cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Mach number and freestream turbulence effects on turbine vane aerodynamic losses

The aerodynamic performance of a smooth. cambered turbine vane (which replicates one used in an operating gas turbine engine) is investigated in this paper. Three different Mach-number distributions are employed, which result in one transonic flow and two subsonic flows. All of these distributions match flow conditions in different industrial applications. A fine mesh grid and cross bars are used to augment the magnitudes of longitudinal turbulence intensity at the inlet of the test section. Wake-profile data are presented for two different locations downstream of the vane trailing edge (one axial chord length and 0.25 axial chord length). The contributions of varying Mach number and varying freestream turbulence intensity to aerodynamic losses, normalized kinetic energy profiles, normalized Mach-number profiles, integrated aerodynamies losses, and area-averaged loss coefficients are quantified. Results show that wake profiles are more sensitive to turbulence intensity variations at lower subsonic flow conditions than when transonic flow is present. Wake profiles are also broadened either as the exit Mach number increases or as the freestream turbulence intensity level increases. Higher losses in the freestream flow are present as the inlet turbulence intensity level increases. Also described are effects of increased turbulent diffusion, streamwise development, and profile asymmetry. Corresponding integrated aerodynamic losses and area-averaged loss coefficient Y A magnitudes increase with increasing Mach number or with increasing turbulence intensity level. Results additionally show larger loss magnitudes with flow turning and cambered airfoils, relative to symmetric airfoils, when compared at the same exit Mach number.
Computational phase equilibria and experimental investigation of magnesium–aluminum–calcium alloys

Mg–Al–Ca alloys provide excellent creep resistance and castability for elevated temperature applications. Computational thermodynamics calculations and experimental investigation of the Mg–Al–Ca ternary system have validated the earlier development of creep-resistant AX52 (Mg–5Al–2Ca1) and AX53 (Mg–5Al–3Ca) alloys. The Scheil simulation of alloy solidification has suggested key guidelines of alloy composition design in promoting the thermally stable (Mg,Al)2Ca phase, while replacing the less stable Mg17Al12 in the microstructure. The suppression of the Mg17Al12 phase can increase the solidus temperature, reduce the freezing range, and increase the latent heat during solidification, all of which contribute to improved castability in the AX53 and AX52 alloys compared with the AX51 (Mg–5Al–1Ca) alloy. The quantitative phase equilibrium data, microstructure characterization, as well as the thermal physical properties of the Mg–Al–Ca alloy system generated from this study are important basis for further optimization of alloy composition and microstructure for elevated temperature applications.
The characteristics and evaluation of women presenting with a breast mass during pregnancy

Abstract The objective of this study is to describe women presenting with breast masses in pregnancy at the Emory University Gynecology Breast Clinic at Grady Memorial Hospital from its inception on January 15, 1993 through March 2, 1995. The study is a retrospective chart review of 85 patients, either self-referred or referred by the Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, who were pregnant and presented with complaints of a breast mass. The patient population was young, with an average age of 23.9 years. All three trimesters were represented. Fifty-eight patients had palpable masses, and 56 fine-needle aspirations were performed. Twenty-seven (31.7%) of the women did not have masses at the time of clinical examination. Numerous different benign lesions were diagnosed. None of the patients were diagnosed with breast cancer. The evaluation of a breast mass is the same for both pregnant and nonpregnant patients.
Dysregulation of autophagy and Parkinson’s disease: the MEF2D link

Autophagy refers to the process by which lysosomes degrade intracellular components. Three basic forms of it, macro-, micro-, and chaperon-mediated autophagy, exist in cells. Several studies have shown that dysregulation of macroautophagy compromises the viability of neurons. Recent evidence indicates that chaperone-mediated autophagy plays a role in direct degradation of neuronal transcription factor MEF2D, a protein known to promote neuronal survival. Disruption of this regulatory pathway by α-synuclein leads to neuronal stress, which may underlie neuronal loss in Parkinson’s disease.
Measurement of Liquid Water Accumulation in a Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell With Dead-Ended Anode

The operation and accumulation of liquid water within the cell structure of a polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) with a dead-ended anode is observed using neutron imaging. The measurements are performed on a single cell with 53 square centimeter active area, Nafion 111-IP membrane and carbon cloth Gas Diffusion Layer (GDL). Even though dry hydrogen is supplied to the anode via pressure regulation, accumulation of liquid water in the anode gas distribution channels was observed for all current densities up to 566 mA cm−2 and 100% cathode humidification. The accumulation of liquid water in the anode channels is followed by a significant voltage drop even if there is no buildup of water in the cathode channels. Anode purges and cathode surges are also used as a diagnostic tool for differentiating between anode and cathode water flooding. The rate of accumulation of anode liquid water, and its impact on the rate of cell voltage drop is shown for a range of temperature, current density, cathode relative humidity and air stoichiometric conditions. Neutron imaging of the water while operating the fuel cell under dead-ended anode conditions offers the opportunity to observe water dynamics and measured cell voltage during large and repreatable transients.© 2008 ASME
Estimation of surface actinic flux from satellite (TOMS) ozone and cloud reflectivity measurements

Recently, a method has been proposed to estimate ultraviolet (UV) spectral irradiances at the Earth's surface, from satellite-based measurements of ozone and cloud reflectivity. Here, we extend this method to the determination of spectral actinic fluxes needed for the calculation of photodissociation rate coefficients. It is shown that the modification of actinic flux by clouds is closely approximated by the cloud reduction factor applicable to the irradiance, if considering averages over area or time instead of instantaneous point data. The conversion of irradiance estimates into actinic flux estimates introduces additional errors, but for most practical situations these fall below 10 to 20% in the UV spectral region, where the relevant photolytic reactions have their maximum sensitivity. Based on these results, large satellite-derived data sets (e.g., ozone column and cloud reflectivity from the Total Ozone Mapping Spectrometer, TOMS) can be utilized to estimate near-surface photolysis rate coefficients on a global scale.
Nucleic Acid–Gold Nanoparticle Conjugates as Mimics of microRNA

Novel conjugates of gold nanoparticles (13±1nm) functionalized with synthetic microRNAs can enter cells without the aid of cationic co-carriers and mimic the function of endogenous microRNAs. These conjugates can regulate multiple proteins through interactions with 3′ untranslated region of the target mRNA and control cell behavior. The conjugates are a promising new tool for studying miRNA function and new candidates for miRNA replacement therapies.
Inherited Dysgammaglobulinemia of Chickens

Disorders of the immune system leading to hypogammaglobulinemia are considered to be either primary defects in stem cell precursors of B lymphocytes or disorders in the maturation of B cells. In the X-linked form of immunodeficiency B cells are usually absent; however, patients with the form of immunodeficiency referred to as varied immunodeficiency (VID) have normal or slightly below-normal numbers of circulating B cells (Dickler et al, 1974; Geha et al, 1974; Cooper et al, 1975). In VID, reduced immunoglobulin (Ig) results from defects that may occur at various stages of B-cell maturation—from impaired differentiation of pre-B cells to defective terminal differentiation (Pearl et al, 1979). The failure of B cells to mature into Ig-secreting cells has been associated with different abnormalities, such as excessive suppressor-cell activity (Waldmann et al, 1974, 1976; Siegal et al, 1976, 1978), defective helper-cell activity (De La Concha et al, 1977; Siegal et al, 1978), presence of serum and tissue-fluid inhibitors (Geha et al, 1974; Waldmann et al, 1976), and inherent B-cell defects (Geha et al, 1974; Ciccimarra et al, 1976; De La Concha et al, 1977). Clearly, VID is heterogeneous with respect to its phenotypic features, its mechanism of defective B-cell synthesis, and its inheritance patterns.
Diabetes Implementation of a Self-management Program in Resource Poor and Rural Community Clinics.

Purpose: To evaluate the implementation of a brief diabetes self-management support intervention designed for resource-poor community clinics. Methods: The authors conducted a pilot study among pat...
Effect of muscle action and metabolic strain on oxidative metabolic responses in human skeletal muscle

A recent report suggests that differences in aerobic capacity exist between concentric and eccentric muscle action in human muscle (T. W. Ryschon, M. D. Fowler, R. E. Wysong, A. R. Anthony, and R. ...
Phase-sensitive T1 inversion recovery imaging: a time-efficient interleaved technique for improved tissue contrast in neuroimaging.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: High tissue contrast and short acquisition time are desirable when scanning patients. The purpose of this report is to describe the implementation of a new technique for generating high gray matter (GM) and white matter (WM) contrast in a short scan time, make a quantitative evaluation of the contrast efficiency, and explore its potential applications in neuroimaging. METHOD: A fully interleaved T1-weighted inversion recovery (T1IR) sequence with phase-sensitive reconstruction (PS-T1IR) is implemented. This sequence is compared with conventional T1-weighted spin-echo imaging (T1SE) and T1-weighted fluid-attenuated inversion recovery (T1FLAIR). The time efficiency and contrast enhancement have been quantitatively analyzed in normal volunteers. The performance of the sequence is evaluated in >30 patients with neurologic disorders. The sensitivity of PS-T1IR relative to T1SE in detecting gadolinium enhancements is also evaluated. RESULTS: PS-T1IR is more time-efficient than T1SE and generates better GM-WM contrast. It results in the best contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) efficiency (1.16) compared with T1FLAIR (0.73) and T1SE (0.23). For a typical clinical protocol, PS-T1IR takes only 1:30 minutes versus 2:40 minutes for T1SE imaging for the whole brain coverage. Although gadolinium enhancements are detected with comparable sensitivity on both PS-T1IR and T1SE sequences, in certain instances, the latter sequence appears to be more sensitive in demonstrating gadolinium enhancements within WM. CONCLUSION: PS-T1IR has the highest CNR efficiency compared with T1FLAIR and T1SE. It is a very practical technique for neuroradiologic applications.
The fimA locus of Streptococcus parasanguis encodes an ATP‐binding membrane transport system

The gene encoding fimA, a 36 kDa fimbrial adhesion of Streptococcus parasanguis FW213, is highly conserved in all four genetic groups of sanguis streptococci. FimA-like peptides were produced by all strains tested. The nucleotide sequence directly upstream of fimA contains two open reading frames, ORF5 and ORF1, whose deduced protein products are homologous to members of a superfamily of ATP-binding cassette membrane transport proteins, including both prokaryotic and eukaryotic uptake and export systems. The amino acid sequence of FimA contains the consensus prolipoprotein cleavage site (LxxC) common to the 'periplasmic' binding proteins of Gram-positive transport systems. The deduced product of ORF5 is a 28.6 kDa membrane-associated protein that has the consensus binding site for ATP (GxxGxGKS). It shares significant homology with AmiE of Streptococcus pneumoniae as well as with Escherichia coli proteins involved in iron(III) uptake. Allelic-replacement mutagenesis of ORF5 resulted in greatly increased resistance to aminopterin. These data demonstrate functionality with the amiE locus as well. The deduced product of ORF1 is an extremely hydrophobic integral membrane protein of 30.8 kDa with a pattern of six potential membrane-spanning regions, typical of a component of these types of transport system. The nucleotide sequence downstream of fimA, ORF3, encodes a 20 kDa protein having 78% identity with the 20 kDa protein encoded downstream of ssaB, a fimA homologue in S. sanguis 12. It also exhibits significant homology with bacterioferritin co-migratory protein (Bcp) of E. coli K-12. Allelic-replacement mutagenesis in the fimA locus of FW213 showed that (i) expression of fimA was initiated at a site far upstream of the fimA start codon, and (ii) expression of fimA was not linked to expression of ORF3. Northern blots probed with internal fragments of ORF5, ORF1, fimA or ORF3 hybridized to the same transcript of 3.3 kb, which suggested that these loci were transcribed as a polycistronic message. The ORF3 probe also hybridized to a 540 bp transcript consistent with the size of ORF3 alone and supportive of the mutagenesis data of non-linkage. Strains mutated in fimA continued to produce fimbriae, indicating that FimA was not the fimbrial structural subunit. Immunoelectron microscopy revealed FimA was localized at the tips of the fimbriae of FW213. This is the first study that demonstrates that an adhesin which binds a bacterial cell to a substrate is associated with an ATP-binding cassette.
Exchange market for complex commodities: search for optimal matches

The Internet has led to the development of online markets, and computer scientists have designed various auction algorithms, as well as automated exchanges for standardized commodities; however, they have done little work on exchanges for complex non-standard goods. We present an exchange system for trading complex goods, such as used cars or non-standard financial securities. The system allows traders to represent their buy and sell orders by multiple attributes; for example, a car buyer can specify a model, options, colour, and other desirable features. Traders can also provide complex price constraints, along with preferences among acceptable trades; for instance, a car buyer can specify dependency of an acceptable price on the model, year of production, and mileage. We describe the representation and indexing of orders, and give algorithms for fast identification of matches between buy and sell orders. The system identifies the most preferable matches, which maximize trader satisfaction, and it allows control over the trade-off between speed and optimality of matching. It supports markets with up to 300 000 orders, and processes hundreds of new orders per second.
DOES EMPLOYMENT PROTECTION REDUCE PRODUCTIVITY? EVIDENCE FROM US STATES*

Theory predicts that mandated employment protection may reduce productivity by distorting production choices. We use the adoption of wrongful-discharge protection by state courts in the US from 1970 to 1999 to evaluate the empirical link between dismissal costs and productivity. Drawing on establishment-level data from the Census Bureau, our estimates suggest that wrongful-discharge protection reduces employment flows and firm entry rates. Moreover, plants engage in capital deepening and experience a decline in total factor productivity, indicative of altered production techniques. Evidence of strong contemporaneous growth in employment, however, leads us to view our findings as suggestive but tentative. An extensive literature explores the impact of dismissal costs - also frequently called firing costs or employment protection - on the operation of labour markets. Beginning with the seminal work of Lazear (1990), much research has focused on assessing how dismissal costs affect employment levels. Theory suggests, however, that dismissal costs may have ambiguous effects on employment levels. Dismissal costs act as a tax on firing, which reduces dismissals but also reduces hiring. The net effect of these offsetting factors is ambiguous, at least in the short run. It is perhaps not surprising therefore that the empirical literature has found widely varying effects of dismissal costs on employment levels.
Technological Aspects of Solid-State and Incandescent Sources for Miner Cap Lamps

Light-emitting diodes (LEDs) are emerging as viable replacements for incandescent (INC)-based cap lamps used in mining. The photometric and energy characteristics of these light sources differ in important ways. This paper describes the performance of LED and INC sources in cap lamps in terms of correlated color temperature, color rendering, light output, electric power, ambient temperature and air flow, and light source aging. Importantly, these characteristics can influence a miner's ability to spot mining hazards thus impacting safety. Second, some of these characteristics interact with the operating life of the cap lamp's battery power, such that differences between LED and INC sources can be magnified toward the end of a 10-h battery discharge cycle. Empirically, we have determined that after 8 h at an ambient temperature of 25degC , the average light output of an INC cap lamp can decrease to about 69% of its initial value when powered by a lead-acid battery, and it can decrease to about 65% of its initial value when powered by a nickel-hydride battery. An LED-based cap lamp using a constant current drive circuit can maintain about 96% of its initial value when powered by a nickel-hydride battery. Real-world tests addressing the effects of ambient temperature and air flow on the light output of an LED and INC cap lamp were conducted in the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health Safety Research Coal Mine. The LED cap lamp yielded a vertical average illuminance improvement of approximately 9.5%, and the INC cap lamp yielded a vertical average illuminance degradation of approximately 4%. The differences between LED and INC cap lamps were further quantified by the calculation of ldquomesopic luminancerdquo data that indicated for the same photopic luminance (i.e., as measured using a conventional light meter) the LED cap lamp could be up to 38% more efficient than the INC cap lamp with a lead-acid battery at the end of the 10-h driving cycle. Lastly, accelerated life tests were used to empirically determine light output depreciation as the INC light source age approached its useful life. There was about a 35% decrease in light output. This is quite considerable, particularly given that the light output will decrease an additional 30% to 45% over the period of a 10-h shift. The implications of the differences between LED and INC sources are discussed. This information is crucial in determining how visual performance could be affected for real-world conditions where batteries discharge during the work shift and as the light source ages. To date, only idealized conditions have been used for LED and INC cap lamp visual performance research.
Dexrazoxane as a Cardioprotectant in Children Receiving Anthracyclines

Anthracyclines play a critical role in the treatment of a variety of childhood cancers. However, the cumulative cardiotoxic effects of anthracyclines limit the use of these agents in many treatment regimens. Dexrazoxane is a cardioprotectant that significantly reduces the incidence of adverse cardiac events in women with advanced breast cancer treated with doxorubicin-containing regimens. Clinical evidence for the efficacy of dexrazoxane as a cardioprotectant in children, especially from randomized clinical trials, is limited, but the available data support a short-term cardioprotective effect. Long-term follow-up in children treated with dexrazoxane has not been reported. Dexrazoxane's impact on the antitumor effect and toxicity profile of the anthracyclines and the role of dexrazoxane in the development of secondary malignant neoplasms in patients who received dexrazoxane are reviewed. Based on the available data, dexrazoxane appears to be a safe and effective cardioprotectant in children, and it does not appear to alter overall survival times in children with cancer. Continued follow-up from previous trials is needed to determine the long-term effect of dexrazoxane on cardiac outcomes and quality of life.
Timing recovery for magnetic recording using cross-correlation

This paper demonstrates a method for performing timing recovery for digital magnetic recording systems using cross correlation. Estimates of the written data are cross correlated with the incoming samples to derive phase error information. Retimed sample values are found via interpolation using the incoming samples and phase-error information. Results are compared to the decision-directed timing-recovery method commonly found in digital magnetic recording systems and it is shown that the cross-correlation timing-recovery method yields a lower bit-error rate for the same amount of mistiming in the incoming samples.
Orchestrating Computing Objects Using Web-Services Technologies - An Intel IT Proof of Concept (POC)

The challenge of ever-growing complexity within the IT enterprise accelerates the evolution of a fully autonomic framework. With the need of an agile IT infrastructure for ever-changing business needs, this evolution is bound to develop based on open standards. We have conducted a proof of concept (POC) using Web services (WS) technologies in an enterprise manageability framework. The proof of concept focuses on a standard messaging layer for enterprise integration, standard and discoverable manageability interfaces, and a holistic object management approach. This paper presents a POC that uses WS standards to build a common "language" between varieties of components within the enterprise. That common "language" includes discoverable interfaces and a local metadata repository. Having this common communications framework with the ability to discover and control computing resources moves us ahead significantly toward the vision of an agile IT infrastructure, and enables the continuous evolution toward the vision of an autonomic enterprise in which holistic, end-to-end object management is possible. WS-Management (WS-Man), which is a messaging protocol dedicated to the purpose of system management, is the primary specification used in the POC. Among other things, this paper presents models to deal with key challenges like dynamic managed-object (MO) discovery and control, federated event processing across domains, and systems which reach beyond technology into business layers. The success of this POC proved that such an end-state vision can be achieved, and is a major step forward toward this goal
Parameterized macromodeling for analog system-level design exploration

In this paper we propose a novel parameterized macromodeling technique for analog circuits. Unlike traditional macromodels that are only extracted for a small variation space, our proposed approach captures a significantly larger analog design space to facilitate system-level design exploration. Combining a novel piece-wise approximation algorithm and a new multi-point model- order-reduction approach, the proposed method generates compact macromodels covering the entire feasible design space. Our experiments demonstrate that using such models can achieve more than 60 x speed-up while incurring less than 4 % overall error when varying design parameters by an order of magnitude.
A Novel Tryptophanyl-tRNA Synthetase Gene Confers High-Level Resistance to Indolmycin

Indolmycin, a potential antibacterial drug, competitively inhibits bacterial tryptophanyl-tRNA synthetases. An effort to identify indolmycin resistance genes led to the discovery of a gene encoding an indolmycin-resistant isoform of tryptophanyl-tRNA synthetase. Overexpression of this gene in an indolmycin-sensitive strain increased the indolmycin MIC 60-fold. Its transcription and distribution in various bacterial genera were assessed. The level of resistance conferred by this gene was compared to that of a known indolmycin resistance gene and to those of genes with resistance-conferring point mutations.
Agronomic Potential of Six Cylindrocladium Black Rot Resistant Peanut Lines1

Abstract Six Cylindrocladium black rot (CBR) resistant peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) lines (Spancross, Tamnut 74, NC 3033, VGP 1, GA 722105, and Toalson) and one susceptible line (Florigiant) were evaluated in field experiments for agronomic potential. All experiments (one each in 1976 and 1977 and two in 1978) were located in fields (sites) where CBR had previously occurred. The percentage of CBR symptomatic plants, yield per hectare, and market grade were measured at each site. In addition, the percentage of damaged roots and a visual rating of pod damage were determined at three sites (one in 1977 and two in 1978). Florigiant had a significantly higher yield and percentage of CBR symptomatic plants than the six CBR resistant lines. No significant differences occurred among the six resistant lines for percentage of CBR symptomatic plants. VGP 1 and GA 722105 had significantly lower yields than the other four resistant lines. These results indicate the low agronomic potential of the resistant lines.
Quantitative Measurement of the Dynamics of a Mode-locked Laser

The linear response of a mode-locked laser to a perturbation of the pump power is measured quantitatively. Relaxation oscillations, frequency pulling, and nonlinear changes in the timing and phase of the pulse train are observed.
Step it up: A multicomponent intervention to increase stair use in a university residence building

Abstract Purpose. Examine the effects of a multicomponent intervention on stair usage. Design. Nonrandomized controlled intervention. Setting. Two multistory university dormitories. Subjects. Total of 5711 direct observations of university dormitory residents. Intervention. The 2-week “Step It UP” intervention used poster prompts and fun/competitive challenges with incentives to encourage residents to take the stairs instead of the elevators. Measures. Ascending stair and elevator use was directly observed and coded for gender at high traffic times in intervention and control dormitories for 14 nonconsecutive hours over 1 week each at baseline, midintervention, and 1 week postintervention. Analysis. The proportions of ascending stair and elevator users were compared using χ2 analyses. Results. Baseline stair use was equal between intervention and control dormitories (24.9% and 27.8%, respectively; χ2[1, N = 1849] = .08; p = .77). Stair use significantly increased from baseline in the intervention do...
On the formalization and analysis of a spatio-temporal role-based access control model

With the growing use of wireless networks and mobile devices, we are moving towards an era of pervasive computing. Such environments will spawn new applications that use contextual information to provide enhanced services. Traditional access control models cannot protect such applications because the access requirements may be contingent upon the location of the user and the time of access. Consequently, we propose a new spatio-temporal role-based access control model that supports delegation for use in such applications. The model can be used by any application where the access is contingent not only on the role of the user, but also on the locations of the user and the object and the time of access. We describe how each entity in the role-based access control model is affected by time and location and propose constraints to express this. We also show how the formal semantics of our model can be expressed using graph-theoretic notation. The various features of our model give rise to numerous constraints that may interact with each other and result in conflicts. Thus, for any given application using our model, it is important to analyze the interaction of constraints to ensure that conflicts or security breaches do not occur. Manual analysis is tedious and error-prone. Towards this end, we show how the analysis can be automated using Coloured Petri Nets. Since automated analysis for large applications is time consuming, we propose an approach that reduces the analysis time.
Resident Perceptions of Physical Environment Features that Influence Outdoor Usage at Assisted Living Facilities

Abstract Spending time outdoors has been found to have therapeutic potential, and to be highly valued by older adults, yet outdoor areas at residential care facilities are commonly reported as being underutilized. To learn what features of the physical environment were perceived by residents as either attracting or deterring outdoor usage, this study conducted focus groups and written surveys at fourteen assisted living facilities, with 108 residents ranging from 61 to 97 years of age. Participants reported that their outdoor usage was influenced by accessibility, aesthetic concerns, and specific environmental features such as the provision of shade, seating elements, plants, and views. The rural vs. urban background of participants was compared with self-reported time spent outdoors, and no significant association was found.
Anomalous Biogeochemical Response to a Flooding Event in the Delaware Estuary: A Possible Typology Shift Due to Climate Change

General circulation models have suggested that the number of extreme floods and droughts will increase with climate change; recent analyses of satellite data have demonstrated that these increases have been higher than predicted. Coastal systems, like the Delaware Estuary, can be vulnerable to such extreme weather events. In analyzing the 100- and 80-year records of the two major rivers of the Delaware Estuary, we find that about 20% of the very large and 50% of the extreme daily discharges occurred in the current decade (2001–2011), and this represents a significant increase in flood occurrence compared with the rest of the discharge record. This is consistent with predictions of increased extreme weather conditions (inundation and drought) from climate change. Previously, we had characterized the Delaware Estuary as usually well mixed in the summer without significant bottom water oxygen depletion, based on our 30-year research efforts, and a 44-year agency monitoring record. In the summer of 2006, an extreme river discharge pushed the Delaware Estuary salinity gradient further downstream than seen in our research record and induced a nutrient influx to the nutrient-poor lower bay regions. As a result, stratification apparently allowed for a rapid phytoplankton biomass increase similar to the spring bloom phenomenon. A simple modeling exercise supports the idea that although unusual for this estuary in the summer, oxygen depletion occurred in response to the bloom biomass falling and decomposing in the isolated bottom waters. Using the summer 2006 anomalous discharge event and the resultant stratification as an illustration, and considering the significant increase in large and extreme floods in the last decade, we suggest that the typology of the Delaware Estuary is shifting as a result of climate change.
Reply to M.R. Smith et al

Smith and Kantoff raise a question regarding the evaluation of changes in prostate-specific antigen (PSA) kinetics in our recent report of a phase I clinical trial of a DNA vaccine encoding prostatic acid phosphatase. They cite previous phase II clinical trials showing changes in PSA doubling time (PSA DT) in patients enrolled onto placebo control arms. They conclude that “post-treatment changes in PSA DT following vaccine treatment do not provide evidence of biologic activity. Additional studies are necessary to assess the relationship between PSA kinetics and clinical outcomes and to evaluate the utility of post-treatment PSA DT or PSA velocity in the development of new drugs.” We agree that the use of changes in PSA DT is not validated as an end point associated with known impact on clinical outcomes. We acknowledged this issue in the article, wherein we stated that “it should be highlighted that the clinical significance of changes in PSA DT from any treatment remains unknown and awaits the results of prospective randomized trials to determine whether changes are associated with changes in radiographic disease progression.” We would further highlight that our study was a phase I trial in which the primary end points were safety and immunologic effect in eliciting prostatic acid phosphatase– specific CD8 T cells. Consequently, our specified measure of biologic effect was an immunologic end point and not a change in PSA kinetics. We believe that our immunologic analyses do provide evidence of biologic activity. However, because PSA is the only measure of disease in the setting of biochemical recurrence of prostate cancer, it is important to collect and report these data, as has been recommended by a consensus panel on this topic. As such, our plan moving forward is to conduct a randomized phase II clinical trial with this DNA vaccine, using time to radiographic progression as the primary clinical end point.
Electrical Impact of SiC Structural Crystal Defects on High Electric Field Devices

Commercial epilayers are known to contain a variety of crystallographic imperfections. including micropipes, closed core screw dislocations. low-angle boundaries, basal plane dislocations, heteropolytypic inclusions, and non-ideal surface features like step bunching and pits. This paper reviews the limited present understanding of the operational impact of various crystal defects on SiC electrical devices. Aside from micropipes and triangular inclusions whose densities have been shrinking towards manageably small values in recent years, many of these defects appear to have little adverse operational and/or yield impact on SiC-based sensors, high-frequency RF, and signal conditioning electronics. However high-power switching devices used in power management and distribution circuits have historically (in silicon experience) demanded the highest material quality for prolonged safe operation, and are thus more susceptible to operational reliability problems that arise from electrical property nonuniformities likely to occur at extended crystal defects. A particular emphasis is placed on the impact of closed-core screw dislocations on high-power switching devices, because these difficult to observe defects are present in densities of thousands per cm,in commercial SiC epilayers. and their reduction to acceptable levels seems the most problematic at the present time.
A low power 900 MHz PLL frequency synthesizer for ISM applications using 0.25 /spl mu/m BiCMOS

MOS Current Mode Logic (CML) is featured on a 0.25 /spl mu/m BiCMOS technology to implement a low noise, low power PLL operating to 1.2 GHz for portable wireless applications. It operates over 1.8 to 2.8 V and consumes 9.3 mA including the VCO. As part of a highly integrated two-chip transceiver system, full differential operation significantly reduces phase noise.
Alternative Empirical Study on Market Value Balance Sheet

This paper takes model by Yin (Nov. 2015) and conducted an empirical study on alternative methods of measuring Market Value Balance Sheet (MVBS). We found out that Yin (Nov. 2015), a description from accounting standpoint, did not explain the market value aspect of corporate activities and provide little evidence in explaining how Enterprise Value (EV) affecting cross-sectional returns over time. This paper updates his model and introduces alternative methods to describe Enterprise Value (EV) from market point of view. The results, as expected, are consistent with Yin (Nov. 2015). The most significant of all, γ_i,t, measures how the change of Enterprise Value (EV) over Market Equity for any asset i during t-period time affects cross-sectional stock returns. We call this the “greed” factor and conclude that an investor can outperform market by constructing a “greed” portfolio, buying the greedy stocks and selling the stocks that are not greedy.
Do You Think You Can? The Influence of Student Self-Efficacy on the Effectiveness of Tutorial Dialogue for Computer Science

In recent years, significant advances have been made in intelligent tutoring systems, and these advances hold great promise for adaptively supporting computer science (CS) learning. In particular, tutorial dialogue systems that engage students in natural language dialogue can create rich, adaptive interactions. A promising approach to increasing the effectiveness of these systems is to adapt not only to problem-solving performance, but also to a student’s characteristics. Self-efficacy refers to a student’s view of her ability to complete learning objectives and to achieve goals; this characteristic may be particularly influential during tutorial dialogue for computer science education. This article examines a corpus of effective human tutoring for computer science to discover the extent to which considering self-efficacy as measured within a pre-survey, coupled with dialogue and task events during tutoring, improves models that predict the student’s self-reported frustration and learning gains after tutoring. The analysis reveals that students with high and low self-efficacy benefit differently from tutorial dialogue. Student control, social dialogue, and tutor moves to increase efficiency, may be particularly helpful for high self-efficacy students, while for low self-efficacy students, guided experimentation may foster greater learning while at the same time potentially increasing frustration. It is hoped that this line of research will enable tutoring systems for computer science to tailor their tutorial interactions more effectively.
ET-06PRECLINICAL TESTING OF THE HISTONE DEACETYLASE INHIBITOR, PANOBINOSTAT, IN A GENETICALLY ENGINEERED DIFFUSE INTRINSIC PONTINE GLIOMA MOUSE MODEL

Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma (DIPG) is a type of incurable pediatric brain tumor with a dismal outcome. With overall survival of less than one year, and no therapeutic advancements over the last three decades, gaining a better understanding of how to treat these deadly tumors is crucial. Recent genomic analysis has revealed that nearly 80% of DIPGS harbor a K27M mutation in histone H3.3 (K27M H3.3) or histone H3.1 (K27M H3.1). In an effort to elucidate novel therapeutics to treat DIPG, we examined Panobinostat, a potent pan-histone deacetylase inhibitor (HDACi) currently in clinical trials for a variety of different cancers. HDACi are a promising new class of agents known to have multiple target effects. Panobinostat targets HDACs in Classes I, II and IV and can cause disruption of genes involved in cell cycle control, apoptosis, DNA damage repair, and differentiation. To determine the effect of Panobinostat on DIPG, we utilized cell lines derived from a genetically engineered DIPG mouse model driven by PDGF-B overexpression, p53 loss, and either K27M or WT H3.3. Our results indicate that Panobinostat is highly effective at low nanomolar concentrations (<50nM), decreasing proliferation and viability, and increasing apoptosis in a dose dependent manner. Furthermore, utilizing isogenic lines we found the sensitivity of DIPG cells to Panobinostat to be independent of their H3.3 mutational status and that both K27M H3.3 and WT H3.3 lines were equally susceptible to treatment. In conclusion, murine DIPG cell lines, both with and without the K27M H3.3 mutation, show high sensitivity to Panobinostat in vitro. We are currently investigating its efficacy in vivo with hopes of translation to the clinic as a new therapeutic avenue for DIPG.
On Development of 100-Gram-Class Spacecraft for Swarm Applications

A novel space system architecture is proposed, which would enable 100-g-class spacecraft to be flown as swarms (100 s–1000 s) in low Earth orbit. Swarms of Silicon Wafer Integrated Femtosatellites (SWIFT) present a paradigm-shifting approach to distributed spacecraft development, missions, and applications. Potential applications of SWIFT swarms include sparse aperture arrays and distributed sensor networks. New swarm array configurations are introduced and shown to achieve the effective sparse aperture driven from optical performance metrics. A system cost analysis based on this comparison justifies deploying a large number of femtosatellites for sparse aperture applications. Moreover, this paper discusses promising guidance, control, and navigation methods for swarms of femtosatellites equipped with modest sensing and control capabilities.
Evaluation of some proximal sensing methods for mapping soils in urbanized terrain, Detroit, Michigan, USA

Abstract A study was carried out to test the accuracy and utility of field probes as proximal sensing tools for site-specific and regional soil mapping in the heavily urbanized terrain of Detroit, MI, USA. The results suggest that surface scanning in situ with a magnetic susceptibility (MS) field probe is accurate, but limited by tall grass. Better results were obtained after removal of the turf layer. The accuracy of the electrical conductivity (EC) field probe was questionable. Hence, superior results were obtained ex situ using both EC and MS lab sensors. Lab EC and MS were well suited for regional soil mapping, whereas all of the methods provided at least some useful information for site-specific applications. Tall grass, excessive artifact content, and severe compaction were the greatest limitations of proximal sensing. Tall grass interfered with surface scanners (MS; metal detector), whereas excessive artifacts and compaction restricted use of the EC surface probe. Penetrability and pH were useful for discriminating between natural and anthropogenic soils, and moisture content for proximal sensing of soil ^A horizons. MS was especially useful for delineating soils impacted by fly ash. Although it is less rapid and more labor-intensive than field methods, the lab-based approach still provides a minimally invasive alternative to augering. Lab-based geophysical surveying can be carried out first, and the results used as a guide for an auger-based soil survey. An anthropogenic map index (AMI) is introduced which combines pH, penetrability, EC and MS into a single overall measure of soil quality. AMI-based maps are postulated to be a useful as a geographic representation of soil health. These results support our hypothesis that proximal sensing methods can facilitate soil mapping in urbanized terrain based on the degree of human disturbance, and differences in artifact assemblages related to land use history.
Effects of Mycophemolatemofeil on the Efficacy and Levels of Renal Type IV Collagen in Children with Henoch-Schonlein Purpura Nephritis

Objective To study the efficacy of mycophemolatemofeil (MMF) on Henoch-Schonlein purpura nephritis(HSPN) and investigate the effects of MMF on the levels of renal type Ⅳ collagen,and to explore the best therapy and mechanism.Methods Taking 19 children with HSPN as objectives,and the children were randomly divided into MMF group(10 cases) and control group(9 cases).The MMF group was cured by prednisone with 1 mg/(kg·d )at first,then the dosage was reduced to 0.5 mg/(kg·d) after 3 months,and finally cured by using MMF with 20 mg/(kg·d).The dosage of MMF was reduced to 0.25 g/d 3 months later.The control group was cured by using prednisone with 1.0-1.5 mg/(kg·d),then the dosage of prednisone was reduced regularly.Blood and urinary tests,hepatic and renal function,plasma-albumin,24 h protein excretion,blood and urinary β2-microglobulin(β2-MG) were performed previously,14 days and 1,3,6 months after treatments in both groups.Three children in MMF group and 4 children in control group received repeated renal biopsy.Results 1.After 3,6 months treatment,decrease of urinary protein[(0.6±0.6),(0.4±0.5) g/24 h vs (2.4±1.6) g/24 h Pa0.01)] and improvement of plasma albumin[(45±4),(45±4) g/L vs (35±7) g/L Pa0.01)] were observed in MMF group,while in control group,decrease of urinary protein was found in urinary protein[(1.2±0.8),(1.0±0.7) g/24 h vs (2.3±1.5) g/24 h Pa0.05)],but the range of decrease was less than that in MMF group,and significance was observed in control group compared with MMF group(P0.05).And improvement of plasma albumin in control group[(41±4),(43±5) g/L vs (35±6) g/L Pa0.05)],so no significance was observed in control group compared with MMF group (P0.05).2.Serum total protein were remarkably increased after 3,6 months treatment in MMF group and control group,and no significance was observed in control group compared with MMF group (P0.05).3.No significance of serum and urinary β2-MG was observed in control group compared with MMF group (Pa0.05).4.Significance was observed in the level of renal type Ⅳ collagen in control group compared with MMF group (P0.01).Conclusions MMF is more effective in reducing proteinuria than the currently widespread use of prednisone therapy in HSPN and can obviously decrease the expression of renal type Ⅳ collagen.
Relationship between structure, conformation, and antischistosomal activity of nitroheterocyclic compounds.

The biochemical and chemotherapeutic effects of a number of nitroheterocyclic compounds, including niridazole [1-(5-nitro-2-thiazolyl)-2-imidazolidinone] and some 5-nitro-2-furyl derivatives, on Schistosoma mansoni were investigated. Those compounds which had marked schistosomicidal activity had common structural and conformational features. These comprised a 5-nitrothiazolyl or 5-nitrofuryl ring, with a nitrogen substituent (generally part of an amide or oxadiazole system) attached to C-2 via a rigid side chain. The latter contains either a C=C double bond or a nitrogen atom attached directly to C-2 of the heterocyclic ring. These features, which are illustrated in the accompanying structure, are believed to be See PDF for Equation essential for significant antischistosomal activity. The schistosomicidal effects of compounds of this structural type were invariably preceded by a reduction of phosphorylase phosphatase activity in the worms, suggesting a common mode of action.
Outcomes in Patients with Helicobacter pylori Undergoing Laparoscopic Sleeve Gastrectomy

In vertical sleeve gastrectomy (VSG), the majority of the stomach is resected and much of the tissue colonized with Helicobacter pylori and the bulk of acid producing cells are removed. In addition, the effect of H. pylori colonization of the stomach of patients undergoing stapling procedures is unclear. As a result, the need for detection and treatment of H. pylori in patients undergoing VSG is unknown. Four hundred and eighty patients undergoing VSG are the subject of this study. Three surgeons at a single institution performed the procedures. The remnant stomach was sent to pathology and tested for the presence of H. pylori using immunohistochemistry. All patients were discharged on proton pump inhibitors. Of the 480 patients who underwent VSG, 52 were found to be H. pylori positive based on pathology. There was no statistically significant difference in age (p = 0.77), sex (p = 0.48), or BMI (p = 0.39) between the groups. There were 17 readmissions post-op. Five of these were in the H. pylori positive cohort. Six of these complications were classified as severe (anastomotic leak, intra-abdominal collection, or abscess), with two in the H. pylori positive cohort (Table 1). There was no statistically significant difference in the severe complication rates between the two groups (p = 0.67). There were no readmissions for gastric or duodenal ulceration or perforation. Our data suggests that there is no increase in early complications in patients with H. pylori undergoing VSG. If these findings are confirmed in a long-term follow-up, it would mean that preoperative H. pylori screening in patients scheduled for VSG is not necessary.