live crown ratio (crown length as a fraction of tree height), relative crown width (crown width as a fraction of tree height), and tree height as a fraction of Lorey's height are all dimensionless ratios, and can be predicted from two other dimensionless ratios: a modified version of Wilson's relative spacing (mean tree spacing as a fraction of Lorey's height) and tree diameter as a fraction of stand quadratic mean diameter. These simple models outperform other predictive models employing common measures of tree size and stand density, such as Reineke's stand density index.
Structure−Activity Analysis of Diffusible Lipid Electrophiles Associated with Phospholipid Peroxidation: 4-Hydroxynonenal and 4-Oxononenal Analogues

Electrophile-mediated disruption of cell signal-ing is involved in the pathogenesis of several diseases including atherosclerosis and cancer. Diffusible and membrane bound lipid electrophiles are known to modify DNA and protein substrates and modulate cellular pathways including ER stress, antioxidant response, DNA damage, heat shock, and apoptosis. Herein we report on a structure-activity relationship for several electrophilic analogues of 4-hydroxynonenal (HNE) and 4-oxononenal (ONE) with regard to toxicity and anti-inflammatory activity. The analogues studied were the oxidation products of HNE and ONE, HNEA/ONEA, the in vivo hydrolysis products of oxidized phosphatidylcholine, COOH-HNE/COOH-ONE, and their methyl esters, COOMe-HNE/ONE. The reactivity of each compound toward N-acetylcysteine was determined and compared to the toxicity toward a human colorectal carcinoma cell line (RKO) and a human monocytic leukemia cell line (THP-1). Further analysis was performed in differentiated THP-1 macrophages to assess changes in macrophage activation and pro-inflammatory signaling in response to each lipid electrophile. HNE/ONE analogues inhibited THP-1 macrophage production of the pro-inflammatory cytokines, IL-6, IL-1β, and TNFα, after lipopolysaccharide (LPS)/IFNγ activation. Inhibition of cytokine production was observed at submicromolar concentrations of several analogues with as little as 30 min of exposure. Phagocytosis of fluorescent beads was also inhibited by lipid electrophile treatment. Lipid electrophiles related to HNE/ONE are both toxic and anti-inflammatory, but the anti-inflammatory effects in human macrophages are observed at nontoxic concentrations. Neither toxicity nor anti-inflammatory activity are strongly correlated to the reactivity of the model nucleophile, N-acetylcysteine.
Optimizing Virtual Machine Resource Placement on Multi-Socket Platforms

Modern multi-core, multi-socket hardware powering the "cloud" is designed with memory and cache resources that have local associativity to a group of cores. Operating systems have characterized these associativities as part of Non-Uniform Memory Architecture (NUMA) optimizations within their virtual memory manager (VMM) and scheduler which improves application performance. Mature NUMA optimizations are prevalent for an OS running on bare-hardware. However, their benefits are reduced within virtual machines(VM) in the cloud. Even though cloud applications are executed by standard multi-core multi-socket hardware, the abstraction brought in by the virtualization layer makes it challenging to optimize resource management within a VM. This paper describes new paradigms in hypervisor technology-- scheduling VMs on cores and managing their memory resources which streamlines their execution on underlying multicore hardware. Being Linux kernel developers, we base our work on Linux operating system and Kernel Virtual Machine (KVM) --a subsystem which turns the Linux kernel into a scalable hypervisor. We evaluate few approaches for optimal resource allocation with KVM. We summarize our findings with a comparative study of how different scheduling algorithms can be employed with KVM for various systems to support efficient resource placement while running cloud workloads.
Interpretation of Temperature and Pressure Profiles Measured in Multilateral Wells Equipped with Intelligent Completions

SPE 94097 Interpretation of Temperature and Pressure Profiles Measured in Multilateral Wells Equipped with Intelligent Completions K. Yoshioka D. Zhu and A.D. Hill Texas A&M U. and L.W. Lake U. of Texas at Austin Copyright 2005 Society of Petroleum Engineers This paper was prepared for presentation at the SPE Europec/EAGE Annual Conference held in Madrid Spain 13-16 June 2005. This paper was selected for presentation by an SPE Program Committee following review of information contained in an abstract submitted by the author(s). Contents of the paper as presented have not been reviewed by the Society of Petroleum Engineers and are
HIV/AIDS services in private substance abuse treatment programs.

Abstract Background HIV infection among substance abusers is a growing concern in the United States. Little research, however, has examined the provision of HIV/AIDS services in substance abuse treatment programs. Methods This study examines the provision of onsite HIV/AIDS services in a nationally representative sample of 345 privately funded substance abuse treatment programs. Data were collected via face-to-face interviews with administrators and/or clinical directors of treatment programs in 2007–2008. Results Results show that larger programs and programs with a higher percentage of both African American and injection drug using (IDU) patients were more likely to offer onsite HIV/AIDS support groups and a dedicated HIV/AIDS treatment track. Multinomial logistic regression reveals that the odds of offering onsite HIV testing services were higher for hospital based programs, programs providing medical services onsite, and programs with higher percentages of African American patients, relative to the odds of offering no HIV testing or referring patients to an external provider for HIV testing services. The odds of providing onsite testing were lower for outpatient-only treatment programs, relative to the odds of offering no HIV testing or referring patients to an external provider for HIV testing services. Conclusions Our findings highlight critical barriers to the adoption of onsite HIV/AIDS services and suggest treatment programs are missing the opportunity to significantly impact HIV-related health outcomes.
Transgene Persistence and Cell Turnover in the Diarthrodial Joint: Implications for Gene Therapy of Chronic Joint Diseases

Local gene therapy for chronic joint diseases requires prolonged transgenic expression, but this has not been reliably achieved in animal models. Using normal and immunocompromised animals, we examined the capacity of various cell types in joint tissues to maintain and express exogenous transgenes after direct intra-articular gene delivery. We found that transgenic expression could persist for the lifetime of the animal but required precise immunological compatibility between the vector, transgene product, and host. It was not dependent on vector integration or promoter origin. We identified two phenotypically distinct sub-populations of genetically modified cells within the joint: (i) transient cells, with a half-life of a few weeks, and (ii) stable cells that reside in the joint tissues indefinitely. Contrary to the prevailing assumption, the transient sub-population was composed almost exclusively of synovial fibroblasts, indicating that the synovium is not an appropriate tissue upon which to base a long-term therapy. Instead, fibroblasts in the ligaments, tendons, and capsule emerged as the primary cell types capable of sustained therapeutic transgene expression. This study sheds new light on the cellular dynamics of articular tissues and suggests that cell turnover and immune reactivity are the key determinants in achieving sustained transgenic expression intra-articularly.
Nearest neighbor birth and death processes on the real line

The purposes of this paper are to lay the foundations for infinite birth and death processes on R ~, in general, and, in particular, to develop the theory of nearest neighbor birth and death processes on the real line. We are motivated to do this by the paper of F. Spitzer I11] which, among other things, contains the theory for time reversible, nearest neighbor birth and death processes on the integers. Many of our results were already anticipated in [11]. The only ingredient which Spitzer was lacking was sufficiently strong theory for the appropriate class of birth and death processes. These are processes in which an infinite number of individuals exist at each instant and the rate at which new individuals appear or old ones disappear depends on the instantaneous configuration of the existing individuals. In Spitzer's case, the place in which individuals can live is a lattice; for us it is a continuum. However, it is a simple matter to transfer our results to Spitzer's context (cf. remarks 3.14 and 5.10). Section 1 is concerned with the basic results which we need in order to prove existence of the desired processes. In Section 2 we study birth and death processes in a bounded region. Here we rely on several of the ideas of Preston [10] in which he studied spatial birth and death processes for which the total population is always finite. Section 3 contains a theorem showing that under very general conditions the martingale problem for nearest neighbor birth and death processes on R i s well posed. This is the only good uniqueness theorem for such martingale problems that we have been able to prove. The last three sections are concerned with the existence of time reversible equilibrium
Relationships between body dissatisfaction and physical measurements.

Relationships among components of the Body Dissatisfaction (BD) subscale, Body Mass Index (BMl), and relevant anthropometric measurements, including waist and hip circumference and abdominal skinfold were examined in 127 freshman and sophomore women. With one exception, Spearman's rank order correlations between questions on the BD subscale and anthropometric measurements of body parts were all significant at p <.05. These correlations were strongest between BD components and their anatomic referents. When corrected for body fatness, only the relationship between lower trunk and relevant questions from the BD subscale remained significant. In an ANCOVAR design, with hip circumference as the independent variable, BMl as the adjusted covariate, and dissatisfaction with hip size as the dependent variable, main effects were highly significant (F = 11.7, p <.001).
Auditing to combat revenue recognition fraud

Revenue recognition fraud has been in the news lately. In fact, more than half of all financial reporting fraud involves overstating revenue. The authors review the current literature that applies to revenue recognition fraud and offer some useful audit tools and procedures to prevent it. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Co-expression pattern from DNA microarray experiments as a tool for operon prediction

The prediction of operons, the smallest unit of transcription in prokaryotes, is the first step towards reconstruction of a regulatory network at the whole genome level. Sequence information, in particular the distance between open reading frames, has been used to predict if adjacent Escherichia coli genes are in an operon. While appreciably successful, these predictions need to be validated and refined experimentally. As a growing number of gene expression array experiments on E.coli became available, we investigated to what extent they could be used to improve and validate these predictions. To this end, we examined a large collection of published microarry data. The correlation between expression ratios of adjacent genes was used in a Bayesian classification scheme to predict whether the genes are in an operon or not. We found that for the genes whose expression levels change significantly across the experiments in the data set, the currently available gene expression data allowed a significant refinement of the sequenced-based predictions. We report these co-expression correlations in an E.coli genomic map. For a significant portion of gene pairs, however, the set of array experiments considered did not contain sufficient information to determine whether they are in the same transcriptional unit. This is not due to unreliability of the array data per se, but to the design of the experiments analyzed. In general, experiments that perturb a large number of genes offer more information for operon prediction than confined perturbations. These results provide a rationale for conducting expression studies comparing conditions that cause global changes in gene expression.
Expression of Metallothionein in Seminal Vesicles: an Immunohistochemical Study

Objective: The seminal vesicles and prostate share the same blood supply and exposure to carcinogens. Despite these similarities, fewer than 60 adenocarcinomas of the seminal vesicles have been described, whereas prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men today. Metallothionein plays a significant role in the detoxification of heavy metals. Thus, this study investigated the expression of metallothionein in seminal vesicle tissue. Material and Methods: Twenty individual tissue specimens each of normal seminal vesicle tissue and benign prostatic tissue underwent immunohistochemical staining with a monoclonal mouse anti-metallothionein antibody. Results: Positive immunostaining for metallothionein was found in 8 of 20 (40%) of the seminal vesicle tissues, but in 14 of 20 (70%) of the prostate specimens. Seminal vesicle tissue stained only with weak intensity. Conclusion: Metallothionein expression is lower in seminal vesicles than in the prostate. The low cell turnover in seminal vesicle tissue may exp...
The Proliferative Capacity of Individual Naive CD4+T Cells Is Amplified by Prolonged T Cell Antigen Receptor Triggering

Strong antigenic encounter by T cells rapidly induces immunological synapse formation and surface T cell receptor (TCR) downregulation. Although surface TCR expression can remain low for several days, T cells can still sustain antigenic signaling. It has been unclear whether prolonged antigenic signaling occurs in the absence of surface TCR replenishment, being maintained by a few “nondownregulatable” surface TCRs that might reside in a synaptosomal structure. Alternatively, the low surface TCR level induced by antigen might represent a dynamic state of expression involving continual surface TCR replenishment, reengagement by antigen, and ongoing downregulation. To resolve this issue, we studied in vivo–generated, dual-specificity primary naive CD4+ T cells. On these cells, antigenic stimulus exclusively downregulated antigen-specific, but not antigen-nonspecific, TCRs. In addition to providing a means to track TCR engagement, this also allowed us to use the antigen nonspecific TCR to track TCR expression in isolation from TCR engagement by antigen. Surface TCR replenishment began within the first day of stimulation, and occurred synchronously with continuous antigen-specific TCR engagement and downregulation. Furthermore, by enhancing CD25 expression, extended signaling through surface-replenishing TCRs significantly amplified the number of daughter cells generated by naive CD4+ T cells that had already committed to proliferate. This effect required TCR engagement and could not be substituted for by interleukin 2. These data demonstrate that TCR triggering and consumption can occur over an extended period of time, with a significant impact on the effector responses evoked from naive CD4+ T cells.
Caste Politics and Partition in South Asian History

Over approximately the last fifteen years, historians have increasingly sought to examine the effects and implications of Partition – the event that culminated in the formation of India and Pakistan in 1947 – for caste politics and the experience of caste. Along with the growth of scholarly attention to this question, historical debate has emerged about how most accurately to characterize these effects. This article surveys this body of research by charting the gradual emergence of differing interpretations on the entanglements of Partition, the transfer of power, and caste politics and experience in Bengal, Punjab, the United Provinces and India, more generally. It argues that whereas scholars have produced conflicting accounts, only further research and reflection on the wider significance of this intersection will lead to the emergence of a clearer picture about how caste politics were transformed over the cusp of Partition and the immediate context of the transition from colonial to postcolonial rule in South Asia.
Vision and Authenticity in Heschel's The Sabbath

When Abraham Joshua Heschel published The Sabbath (1951), 1 Jews faced a new reality in America: far more suburban than urban, less anti-Semitic in the wake of the Holocaust, but one still driven by consumerist pressures and technological advances. Jews were wealthier too, now living with their Christian neighbors, and middle-class choices awaited them. With greater acceptance and visibility, American Jews could see a different, more enticing future with luxury goods, seductive comforts, safe homes, honest work, and caring families. If the television series The Goldbergs 2 offered homespun advice for common, familial tensions, those conflicts were often resolved, muted, and visually displaced for a more cohesive, accommodating picture. Jews could visualize themselves as the Americans they wanted to be, and yearned for the security of home so often denied them elsewhere. Yet, Heschel’s The Sabbath sought to challenge this comforting image of American Jewish experience. Throughout his work, Heschel appeals to the grandeur of time in contrast to the entrapments of space, advancing a phenomenology of being to help deflect the technology of acquisition. Jews could certainly enjoy the fruits of American capitalism, democracy, and geographical security, but they were to live among this material wealth as they searched for spiritual meaning in time. Heschel seeks to deflect an ‘‘enslavement to things’’ that seduces Jews into desiring only physical delights, which blinds them to the ineffable splendors of spiritual moments. If America beckoned in the accommodating episodes of The Goldbergs, then Heschel’s The Sabbath partitioned the material goods from the spiritual, and in doing so, summoned American Jews to covet things in time as well as in space. For Heschel, America is both a land of opportunity and a threat to Jewish religious experience. To subvert material enticements, The Sabbath sets out to educate Jews about spiritual values that lie beyond America’s borders. Heschel argues that authentic Jewish experience involves a release from material luxury, and an awakening to spiritual wonder. These ineffable moments of experience, so Heschel
Robust Learning for Adaptive Programs by Leveraging Program Structure

We study how to effectively integrate reinforcement learning (RL) and programming languages via adaptation-based programming, where programs can include non-deterministic structures that can be automatically optimized via RL. Prior work has optimized adaptive programs by defining an induced sequential decision process to which standard RL is applied. Here we show that the success of this approach is highly sensitive to the specific program structure, where even seemingly minor program transformations can lead to failure. This sensitivity makes it extremely difficult for a non-RL-expert to write effective adaptive programs. In this paper, we study a more robust learning approach, where the key idea is to leverage information about program structure in order to define a more informative decision process and to improve the SARSA(\lambda) RL algorithm. Our empirical results show significant benefits for this approach.
Increasing complexity in the open surgical repair of abdominal aortic aneurysms.

Background Patient selection and techniques for the operative management of abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs) continue to evolve. We sought to examine trends in open surgical repair (OSR) over a 15-year period in which endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) has become increasingly prevalent. Methods Patients undergoing elective repair of infra- and pararenal AAAs were identified through our center's prospective vascular surgery registry during two time periods: 1995 to 2004 (era 1) and 2004 to 2010 (era 2). Data collected included comorbidities, demographics, and operative characteristics. Results A total of 1,188 elective AAAs were repaired during the study period, including 828 (70%) OSRs and 360 (30%) EVARs. The proportion of OSRs requiring suprarenal cross-clamping increased from 14.2% during era 1 to approximately 50% by the end of era 2. Compared with era 1, increases were seen in the unadjusted mortality rates during era 2 for OSR with infrarenal clamping (from 0.62% to 1.73%) and OSR with suprarenal clamping (from 1.22% to 3.98%); after adjusting for other variables, however, no significant temporal trends were seen. Similarly, no significant change in major complication rate was seen after adjusting for other factors. The incidence of major comorbidities among the OSR group was largely unchanged between the two eras. Conclusions OSR of AAAs has become increasingly complex, with the increased utilization of EVAR. Despite this complexity, risk-adjusted outcomes may remain good in high-volume centers.
Cascade synthesis of analog and digital bounded real functions

Realization of analog and digital filters as a cascade of lossless two-ports has been shown to possess low sensitivity properties. Alternate derivations for the method of cascade synthesis of analog and digital bounded real functions by extraction of lossless two-ports are presented. Tables containing the resulting formulas are given. This study has resulted in cases in the digital domain that have not been explicitly shown in the literature. >
Development of a "smart" crossed-field amplifier

Summary form only given. A "smart" crossed field amplifier (CFA) is being developed to look at the ability to control multiple inputs while monitoring diagnostic outputs and to adjust the amplifier operating parameters to improve device performance. The cathode will consist of spatially addressable arrays of gated field emitter arrays (FEAs)s which will be distributed across the CFA so that the current and current density can be injected into the interaction space as needed in order to provide optimum interaction with the RF circuit locally rather than globally. A number of diagnostics for measurement of the rf power, the injected beam current, and the end collected current (in two dimensions) will be used to provide feedback information to a control system. This control system will be used to adjust the device operation to achieve the optimal performance for a given set of conditions. The cathode structure and slow wave circuit will be fabricated using a low temperature co-fired ceramic (LTCC) and thick film metal electrodes. Slits will be machined in an LTCC plate with the FEAs place below the slits to allow injection of the electrons while protecting the FEAs. A thick film metal layer provides the cathode (or sole electrode) voltage. Floating DC to DC converters will be used to adjust the injected beam current from the field emission arrays. The 1 GHz CFA will have an output power of -250 W with an expected gain of 15 dB. Preliminary experimental results from the CFA will be presented. The experimental results will be compared with simulation results using the electron trajectory code Lorentz and the Air Force 3D electromagnetic simulation ICEPIC2.
Semiconductor based optical frequency comb source with optical linewidth ≪1 kHz

A low noise, frequency stabilized, semiconductor based, 10.287 GHz actively mode-locked laser is reported with optical linewidth ≪1 kHz, optical frequency instability of ∼150 kHz and integrated timing jitter (1Hz–100MHz) of 3fs.
Evaluation of Interdecadal Drought Variability Using Reconstructed Streamflow Data

The application of climate-based outlooks for operational planning in south Florida is an ongoing reality. Currently, the operational schedule for Lake Okeechobee considers the expected seasonal and multi-seasonal net inflow based on Croley’s method and an in-house empirical method, both of which rely on the Climate Prediction Center’s seasonal climate outlooks, and on sub-sampling of historicallyobserved inflows under analog historical climatologic conditions. A refined method which incorporates antecedent conditions into the inflow forecast is also discussed. The purpose of this paper is to compare the performance of various methods for calculating net inflow outlooks for Lake Okeechobee for the period 1995 through 2005 against actual inflows.
A review of multidimensional scaling in marketing research

The domain of this review includes the develop ment and application of multidimensional scaling (MDS) in product planning; in decisions concerning pricing and branding; in the study of channels of dis tribution, personal selling, and the effects of advertis ing ; and in research related to the fact finding and analysis mission of marketing research. In research on product planning, specific attention is given to market structure analysis, to the development of a master con figuration of product perceptions, to the role of indi vidual differences, to representing consumer prefer ences, to issues in market segmentation, and to the use of asymmetric MDS to study market structure. Regarding fact finding and analysis, this review deals with issues in data collection such as the response rate, time, and accuracy of judgments; the validity, re liability, and stability of judgments; and the robustness of data collection techniques and MDS algorithms. A separate section on new-product models deals with the determi...
Rhamnus cathartica (Buckthorn) Hepatocellular Toxicity in Mice

The toxicity of the plant Rhamnus cathartica was assessed in mice after the plant was identified as a potential cause of an idiopathic neurologic disease in horses. Another member of the Rhamnaceae family, Karwinskia humboldtiana, is neurotoxic to mammals and birds and can induce hepatic degeneration and necrosis. To investigate the toxicity of R. cathartica, a 34-day feeding trial in mice was conducted using a complete rodent diet with 0, 5, or 25% added R. cathartica. No clinical signs or gross lesions were seen, and all major tissues were histologically normal except the liver. The livers of mice fed R. cathartica had marked hepatocellular swelling. Results from periodic acid-Schiff reaction staining and from electron microscopy confirmed that the swelling was due to deposits of monoparticulate glycogen (β particles) in the cytoplasm. Glycogen deposition is an uncommon toxic change in cells. Apparently, compound(s) in R. cathartica directly or indirectly interfered with glycogen metabolism (either glyc...
Practical considerations for executing vision algorithms on parallel arrays

It is shown that levels of performance claimed for vision algorithms can be overly optimistic if the computation time and communication time, both of which affect the schedule length of algorithms running on parallel arrays, are not quantified. Examples are given to show how the embedding technique and problem partitioning can affect communication time. When the number of computations exceeds the number of processing elements, it is necessary to share resources, but care must be taken in how this is done to minimize the schedule length. It is also shown that the scheduling technique chosen directly affects speedup. >
Syntheses and cellular investigations of di-aspartate and aspartate-lysine chlorin e6 conjugates

Chlorin e6 is a tricarboxylic acid degradation product of chlorophyll a. Four chlorin e6 bis(amino acid) conjugates were regioselectively synthesized bearing two aspartate conjugates in the 131,173- and 152,173-positions, or at the 131,152via an ethylene diamine linker. One additional conjugate bearing two different amino acids, lysine at 131via an ethylene diamine linker and an aspartate at 152via a β-alanine linker was also synthesized. The cytotoxicity and uptake of four di(amino acid) chlorin e6 conjugates were investigated in human HEp2 cells, and compared with chlorin e6. The most cytotoxic and most taken up conjugates were the zwitterionic 131,152-disubstituted conjugates 28 and 33; these also localized in multiple organelles. In contrast, the anionic 131,173- and 152,173-di-aspartyl chlorin e6 conjugates 12 and 13 showed low dark cytoxicity and lower phototoxicity compared with chlorin e6.
The analysis of dynamics characteristic for JJ160/41-K type derrick

In this paper, the author establishes the computer numerical model to calculate mechanical parameters with I-DEAS software by adopting simplified three dimensional beam element as the basis element for FEM and analyzes dynamic characteristic for JJ160/41-K type derrick under the design loading.In contras with on-site testing result, the evaluation rule of dynamic characteristic for JJ160/41-K type derrick is established.
Automating Guidance for Students' Chemistry Drawings

Generative educational assessments such as essays or drawings allow students to express their ideas. They provide more insight into student knowledge than most multiplechoice items. Formative guidance on generative items can help students engage deeply with material by encouraging students to e!ectively revise their work. Generative items promote scientific inquiry by eliciting a variety of responses and allowing for multiple correct answers, but they can be di"cult to automatically evaluate. We explore how to design and deliver automated formative guidance on generative items requiring precollege students to draw the arrangement of atoms before and after a chemical reaction. The automated guidance is based on a rubric that captures increasing complexity in student ideas. Findings suggest that the automated guidance is as e!ective at promoting learning as teacher-generated guidance, measured both by immediate improvement on the revised item and pre- to post-test improvement on a near-transfer item. Immediate and delayed delivery of automated guidance are equally e!ective for promoting learning. These studies demonstrate that embedding automated guidance for chemistry drawings in online curricula can help students refine their understanding. Providing automated guidance can also reduce the time teachers spend evaluating student work, creating more time for facilitating inquiry or attending to the needs of individual students.
Stable isotope biomarker breath tests for human metabolic and infectious diseases: a review of recent patent literature

ABSTRACTIntroduction: Stable isotope breath tests can rapidly and quantitatively report metabolic phenotypes and disease in both humans and microbes in situ. The labelled compound is administered and acted upon by human or microbial metabolism, producing a labelled gas that is detected in exhaled breath.Areas covered: This review details the unique advantages (and disadvantages) of phenotypic stable isotope based breath tests. A review of recent US patent applications and prosecutions since 2010 is conducted. Finally, current clinical trials, product pipelines and approved products are discussed.Expert opinion: Stable isotope breath tests offer new approaches for rapid and minimally invasive detection and study of metabolic phenotypes, both human and microbial. The patent literature has developed considerably in the last 6 years, with over 30 patent applications made. Rates of issuance remain high, although rejections citing 35 U.S.C. §101(subject matter eligibility), §102 (novelty), §103 (obviousness) an...
The influence of boron on the development of broccoli plants

Broccoli (Brassica oleracea var. italica) plants grown in perlite were supplied with nutrient solutions containing 0.08, 0.41, 0.61, 0.81, 4.06, or 8.11 ppm boron. Plants grown in either low (0.08 ppm) or high (8.11 ppm) boron concentrations developed at slower rates than plants in the other boron concentrations. The reduction of stomatal conductance of boron‐deficient plants coincided with the early signs of leaf thickening and chlorosis. Chlorophyll levels and net photosynthetic (Pn) rates of plants in 0.08 ppm boron were significantly less than those in 0.41, 0.61, and 0.81 ppm boron. Heads produced by plants in 0.08 ppm had small, chlorotic buds, scale‐covered stalks, and high levels of total phenols and fiber. Plants grown in high (4.06 and 8.11 ppm) boron concentrations had slightly chlorotic leaves throughout their life cycle and chlorotic leaf margins. Stomatal conductance and transpiration rate were not affected by boron toxicity. Although the chlorophyll content and Pn rates were lower ...
Strength and plasticity of nanolaminated materials

ABSTRACTThe mechanical behavior of nanolaminates is dominated by interfaces that act as sources, barriers, and preferred sites for storage and dynamic recovery of glide dislocations. In this article, the deformation mechanisms of a variety of metal-based nanolaminates are reviewed with emphasis on unusual mechanical properties such as ultra-high flow strength without loss of plastic deformability.
Visual Evoked Responses in Migraine

The visual evoked responses (VERs) to flash and pattern stimulation were examined in 44 children with migraine and 8 with periodic syndrome at the Birmingham and Midland Eye Hospital, Birmingham, England.
Predictors of fatigue and poor sleep in adult survivors of childhood Hodgkin's lymphoma: a report from the Childhood Cancer Survivor Study.

Survivors of pediatric Hodgkin’s lymphoma (HL) are at risk for a number of debilitating late effects. Excessive fatigue and poor sleep quality are primary complaints of HL survivors. Understanding the emotional and physical factors that influence fatigue and sleep quality may provide opportunities for intervention to improve health-related quality of life for HL survivors. Data from 751 adult survivors of childhood HL who participated in the Childhood Cancer Survivor Study (CCSS) from 2000–2002 were analyzed. Multivariable logistic regression analyses investigated the demographic, psychological, and physical variables that predicted clinically significant levels of poor sleep quality, fatigue, and excessive daytime sleepiness. Survivors’ self-reported level of emotional distress, pain, and physical functioning limitations did not differ from population norms. Clinically elevated levels of emotional distress (OR 8.38, 95% CI 4.28–16.42) and pain (OR 3.73, 95% CI 2.09–6.67) increased the risk for endorsing elevated levels of fatigue. Survivors with elevated levels of emotional distress (OR 6.83, 95% CI 2.71–15.90) and pain (OR 5.27, 95% CI 1.78–15.61) were more likely to report poor sleep quality. Pain (OR 2.11, 95% CI 1.39–3.34) was related to excessive daytime sleepiness. Emotional and physical factors are associated with elevated levels of fatigue, excessive daytime sleepiness, and poor sleep quality in survivors of pediatric HL. This is consistent with findings from research conducted with non-cancer survivors. These results suggest that interventions designed to target sleep and fatigue difficulties in the general population may be well suited for pediatric HL survivors as well.
Effects of Urban Plume Aerosols on a Mesoscale Convective System

AbstractThis study examines the effects of urban aerosols on a mesoscale convective system (MCS) in the central Great Plains with the Weather Research and Forecasting Model coupled with chemistry (WRF-Chem). Urban emissions from Kansas City, Missouri, were scaled by factors of 0.5, 1.0, and 2.0 to investigate the impact of urban aerosol load on MCS propagation and strength. The first half of the storm development is characterized by a stationary front to the north of Kansas City (phase I; 1800 UTC 26 May–0600 UTC 27 May), which develops into a squall line south of the urban area (phase II; 0600–1800 UTC 27 May). During phase I, doubling urban emissions shifts the precipitation accumulation, with enhancement downwind of the storm propagation and suppression upwind. During phase II, a squall line develops in the baseline and doubled emissions scenarios but not when emissions are halved. These changes in MCS propagation and strength are a function of cold pool strength, which is determined by microphysical p...
Identification of a Substrate-selective Exosite within the Metalloproteinase Anthrax Lethal Factor

The metalloproteinase anthrax lethal factor (LF) is secreted by Bacillus anthracis to promote disease virulence through disruption of host signaling pathways. LF is a highly specific protease, exclusively cleaving mitogen-activated protein kinase kinases (MKKs) and rodent NLRP1B (NACHT leucine-rich repeat and pyrin domain-containing protein 1B). How LF achieves such restricted substrate specificity is not understood. Previous studies have suggested the existence of an exosite interaction between LF and MKKs that promotes cleavage efficiency and specificity. Through a combination of in silico prediction and site-directed mutagenesis, we have mapped an exosite to a non-catalytic region of LF. Mutations within this site selectively impair proteolysis of full-length MKKs yet have no impact on cleavage of short peptide substrates. Although this region appears important for cleaving all LF protein substrates, we found that mutation of specific residues within the exosite differentially affects MKK and NLRP1B cleavage in vitro and in cultured cells. One residue in particular, Trp-271, is essential for cleavage of MKK3, MKK4, and MKK6 but dispensable for targeting of MEK1, MEK2, and NLRP1B. Analysis of chimeric substrates suggests that this residue interacts with the MKK catalytic domain. We found that LF-W271A blocked ERK phosphorylation and growth in a melanoma cell line, suggesting that it may provide a highly selective inhibitor of MEK1/2 for use as a cancer therapeutic. These findings provide insight into how a bacterial toxin functions to specifically impair host signaling pathways and suggest a general strategy for mapping protease exosite interactions.